Kaizen is a Japanese word usually associated with Continuous Improvement. An approximate translation would be:
"Kai" - transformation
"zen" - worth or value
What is Kaizen?
It is a structured approach to continuous improvement.
It is a team-based activity.
It is about identifying & removing waste from a process.
It builds on established Standards.
It follows the Plan, Do, Check, Act (Standardise) cycle of improvements.
Kaizen is the process of "continuous improvement" using small, sustainable steps. The focus is on achieving small sustainable improvements by identifying & reducing sources of waste. Places to look for waste are:
Overproduction
Transportation
Inventory
Process
Waiting
Bad Quality
Operator Motion
Waste is defined as any "non value added activity for which the customer would not want to pay!"
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