Comments on: The Purpose of Kaizen Events http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:26:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: 10 Things I Wish Lean Practitioners Wouldn’t Say in 2010 — Lean Blog http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-6223 10 Things I Wish Lean Practitioners Wouldn’t Say in 2010 — Lean Blog Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:01:19 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-6223 [...] That’s completely the wrong goal, the number of events. If this is pushed as the primary goal, it’s possible that you’ll get a certain number of easy events that don’t deliver much value. This is, at best, a secondary goal – with the primary goal being improvements in safety, quality, time, cost, and morale. Or better yet, the primary goal can be learning, as it is at Toyota, per David Meier. [...] [...] That’s completely the wrong goal, the number of events. If this is pushed as the primary goal, it’s possible that you’ll get a certain number of easy events that don’t deliver much value. This is, at best, a secondary goal – with the primary goal being improvements in safety, quality, time, cost, and morale. Or better yet, the primary goal can be learning, as it is at Toyota, per David Meier. [...]

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]]> By: Tom Robinson Lean http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5736 Tom Robinson Lean Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:55:47 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5736 Be careful about "manufacturing is different." I've done RPIs to improve oil field maintenance, Indian nation drug treatment, municipal street use permitting, accounts payable, contracting, vaccine research, etc. Be careful about "manufacturing is different." I've done RPIs to improve oil field maintenance, Indian nation drug treatment, municipal street use permitting, accounts payable, contracting, vaccine research, etc.

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]]> By: Tom Robinson Lean http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5735 Tom Robinson Lean Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:52:29 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5735 We did four mornings of 5S, then one five-day RPI in Washington state's largest outpatient pharmacy, and brought average time to fill a drug order (one or more prescriptions for one person) down from over an hour to under fifteen minutes for a "simple" order, and under 30 minutes for a "complex" order. [Complex meant 1) over 4 prescriptions, 2) patient needs an interpreter, or 3) prescription needs mixing or custom preparation.] As we rolled out the new process on Friday morning (we're talking RAPID) the first patient was a Cantonese gentleman with 25 prescriptions. He was out of there in under half an hour! <br /><br />Much of the improvement had to do with setting up the waiting room as part of the process, including a staffed kiosk at the entrance to the waiting area that screened for legible prescriptions and ability to pay/fund the drug order. That way prescriptions weren't filled before payment was sorted out. <br /><br />The clientele for this pharmacy as varied as possible: all races, languages, incomes, ailments: drug addicts to corporate attorneys. We did four mornings of 5S, then one five-day RPI in Washington state's largest outpatient pharmacy, and brought average time to fill a drug order (one or more prescriptions for one person) down from over an hour to under fifteen minutes for a "simple" order, and under 30 minutes for a "complex" order. [Complex meant 1) over 4 prescriptions, 2) patient needs an interpreter, or 3) prescription needs mixing or custom preparation.] As we rolled out the new process on Friday morning (we're talking RAPID) the first patient was a Cantonese gentleman with 25 prescriptions. He was out of there in under half an hour!

Much of the improvement had to do with setting up the waiting room as part of the process, including a staffed kiosk at the entrance to the waiting area that screened for legible prescriptions and ability to pay/fund the drug order. That way prescriptions weren't filled before payment was sorted out.

The clientele for this pharmacy as varied as possible: all races, languages, incomes, ailments: drug addicts to corporate attorneys.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5734 Anonymous Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:41:59 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5734 In our organization we have trained associates in Lean principles and tools and are using Events as a way for them to learn to use them. It is expected that as they see how Lean can be used to improve processes resulting in better safety, quality, delivery, and cost that they will then practice kaizen on an daily basis as well. In my mind, as the facilitator of the Events, they are a good training tool as well as being one component of continuous improvement. However, I have to remind upper management that they are not an end in themselves nor are they the heart and soul of Lean. They are a part of our people developement and, as such, have been well received by all levels of our company, even if there are not great financial results from every Event. Our associates feel like someone is now listening to them more which has resulted in improved morale. That alone is a great payback to the efforts of holding a kaizen event. In our organization we have trained associates in Lean principles and tools and are using Events as a way for them to learn to use them. It is expected that as they see how Lean can be used to improve processes resulting in better safety, quality, delivery, and cost that they will then practice kaizen on an daily basis as well. In my mind, as the facilitator of the Events, they are a good training tool as well as being one component of continuous improvement. However, I have to remind upper management that they are not an end in themselves nor are they the heart and soul of Lean. They are a part of our people developement and, as such, have been well received by all levels of our company, even if there are not great financial results from every Event. Our associates feel like someone is now listening to them more which has resulted in improved morale. That alone is a great payback to the efforts of holding a kaizen event.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5733 Anonymous Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:41:11 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5733 My anonymous 2 cents is that RPIs in manufacturing are very much different. Manufacturers can continue to deliver from stock and reschedule deliveries while they take three or four days to organize the receiving dock. Much different than healthcare. Staff being pulled out, waiting for data, inability to run a true pilot and waiting to do something as rudimentary as changing a field in a data system are all reasons not to rely strictly on RPIs. There are times when RPIs are the right approach but if your only tool is a hammer then the only thing you can do is pound nails. My anonymous 2 cents is that RPIs in manufacturing are very much different. Manufacturers can continue to deliver from stock and reschedule deliveries while they take three or four days to organize the receiving dock. Much different than healthcare. Staff being pulled out, waiting for data, inability to run a true pilot and waiting to do something as rudimentary as changing a field in a data system are all reasons not to rely strictly on RPIs. There are times when RPIs are the right approach but if your only tool is a hammer then the only thing you can do is pound nails.

