Using Gemba Boards to Improve Productivity
Gemba boards are an effective tool for improving productivity in manufacturing processes. Visualizing data supports better decision-making and helps teams track their performance against targets. While a simple whiteboard can be used for a Gemba board, there are more advanced options available, including software that helps automate the boards and integrate the information from ERP […]
How to Run a Successful Kaizen Event
Are you a business owner looking to streamline operations and maximize efficiency? Learning how to run a successful Kaizen event offers the perfect opportunity to do just that. By providing employees with a constructive forum, these events allow for open discussion about productive ways to continually improve processes and create practical solutions. However, running a […]
The Ultimate Guide to a Kaizen Blitz
Have you ever wished there was a magical way to get your team quickly up-to-speed with the necessary skills required for success? Kaizen Blitz, or rapid improvement events, may be the answer. Kaizen Blitz (a term that’s often used interchangeably with Kaizen events) allows you and your team to focus on specific objectives, processes, or […]
What are the Four Keys to an Effective Kaizen Event?
A Kaizen event is a key component of any Lean manufacturing process. They provide the opportunity for teams to come together and identify areas in which they can improve their practices and processes. Kaizen events involve a structured approach that includes four essential keys: focus, teamwork, improvement mindset, and follow-up. When these four elements are […]
5 Effective Kaizen Blitz Examples
The idea behind a Kaizen blitz is simple: if you can break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts, it becomes easier to identify potential solutions and take action in addressing them. As a result, companies are able to generate more ideas and develop innovative solutions faster than they might otherwise be able to […]
DEMYSTIFY YOUR DATA!
“In God we trust, all others must bring data.” – W. Edwards Deming I had to write a 750-word limit essay for my English 101 class at Saint Thomas University in Miami on the meaning of God. I wrote, “God can’t be limited to 750 words so if I start, I will not be able […]
MANAGING YOUR ENERGY FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE
Managing time – we all get tons of advice about how to do it better. Meanwhile, we all keep struggling to get everything done, and we end up feeling exhausted and inadequate. The truth is you can’t really manage time. You get 24 hours a day and there’s nothing you can do to change that. […]
MAINTAINING A FRESH CI PROGRAM
Anyone who has been in or around a CI program has faced the potential of a program becoming stale or may be referred to it as needing to be reinvigorated. The subject of this newsletter is to openly discuss the elephant in the room and open our eyes to how we or others have done […]
STUDY REVEALS HOW MANY TIMES YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR E-MAIL.
It’s completely wrong. Let’s jump to the conclusion (spoiler alert) we learn that it’s three times. You should check your email three times a day At least that’s the advice of Kostadin Kushlev, a PhD candidate at UBC’s Dept. of Psychology. Here’s his statement. Here’s my challenge with Mr. Kushlev’s theory: some people work in […]
REDESIGN A PROCESS IN FIVE EASY STEPS
Get Motivated to Fix It Whether you are a pro or novice fixer of broken things, it feels good to fix broken stuff. Often it seems difficult to get started on the improvement path and even harder when fixing the broken thing involves other team members or stakeholders. This may seem like eating an elephant. […]