Kaizen Theory for Continuous Improvement

Word kaizen comes from a Japanese word “good change” or “improvement” or we can say continuous improvement. Its firstly introduced in japan’s famous car company Toyota. Developed to lower defects, eliminate waste, boost productivity, encourage worker purpose and accountability and promote innovation.

It is an approach of continuous improvement based on the idea that small ongoing positive changes can reap significant gains in either log or short term. It is based on cooperation and commitment and stands, in contrast, to use of radical or top-down changes to achieve transformation. 

Seeing its implementation can be applied in areas of all industries, including health care, businesses, etc.

It uses approaches like: 

1. Value System Mapping: Includes documentation, analysis and improving information or material required to produce a product or service.
2. Total Quality Management: includes the management framework of the enlist worker at all levels to focus on quality improvement.

Ten Principles or Core Philosophy of Kaizen Theory

1. Let go of the assumptions.
2. Be proactive about solving problems.
3. Don’t’ accept the status quo (existing state o affairs).
4. Let go of perfectionism and take on an attitude of iterative or adaptive change.
5. Look for the solution as you find mistakes.
6. Create an environment in which everyone feels empowered to contribute.
7. Don’t’ accept the apparent issue; instead, ask “why” five times to get to the root cause.
8. Get information and opinions from multiple people.
9. Use creativity to find a small improvement with minimal material loss.
10. Never stop improving.

Seven Step Cycle for Implementation of Kaizen Cycle

1. Get employees involved: take ideas from anyone u could and appreciate their ideas.
2. Find problems: take regular feedback and gather a list of problems and potential opportunities. Create a list of issue.
3. Create a solution: encourage employees to offer a creative solution with all manner of ideas encouraged. Pick a winning solution.
4. Test the solution: implement the solution by either creating a pilot program or take other small steps to teat out the solution.
5. Analyse the results: check the progress of the test and determine the success of the solution.
6. Standardize: If result gets positive adopt the solution throughout the organisation.
7. Repeat: repeat the cycle to get a solution for problems.

Similarly, the Deming cycle is used to improvement i.e. plan, do, check, act.

Conclusion: Kaizen theory is a great way of development of your personality by working on the daily problems either personnel or public. It encourages your curiosity, and awareness that consequently focus on the building of your knowledge and character.