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]]> By: Tom Robinson Lean http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5732 Tom Robinson Lean Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:45:21 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5732 And I totally agree with Jamie that the OD and Lean people have to come together. I got into Lean from OD -- both areas complement and overlap one another. And I totally agree with Jamie that the OD and Lean people have to come together. I got into Lean from OD — both areas complement and overlap one another.

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]]> By: Tom Robinson Lean http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5731 Tom Robinson Lean Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:43:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5731 What concerns me about reading this is that those new to Lean will think that if Toyota doesn't do blitzes/rapid-process-improvements(RPIs), then they don't have to. Um, wait a darn second!<br /><br />We know in Seattle that both Virginia Mason and Seattle Children's medcial centers got strong cross-organizational traction in initial lean efforts by engaging many departments in five-day blitzes/RPIs. It was experiential, it got results, it forced engagement. Better, having physicians and nurses in both medical centers engaging directly in kaizen events on the line at Genie or with Toyota suppliers in Japan *really* brought home how far lean could go in reforming healthcare. (Oh, and VM and Children's got into RPIs after nearby Boeing and its suppliers conducted hundreds if not thousands of "Accelerated Improvement" blitzes. Their model was derived from Hirano's "Five Days and One Night.")<br /><br />Yes, Toyota doesn't do many blitzes, but that doesn't necessarily mean in North America that we shouldn't. Let’s also remember that most of the RPIs at Virginia Mason and Seattle Children’s have been conducted by internal staff. What concerns me about reading this is that those new to Lean will think that if Toyota doesn't do blitzes/rapid-process-improvements(RPIs), then they don't have to. Um, wait a darn second!

We know in Seattle that both Virginia Mason and Seattle Children's medcial centers got strong cross-organizational traction in initial lean efforts by engaging many departments in five-day blitzes/RPIs. It was experiential, it got results, it forced engagement. Better, having physicians and nurses in both medical centers engaging directly in kaizen events on the line at Genie or with Toyota suppliers in Japan *really* brought home how far lean could go in reforming healthcare. (Oh, and VM and Children's got into RPIs after nearby Boeing and its suppliers conducted hundreds if not thousands of "Accelerated Improvement" blitzes. Their model was derived from Hirano's "Five Days and One Night.")

Yes, Toyota doesn't do many blitzes, but that doesn't necessarily mean in North America that we shouldn't. Let’s also remember that most of the RPIs at Virginia Mason and Seattle Children’s have been conducted by internal staff.

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]]> By: Dale Hershfield http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5730 Dale Hershfield Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:52:21 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5730 Bruce, I do not reject events outright. Events are just one option. I agree that radical transformation takes focused effort and lots of energy. In your firm you tackle the radical transformation with a series of events over 12 - 18 months to achieve an (initial) synchronized and connected value stream. The important point: that works for your organization. Some organizations are not effective at combining their events into a synchronized and connected whole. That's where the "doing events" versus "being lean" disconnect arises. One alternative approach is to provide focused, full time resource for 12 - 16 weeks to attain the initial synchronized and connected value stream that you achieve one-week-at-a-time over 12 - 18 months. Same endpoint, different route to get there. <br /><br />Anonymous and Marc, you highlight some of the "watch-outs" for the event-based approach. Bruce, I do not reject events outright. Events are just one option. I agree that radical transformation takes focused effort and lots of energy. In your firm you tackle the radical transformation with a series of events over 12 – 18 months to achieve an (initial) synchronized and connected value stream. The important point: that works for your organization. Some organizations are not effective at combining their events into a synchronized and connected whole. That's where the "doing events" versus "being lean" disconnect arises. One alternative approach is to provide focused, full time resource for 12 – 16 weeks to attain the initial synchronized and connected value stream that you achieve one-week-at-a-time over 12 – 18 months. Same endpoint, different route to get there.

