Services

Do you have a business problem you need solved immediately?

I can solve it for you through a Kaizen.

- to scope the problem, determine key participants and data needed for the Kaizen.
- use our Kaizen preparation, event, and post-event templates and methodology to solution the problem.

My methodology includes having the proper people, data, and attitudes prior to the Kaizen to deliver the improvement results within the Kaizen. To facilitate a Kaizen that will not just prepare a project to solve the problem, but will solve the problem in the 1 to 5 day event.

I have had great success in delivering improvements through our Kaizens

Below are some factors to understand.

5S

5S is designed to be a visual program where tools, material and inventory are all correctly identified and placed for optimum use and efficiency. 5S also helps to improve safety, quality, equipment life, employee morale, and more by reducing or eliminating wasted activities like searching for tools or parts, dealing with lost product, processing WIP, or underutilizing people. 5S is often used as a first step in the Lean transformation. Without experience, it is sometimes easier to attain major improvements with a 5S event than trying to tackle a complete Kaizen event.

Process

Some times the hardiest thing is to find your process constraint. Remember, a constraint is any resource with less throughput than the demand placed on it. They regulate the output of your whole process. First, you need to understand “demand”. Demand is not what the supervisor wants, although many times it feels like it if the supervisor does not understand constraint management. Demand is the rate at which you need to run the process to meet customer needs or demands. If you are not making it for a customer then it is not a demand you really need to meet.

Product

New products that do not fulfill consumer needs or wants will fail. To reduce the chance of failure, product managers use tools to help identify consumer attitudes and preferences. These tools range from simple market surveys to sophisticated conjoint studies and pre-test market models. Managers can examine the findings from these studies or models before making a decision to continue with product development, test market a product, or attempt full-scale commercialization. Since product managers usually have profit and loss responsibility for new product introductions, they are ego involved. If the product is a pet project, they have even more ego involvement. In this way, the product is personalized.

People

Remember, it’s important to include process owners from the start, because they are usually the people responsible for implementing the solution your team recommends. If you do a thorough job on your project charter, you should be able to avoid some of the issues above, and be on your way to completing a successful project!