Category: Kaizen

The world of cybersecurity and data management rarely stays still, but that doesn’t stop some organizations from relying on large, sweeping initiatives, usually following an audit. This might see organizations making changes based on a quarterly audit, rolling out tools gradually, and seldom taking the time to practice breach or incident response. That’s […]

No matter what type of business you run and who your customers are, anything you can do to increase overall customer satisfaction is going to work in your favor. Whether it’s delivering faster, offering increased product reliability, or simply providing customer service, all of these can lead to increased loyalty and, in return, […]

One of the most important lessons anyone can pick up in the business world is that having an efficient warehouse and inventory management system is a strong sign of success. On the flip side, if your inventory system is running inefficiently, it likely means you are leaving money on the table and have […]

Organizational culture is the very foundation of your services, goods, and other outputs. As such, embracing a culture that prides itself on continuous improvement isn’t just a good idea, but a vital one. These are rarely something that springs up naturally as you build a business, but something that has to be encouraged […]

When you think of any industry that has one of the most frustrating experiences for customers that is in desperate need of change, airline travel is one of them. The stress of getting to the airport early and waiting in line at security, only to wait in line for food, only to again […]

Just because you’ve got a slew of customer complaints doesn’t mean things are hopeless. Obviously, something needs to change in how you’re conducting daily operations. You can take gradual steps toward operational excellence, however. You might already be sticking to methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma, but you just need the right sort […]

Drifting quality isn’t a reason to panic. It is only natural that things drift out of spec without care and consideration placed toward them. If you’re not engaging in good practices, it will happen. Thankfully, you don’t have to let things drift out of spec too far, as you can apply some handy […]

For better or worse, we live in a world where overnight success and quick transformations grab all the headlines. It’s not necessarily the best way to go about business, as overnight success can be hard to keep up long term, and it overlooks just how important and meaningful small but consistent change can […]

When a company considers how to best bring its teams together in a collaborative manner, several approaches can be taken to achieve this goal. At the top of any list should be Kaizen, which is the philosophy of continuous improvement. Translated as “changing something for the better,” the origin of Kaizen stems from […]

When you think about how technology has improved over the last hundred years, you can think about the car, the microwave, the television, smartphones, and so much more. Just as technology has improved our lives, it’s also doing something similar in the workforce and in the workplace.  When diving deeper into the workplace, […]

With your business, sometimes a need arises to address an issue swiftly and with all hands on deck. A Kaizen Event is meant for these kinds of times.

With the right metrics, SQDCM (safety, quality, delivery, cost, morale) boards can – and should – be used on the floor to enhance strategic development and the power of your Gemba walks.

Your business is at war with waste, defects, and inefficiencies. Let’s attack and defeat your enemy with a lightning-quick attack using overwhelming forces. In other words, a Kaizen Blitzkrieg, or Blitz for short.

ZARA changes its clothing designs every two weeks, offering 11,000 distinct garments annually. In comparison, competitors change their designs every three or four months and produce 3-4,000 distinct pieces. This is fast fashion: the business model of replicating high-fashion, luxury-brand pieces quickly and cheaply, making them available to customers while the trend and […]

Established in 1945 in Mexico City, Grupo Bimbo became a global leader in the baking industry, known for its commitment to quality and innovation. As the company expanded its operations worldwide, it encountered various challenges that threatened its profitability and market position. In response, Grupo Bimbo made a strategic decision to implement Lean Six Sigma […]

In business, when times get tough, the knee-jerk reaction is to have layoffs. What follows is a remarkable example of one company that decided to make a further investment in its people by getting them trained toward Six Sigma Green Belt certification and having them put their focus on saving money for the organization. Even […]

With strategic implementation, Six Sigma can do wonders for an organization. The methodology can drastically improve processes, cut down on waste, and even help provide better results in the design and R&D of new products. Samsung found that it was having issues with all of the above and, in 1999, conducted a complete overhaul of […]

Everyone knows Canon as a massive corporation that manufactures cameras, printers, scanners, and a variety of other quality goods. Less known by the consumer market is the role Canon plays in helping other companies improve processes using the Six Sigma methodology. This happens through a Canon subsidiary that operates under the name Canon Business Process […]

When faced with the news that drug manufacturers of cancer medication were responsible for causing a massive amount of financial waste, the oncology department at UCSD utilized Six Sigma and Lean tools like a cause-and-effect diagram, a Kaizen Event, the 5 Whys, and others in order to improve scanning processes that could help in recovering […]

You may have taken notice of Deschutes lately. In the last few years, it has become much more commonplace to find the brewery’s products on draft at your local pub or at your nearest retailer. Such a marketplace presence did not happen overnight, and the brewery credits the lessons learned from Six Sigma as having […]

In 2008, Starbucks was taking a major hit from the financial crisis, losing customers to competitors, and having to close hundreds of stores. Despite having its back against the wall, some decisions made around key Six Sigma principles helped Starbucks bounce back better than ever. How Giving Quality and a Better Experience To Employees and […]

The foremost purpose of the gemba walk is people-engagement. Here are some suggestions for conducting a gemba walk in the virtual space.

In the time of a global pandemic, the ability for a company to make efficient and effective adjustments is more important than ever. Don’t let the need for physical distancing put a stop to your continuous improvement efforts. Learn how to adapt an in-person Kaizen event to a successful virtual experience.

The strategy of continuously improving your organizational processes by setting your goals, identifying deviations from those goals, and then taking appropriate actions to adjust your processes to close the gaps.