6 Commandments on looking for Continuous Improvement .. (Kaizen)

Continuous Improvement is never ending !!

Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. - asq.org

The 6 principles of Continuous Improvement is summarised here ..

They are

1. How and where to  start : Go for small improvements, not paradigm shifts, radical innovations or inventions

courtesy Leankit ..

2. Who will give ideas ? : Continuous Improvement ideas almost always come from employees

3. Is it expensive ? : Incremental improvements are inexpensive to implement

4. Whom to motivate and engage ? : By engaging the staff continuously in the Continuous Improvement model, the onus is shifted from managers to the frontline employees, to bring in ideas for change (and they are the people rally capable of doing it , being in touch with the problem almost directly)

5. Is it a long drawnout process ? : Continuous Improvement is reflective and happens on short, quick and effective feedback loops

6. Is improvement quantifiable ? : Any Continuous Improvement must be measurable and potentially repeatable.

In the 5S cycle, Continuous Improvement (CI) comes in the Sustain phase - how do you ensure the momento is maintained ..

How can one look out for continuous improvement opportunities ?

1. Problems have opportunities, so look out for problemmatic areas.

2. At all potential problem areas, ask WHY five times, it exposes lot of opportunities for CI

3. Try to re-evaluate fixed ideas

4. Choose a simple solution, not the perfect one ..

5. Correct mistakes immediately, once and for ever !

6. Use one's craftiness, not cash !!

7. CI possibilities are endless - there is no end to CI ..

As one of the most valuable and effective Lean Tools for value creation and wastage reduction in the long run, I am sure Continuous Improvement has the greatest potential to make the world a better place.

george..