What is the Purpose of Kaizen Activities?

Download the top section of the Kaizen Activities Teach Poster and the Facilitation Guide to review the “Purpose, Process & People” Sections.

Each visual from the Teach Poster will be covered in more detail in the below sections.

Watch the Teach Point Video on the Purpose of Kaizen Activities

Kaizen Activities & the Lean Transformation Framework

The Japanese kanji for Kaizen is made up of two symbols Kai and Zen. This can be translated as Change and Better or Change for the better.

The symbols however can be broken down even further in to Self, Whip and Sheep & Altar or Sacrifice. Thus the meaning becomes a little deeper in terms of having the relentless Self Discipline to improve for the Greater Good.

So, Kaizen itself is part of the Basic Thinking and Mindset required when making change. It supports Question 5 with respect to the Lean Transformation Framework.

Key Learning Points – Purpose

The Purpose of Kaizen Activities are to ultimately involve everyone in making improvement, realising their role is to do and improve their work. We must first however establish a Standard or baseline – “Without standards there can be no improvement.” – Taiichi Ohno. Kaizen activities are around taking the second step to make the Standard Better.

The end game is to make the Work Easier for the team members so they can spend less effort to achieve the same or better results in their daily activities.

1st Step of Kaizen – Create the Standard

“Without standards there can be no improvement.”

Taiichi Ohno

2nd Step of Kaizen – Make the Standard Better.

We want to ensure that the work is improved, everyday, by everyone to help close gaps and contribute to achieving better business results. Conducting Kaizen Activities is a good thing but we must ensure they are meaningful in their purpose i.e. “What problem are they trying to solve?” rather than just random acts of goodness!

Now move onto the next Topic.