Kaizen planning 1

Here is a Kaizen planning schedule for your reference. Usually, we need to complete the kaizen program within one week, due to time limit, we have to change some mind in our outdated thinking.

Day 1:
Kick off meeting: Program leader need to well present what is the objective for the program and what is the problem right now. To let all members have a clear direction to go.
Team training: Because of members may not have enough knowledge of lean manufacturing, usually, we need to provide a basic rules of lean to improve their way of thinking.

Day 2:
Team investigation: Full team to audit the target area, preliminary, we can have some ideas how to improve the area. Afterward, the team can have a brain-storming to setup the goal for this program.
Brain-storming for action: Team setup a preliminary action plan and starts to implement.
Site presentation preparation: Prepare the preliminary presentation to the head of that production area. It aims to get the support for the area including the supervisor, line leader and operators. Without this step, we will have resistance of the area because they have no idea what you do.

Day 3:
Site presentation: Present the objective of the program, goal and preliminary action plan to the area to get them support and sustain.
Improvement actions implement: Fully push the implement action and keep checking the result. Adjust and fine tune the actions if necessary.
Review the implement status: Summarize the action implement status at that day and review.

Day 4:
Enhance improvement implement: According to the review of day 3 and setup a enhance improvement plan. Implement afterward.
Review the implement status and sustain status: Review the actions again and check are there any item can not be improved immediately. Setup 30 days follow up action plans and request for more resource or supporting from other departments.
Final presentation preparation: Every members needs to make their own page and pass to leader to summarize to be a presentable file.

Day 5:
Rehearsal of presentation: All members present their own page. Team leader and consultant to improve their presentation skill.
Team presentation: Present the result to all department managers to let them more understand the benefit of lean manufacturing. It aims to culture change and get more support for next program.

Some main factors need to be consider for the Kaizen program will be post in next article.