What is kaizen methodology?
The kaizen methodology is a famous Japanese production system that made brands like Toyota, Sling or Sony revolutionize their industries. In fact, if you know you know what makes this remarkable system is its philosophy of continuous improvement.
That is, the kaizen methodology works for your business to be better than yesterday, but worse than tomorrow. This is because the continuous changes in both technology and consumer habits are forcing companies to adapt. However, at a faster rate than normal. Moreover, of course, offering a wider range of products and services at lower cost and response time.
However, to achieve levels applicable to all methods are needed. Methodologies covering social, personal and business aspects. And it is in this last area in which special emphasis kaizen methodology.
Team spirit vs. individual work
You think about it, how you would develop a process of continuous improvement in your business? The answer brings kaizen is a process based activity. So much so that the kaizen methodology is characterized by developing a participatory culture for all workers.
This requires a motivated team and a group feeling is needed. And the latter is the most difficult aspect of getting. Still, some of the principles used can push it:
- A good result is always the result of an optimal process.
- The kaizen methodology is based on that if you work from the process itself, the rest comes rolled.
- How to improve processes? Revisiting “upstream and downstream”. In other words, knowing in depth the processes of your suppliers and customers.
- Evolution will only be viable if you are able to measure your processes and their consequences.
- Every process must have a process owner.
What exactly is the kaizen methodology?
Kaizen comes from the Japanese words “Kai” and “Zen“, which refer to the action of change and continuous improvement. That is why implementing this methodology assumes that you eliminate waste from your production systems. As you have seen, is a process that focuses on continued growth. Therefore, you never stop running.
Perhaps you understand better with an example. The kaizen methodology can be applied to any sector but simpler to let you imagine you want to run a race. If you have never exercised, everything will start slowly. One day will run 10 minutes, another day 20. So until you achieve your goals.
Thus, the basis of the methodology is that n kaizen or you can spend a single day without something has improved. This applied to a means that you must manage and develop processes with emphasis on the needs of business customers. Just so, you can recognize waste that is left over and optimize your resources.
These changes can range from small manufacturing details to productivity issues, inventory and quality control.
How to apply this model?
All part of the commitment. Without it, the kaizen methodology could not be applied to the organization or any of its areas. In general, terms the implementation of the model stems from an approach and implementation of a hypothesis by experiment that validated. All this is summarized in the following steps:
- Plan .Taking into account the current situation of your business should start from a marked target. Analyze what your problem and define the action plan.
- Do .Once you are clear the first point is recommended that you set and define the actions that will develop your plan. Then you must implement them.
- Check .How will you know what goals are met and which not? How will you calculate the progress of your strategies? In this third point, you should analyze the results and compare them with the information you had before starting the action. Only if they have obtained the results that you marked you will move you. Otherwise, you must return to the beginning.
- Act. If you marked achieve actions meet the objectives, it is necessary to standardize them to fix them in the process. Remember it is a process of continuous improvement. Each of the actions you can use to think about how to improve the next time.
The value of knowledge of employees
Thus the cycle is repeated until minimize or eliminate waste or necessary activities. And perhaps this is not accustom to. For example, you delete anything that does not add value within your strategies.
If something is good about the kaizen methodology, it is that it does not require large investments in technology and innovation. Now that leverages resources and capital of a company, this process is capable of generating significant improvements.
In fact, in most cases all it born from the knowledge and experience of employees. Think about your own business, every worker will cover specific topics. And the knowledge of all pooled can generate more ideas than yours alone. Therefore, as normal it is that this sharing is enough to make more efficient processes.
Do not forget that for this to happen the active participation of everyone in the organization is needed. Why it is so important to work on that team feeling. What lies in the direction, which you should work to create a culture of the importance of every opinion deserves.
Only if employees feel that their interests are highly valued and taken into account that’s how a company grows.
Toyota 5S
One of the pillars that has allowed Toyota to accumulate successes such as the greenest brand in the world or be released hybrid automobile precursor summarized in the word “kaizen”. This methodology has pushed the brand to introduce incredible changes and improvements in every way. Not only as far as technology is concerned, but also in terms of its product line and customer service system.
To this end, the brand was based on the method of the 5S, The acronym of the Japanese words that make up the five points will continue to develop business productivity:
1.- Seiri, classification
The first step in the kaizen methodology applied to Toyota is the classification of objects in the workplace. For what? To rule out unnecessary items and determine which ones are important. How to do it?
- First you need to dial criteria for classification. Is, determine the usefulness of each object, frequency of use, amount, etc.
- Those unnecessary objects are passed to a waiting area. From there, the manager decide what to do with them.
- Those who have passed this first phase will be classified depending on their frequency of use.
2.- Seiton, order
In this second point of kaizen methodology, it has already been determined what material is relevant and what is not. Once you have the necessary items the next step is to sort:
- Select those hourly or daily used within the space you get only stretching his arms. Those will be priority.
- Those that you use less frequently but are used once a week or month leave them nearby. Thus, you go getting organized.
3.- Seiso, cleaning
Perhaps you had not to be imagined but clean enters into the process. And indeed, it should be done every day before and after work.
According to this rule are the same workers who must ensure that your workplace is clean and it should develop a plan of responsibilities.
Today this can be seen reflected in the ecology and values that favor the elimination of pollution.
4.- Seiketsu, standardization
So far you’ve seen how the first steps of 5S were made by orders. However, the time has come that the above steps become habits, make it normal:
- Design procedures that periodically measure tracking the first three points.
- Plasma reconfiguring objects in documents so that all workers can access them easily.
- Create another document with schedules, rules and responsibilities of cleaning.
- And why not, your team with incentive awards or recognition.
5.- Shitsuke, discipline
At this point of kaizen methodology based on Toyota 5S behavior is studied:
- Your team must treat the workplace as if it were your own home.
- Make sure all workers have assimilated the process.
- Take the role of a good leader and be sure to set an example on how to actively participate in the implementation of 5S.
The kaizen used to detect and resolve problems in all areas of the organization. In fact, their priority is to review all processes. If your company has kaizen methodology, its main competitive advantage is the constant change for the better.
