23a. What is Kaizen Event?

Today’s topic is Kaizen Event or Kaizen Blitz technique, which is often confused with “Kaizen”. This video is prepared for the Ankara Branch of Turkish Association for Quality, also known as KALDER Ankara in Turkish.
As Atatürk wisely said, "An attack with half preparation and half precaution is worse than not attacking at all." This quote captures the essence of the Kaizen event technique. Keeping this in your mind, please continue to watch the video.
Before diving into the details, let's address a common question: what is the difference between "Kaizen" and the "Kaizen event" technique? Well, let me explain it to you.
Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement, and it is a core principle of lean management. It focuses on making incremental improvements in processes and systems over time, involving everyone in the organization.
On the other hand, the Kaizen event technique is a specific approach within the Kaizen philosophy that emphasizes rapid and focused improvement events with a defined timeline, typically lasting a few days to a few weeks.
Kaizen event technique emphasizes the importance of thorough preparation and careful planning before initiating any improvement effort. Otherwise, continuous improvement (operation) cannot be successfully completed at lightning speed.
The Kaizen event technique aims to achieve significant improvements in a short period of time by bringing together a cross-functional team of employees to identify and eliminate waste, improve processes, and solve problems.
In addition to the term "Kaizen event," there are several other names used in the literature to refer to similar improvement techniques, such as:
Continuous Improvement Workshop (CIW): This term highlights the ongoing nature of the improvement process and emphasizes the workshop approach, where a team comes together to work on improving a specific process or area.
Continuous Improvement Project (CIP):
Rapid Improvement Workshop (RIW):
Rapid Improvement Project (RIP):
These terms are often used interchangeably in the literature, and the specific terminology may vary depending on the organization or industry.
The Kaizen event technique follows a structured approach that typically involves the following steps:
Define the problem or opportunity for improvement:
Plan the event:
Conduct the event by implementing the planned improvements,
Review and analyze results:
Standardize and sustain the improvements:
At least four weeks before the start of the lightning speed improvement technique, sometimes one or two months, the improvement topic, team leader and members, start and end time, and activities to be conducted are identified and documented.
At least three weeks before the start, logistical support and training needs, information, and documentation requirements are recorded, including who will provide them, when, how, and from where.
At least one week before the start, the team members' training and capabilities are reviewed, and if needed, training is provided or refreshed.
During the application or conduct phase, in Kaizen event, Kaizen blitz, or Rapid Improvement Technique, the process to be improved is reviewed on the first or second day, and additional training is provided if needed. On the third, fourth, or fifth days, the root cause of the problem is identified, and a new process is created. At the end of the fifth day, the activities conducted are recorded, and the gains obtained are presented to upper management and reported.
One or two weeks after the implementation, the status and results of the new process are reviewed. Then, reviews continue at four, eight, and twelve weeks, and appropriate level of audits are conducted to identify and resolve any issues.
If Kaizen event, Kaizen blitz, or Rapid Improvement Technique is being applied for the first time in the organization, it is important to focus on the most significant problem (bottleneck) in the initial stage.
As a result, the Kaizen event technique is a powerful tool for driving rapid improvements in a focused area, and it encourages employee involvement and empowerment. By combining thorough preparation, careful planning, and rapid implementation, the Kaizen event technique can lead to significant improvements in organizational performance and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Friends, I appreciate your attention to my video about the "Kaizen event" technique, which I have prepared for KALDER ANKARA.
If you're interested in learning more about job analysis, lean and six sigma management, I encourage you to subscribe to my RUclips channel: Dr.Bahtiyar EREN, for in-depth insights. Remember to stay curious, optimistic, and proactive in your pursuit of continuous improvement in your work. Thank you for watching this video.