Each Mini-Kaizen can be equated to an A3. We are not using the A3 presentation exactly; we have used a written text format. But, we have followed the A3 process to define the problems, define the root causes, define our countermeasures, achieve agreement, create a plan and timetable, and build in continuous improvement. Each Mini-Kaizen, or A3, is linked directly to our Hoshin Kanri. The Hoshin Kanri is fed by our overall Lean Transformation project. Year by year, diagnostic score feeds the Hoshin Kanri and helps us measure success and achieve focus.
Back to our Mini-Kaizens.
The author of each Mini-Kaizen, our VP Operations, knows each problem and each person or team who accepts the responsibility for completing the Mini-Kaizen knows the problems. They live them each day. The problems do not need further explanation through the analysis afforded by the A3 process. We have defined the root cause. We know who owns each problem. We know the countermeasures.
Each individual problem feeds the bigger problem in our office, which is lack of documented procedure. We are in fact skipping a step, which is mapping current state, and jumping directly to future state. We have analyzed and concluded that mapping current state is no value to us, since there is no current state other than individual preferrence.
I would equate our engineering environment to a manufacturing plant where the manager asks the employees to build the widgets, and each employee uses their own preferred method of building the widget. Did I just define chaos? Well....we are not quite there anymore. We were....but not presently. We have defined process equivalent to setting up individual work tables, in a specified sequence. Now....we are working on individual cell process.
I'll reiterate.. in an engineering environment, the tendency is for each designer (engineer) to use their own methodology to complete any given engineering task. This methodology is learned in school and through experience on the job, and often under the mentorship of more experienced engineers and designers.
Our goal is to combine the best practices and arrive at a procedure, and value stream map, that represents our best shot at defining a future state. By bringing teams together, we can establish a set of Genoa acceptable procedures to complete engineering and design tasks.
These Mini-Kaizens are our attempt to organize which work cells we map and improve first.
We have many work cells complete...and we are missing many more.
As each work cell (individual engineering task) is mapped and the procedure is set, the documentation and SOP is catalogued, then disseminated to staff via document distribution and training.
Continuous improvement is addressed in year 5 of our plan....and we are presently in year 3. Refer to the chart.
I'll post further once we have deployed these Mini-Kaizens and start to see deliverables and outcomes.
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