KAIZEN Lean Fast Track Program

Introduction

According to a recent Management Survey of nearly 1000 companies, the most significant obstacles to overcome when implementing KAIZEN Lean are: backsliding to old ways, lack of implementation know-how, resistance to change, and lack of strong consistent leadership throughout the organization. Nearly half of the companies are implementing improvements based on KAIZEN Lean principles; however, only 3% report they are at the advanced implementation stage where KAIZEN Lean has become the standard way of operating. 14% say extensive implementation is underway, many areas of the business are applying lean concepts and tools, and solid progress is being made. Other companies are planning or just starting to implement lean improvements.

In order for companies to avoid these obstacles and meet these challenges, KAIZEN Institute Lean Advisors has developed the KAIZEN Lean Fast Track Program. The program keeps everybody, from the CEO to the staff who directly or indirectly makes the product or delivers the service, focused on the vision and direction. Everybody knows exactly what their role is and the tools required in order for the organization to transform. The momentum and sense of pride and ownership builds as the aggressive implementation schedule moves forward.

The dramatic results, both technically and culturally, at the end of our involvement will inspire your group to want to continue to become faster, better, more flexible and more cost effective.

Approach

We focus on 'system-level' improvements (vs. 'point improvements') which dramatically improves your bottom line results. In order for a process to reach its full potential it is important to initially understand what is happening from a system perspective (end-to-end). The next step is to transform the selected Value Stream(s) - from request of the product or service to the actual delivery of that product or service. Making 'point improvements' creates Exciting Chaos, which will not allow the process to reach its potential and could ultimately undermine the success of the organization. With our innovative methodology, we maximize results and ensure your success culturally and technically.

Selected Value Stream(s) will be analyzed from a system perspective and all activities will be assessed to determine value and non-value (waste). A future state map will be created that looks out 3-4 months at what the system would look like with the non-value add activities, or waste, removed. From the future state map the team will create an Implementation Plan that systematically details how the waste is going to be eliminated. The detailed implementation plan identifies the tools required, where and when they are required, and who is responsible for applying them to make the transformation from current to future state. The implementation plan eliminates the opportunity for creating point improvements and avoids "exciting chaos". A major outcome is an environment that is customer/client focused while providing their products and services at the best cost, best quality and as fast as possible.

KAIZEN Lean Fast Track Program

We meet with your leadership, discuss the current situation, current strategy/direction, and tour the value streams. The assessment is based on leadership, staff and operations.

Executive Overview

The purpose of the executive overview is threefold:

1. To provide a common basis of understanding among senior executives


2. To establish the objectives (scorecard) for the KAIZEN Lean Implementation


3. To structure the monthly review process for the program

Introduction to KAIZEN Lean

Value Stream stakeholders attend a 1 day session on the Principles of KAIZEN Lean.

Enterprise Value Stream Mapping™

Value stream leaders are chosen for the selected Value Streams and attend a 2 day session on Enterprise Value Stream Mapping™. A current and future state map and detailed implementation plan will be created. In order to capture the correct measures, the team will complete an 'Enterprise Value Stream Summary'. This will provide you and your staff with an overview of the accomplishments, goals and anticipated impact the team expects during the Implementation.

Energy Value Stream Mapping (EnVSM)™

EnVSM™ is a 5 day Energy Waste identification and reduction program that results in immediate bottom line improvement through cost savings.

Future State Implementation Plan

The Future State Implementation Plan lays out what the tasks are, when the tasks need to be completed, which tools to use, when to use them and who is going to be responsible for them. Without this step, companies will fall into the trap of 'grabbing low hanging fruit' or completing 'point improvements'. Not having a properly executed Future State Implementation Plan has been one of the major reasons for companies failing or at least not reaching their potential.

This stage of the program includes a number of follow-up days to properly structure the Implementation Plan and ensure the Plan is completed. The Implementation follow-up includes 3 days a month over the next 4 months. Each follow-up session consists of a defined action plan, with defined results and purpose as dictated by the Implementation Plan. Some of the support activities could be KAIZEN events, learning new tools as determined by the Implementation Plan, or moving the group to another level of Implementation or a combination of all of these.

Follow Up

The team will work with the Implementation Plan developed by the EnVSM. This Plan will support the total Future State of the Enterprise above while focusing the group on eliminating Energy waste. The sessions are normally 2 days in length and occur once per month for the next 3 to 4 months.

People & Culture

The people and culture of your organization define the 'system' as much as your procedures/processes. As a leader, you need to make changes to the culture and behaviors of your team and tie these changes closely to your business goals - cultural change needs defined measures of success such as improved speed, and efficiency. It's the people who make KAIZEN Lean work or make it fail. Building multi-level buy-in and shared responsibility for implementing KAIZEN Lean is critical.

Objective:

Build and enhance skills for leaders and team members in an interactive learning environment where tools and techniques can be practiced.

Approach:

Hands-on with key tools for building successful teams: creating ownership, responsibility and accountability; creating and sustaining behaviors and culture; dealing with resistance and conflict; mentoring change agents; setting expectations and measuring results.

Measures of Return:

• Clear understanding of the skills and behaviors required for implementing KAIZEN Lean


• Improved problem solving and 'smart productivity skills for the people-side of KAIZEN Lean


• Improved bottom-up, top-down, and peer-to-peer communication flow


• More multi-level, cross functional cooperation in organizational problem solving


• Enhanced KAIZEN Lean leadership and team participation skills


• Methods for dealing with resistance, managing conflict and negotiating participation

Implementation

The KAIZEN Lean Fast Track Program includes: five 3-day Implementation Support and Training Sessions and Future State transformation sessions for a period of 3 to 4 months (with 2 to 3 weeks between sessions). In addition there are four technical sessions and one cultural session (outlined below).
Four Technical Sessions
Each session consists of 3 days of Training, Implementation and Support with a defined action plan, with defined results and purpose as dictated by the Implementation Plan. This could be a KAIZEN event (a focused continuous improvement activity), learning new tools moving the group to another level of implementation or a combination of all of these.
One Cultural Session – Creating a KAIZEN Lean Culture
The Creating a KAIZEN Lean Culture session will assist the client in building and enhancing the KAIZEN Lean Implementation skills for leaders and team members in an interactive learning environment. Tools and techniques will be practiced and a personal KAIZEN Lean participation plan will result.