Kaizen blitz events facilitating

This schedule overview is a rough draft. To provide a clearer understanding of the facilitation steps and the reasoning behind them, I will review the process map and provide more detail as if this were a lean safety kaizen blitz event. 

Obviously, that was many years ago, but I would like to be able to go back in time and facilitate a kaizen blitz event to reduce the risks associated with that job. I am sure the kaizen team would have experimented with new layouts that would position the pallet closer to the spool discharge point, small roller dollies or hoists to transport the spools, protective shin guards, and many other ideas to make the task both safer, easier, and, therefore, faster. One thing I understand for sure is that I cannot change the past, but... 

Facilitate a defined number of safety kaizen blitz events annually. 

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to facilitate a kaizen blitz (rapid continuous improvement) event as an AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence) volunteer. Team-based kaizen events are the perfect training method to help leaders understand lean leadership. This event was not at the manufacturing plant in which I worked, but in one that had volunteered to host this three-day kaizen event. It was one of my first experiences at facilitation of a kaizen blitz and having that responsibility in someone else s plant really accelerated my learning curve. 

Before the team arrives on the first morning of the event, the room has to be set up and the supplies required by the facilitator and the team made available. In addition to the obvious tables and chairs, flip charts, markers, Post-it notes, clip boards, kaizen blitz forms, and training packets are some of what might be required. When the team arrives, it is a good practice to consider some method to put the attendees at ease. If they have never before participated in a kaizen event, they will be a bit nervous, so by simply asking them to Introduce themselves and mention their favorite pastime outside of work you can put them at ease. Figure 5 5 is the next process map we will review. It covers the activities of a multiday kaizen event. 

Kaizen blitz A team-based rapid continuous improvement activity. These hands-on events can last from three to five days. The team is challenged to reach a stretch improvement objective. A facilitator then guides them using a standard process to goal attainment. Because... 

Kaizen— is a quick Lean event methodology often referred to as a Blitz I prefer to run more sustained events that will have ongoing results long after the facilitator has dropped out of the process... 

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