Lean For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 9

Flowing in the Right Direction: Lean Projects and Kaizen

In This Chapter

Understanding kaizen

Using kaizen to improve the value stream

Practicing kaizen in a workshop

Recognize that a value-stream map (VSM) is just that: a map. A VSM of the current state shows where you are and, once you analyze it, what needs to be improved; a VSM of the ideal state is a vision of what paradise looks like; and a VSM of the next future state shows where you’re going. But a VSM does not tell you how to get there. If you were to take a trip, you would pack your map, but the map alone won’t get you out of your driveway. You need to know the hows of the journey: the modes of transportation, the number of travelers, available resources, the timing of events, and so on. Kaizen is the how. Kaizen is the way you improve the value stream; it’s practiced through a continuing series of improvement workshops and projects — at both the individual and team level.

Have you ever traveled somewhere so much that you’re just as comfortable on the road as you are being at home? Experienced travelers or even commuters reach a point where taking the trip is no big deal. They don’t have to think about what ...