Anonymous and Marc, you highlight some of the "watch-outs" for the event-based approach.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5729 Anonymous Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:28:06 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5729 Kaizen Events Revealed - My anonymous 2 cents is that Kaizen Events are a concoction of consultants to fit into their workweek and travel schedule. I can think of a few places in healthcare were blitzes might be effective but a whole bunch of other cases where there are too many compromises trying to put things into a 3 or 4 day window. On the other hand the astute project facilitator/leader will be challenged to effectively prevent a project from staying open forever. Kaizens definitely do have closure point. Kaizen Events Revealed – My anonymous 2 cents is that Kaizen Events are a concoction of consultants to fit into their workweek and travel schedule. I can think of a few places in healthcare were blitzes might be effective but a whole bunch of other cases where there are too many compromises trying to put things into a 3 or 4 day window. On the other hand the astute project facilitator/leader will be challenged to effectively prevent a project from staying open forever. Kaizens definitely do have closure point.

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]]> By: Bruce Baker http://www.leanblog.org/2009/11/purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5728 Bruce Baker Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:22:57 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/11/the-purpose-of-kaizen-events/#comment-5728 Jamie,<br />The goal for management learning at that phase of our implementation more to let management see Deming's assumption of positive intent in action during an event. It was my boss's belief (mine too at this point) that a lot of control oriented, decide and announce, come back and hold accountable to a number at a later date managers (that was the legacy model, that is what it took to be successful) needed to see good things happen when real people could participate in events. By having people in the same room at the same time facilitated this learning by seeing (try teaching Deming's 14 points on an intellectual level to some people - some people don't even understand the language). The hope (and I know that hope isn't a plan) was that some would learn by doing and seeing (some people can learn better than they can be taught). Honestly, some people didn't see stuff that actually happened. <br />To Dale's point - my boss's other intent in doing events was that he thaught early on in an implementation events made more sense. His goal was that you could get a value stream 'synchronized and connected' in 12 -18 months, then really shift to perfecting. The Balle's talk about this -- there will always be an excuse to not pull or flow (too much instability, to much SKU complexity, too big batch sizes). My boss's point (now my belief too) is that that radical transformation from a sequence (often ill defined) of material and information through a path of disconnected operations push via an overly complex (and presupposed on a tragically flawed set of logical assumptions) MRP system to a simpler flow and pull based model, synchronized with demand is sped up significantly by using carefully selected events. It is my belief (maybe a wrong one) that that type of transformation is not required at Toyota and other places deep into the adoption of the paradigm. Most of those places are probably working more on perfecting what is already a coherent value stream. After the value stream is 'synchronized and connected' then I think the need to do events is maybe reduced. Jamie,
The goal for management learning at that phase of our implementation more to let management see Deming's assumption of positive intent in action during an event. It was my boss's belief (mine too at this point) that a lot of control oriented, decide and announce, come back and hold accountable to a number at a later date managers (that was the legacy model, that is what it took to be successful) needed to see good things happen when real people could participate in events. By having people in the same room at the same time facilitated this learning by seeing (try teaching Deming's 14 points on an intellectual level to some people – some people don't even understand the language). The hope (and I know that hope isn't a plan) was that some would learn by doing and seeing (some people can learn better than they can be taught). Honestly, some people didn't see stuff that actually happened.
To Dale's point – my boss's other intent in doing events was that he thaught early on in an implementation events made more sense. His goal was that you could get a value stream 'synchronized and connected' in 12 -18 months, then really shift to perfecting. The Balle's talk about this — there will always be an excuse to not pull or flow (too much instability, to much SKU complexity, too big batch sizes). My boss's point (now my belief too) is that that radical transformation from a sequence (often ill defined) of material and information through a path of disconnected operations push via an overly complex (and presupposed on a tragically flawed set of logical assumptions) MRP system to a simpler flow and pull based model, synchronized with demand is sped up significantly by using carefully selected events. It is my belief (maybe a wrong one) that that type of transformation is not required at Toyota and other places deep into the adoption of the paradigm. Most of those places are probably working more on perfecting what is already a coherent value stream. After the value stream is 'synchronized and connected' then I think the need to do events is maybe reduced.

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