“Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning change for the better or continuous improvement.” We use a few Japanese words in the Lean Business Culture because Lean was originally developed at the Toyota Motor company in Japan. If you prefer to use English words, just think “continuous improvement” whenever you see or hear the word “kaizen.”

Sometimes, companies improve by making a BIG change. For example, several of my manufacturing clients have adopted conveyor systems to move workpieces through their shop. This is a major improvement that requires many hours of specialized planning and significant cost. It affects nearly all the work areas. (The Japanese word for BIG change is “kaikaku”)

More commonly, companies improve by making a lot of SMALL, simple changes. The goal is to involve everyone and make small changes every day. When we use the phrase “continuous improvement” (or “kaizen”), we usually mean these small daily changes. These improvements are simple–like putting a tool closer to where you use it or adjusting the opening of a jig so it’s easier to get the parts in.

Our goal in Lean is to build continuous improvement into our daily work. Think about it: if we aren’t improving regularly, it just isn’t accurate to use the word, “continuous.”

I’ll close with more of the quote I started with: “The concept of kaizen [includes] a wide range of ideas. It involves making the work environment more efficient and effective by creating a team atmosphere, improving everyday procedures, ensuring employee engagement, and making a job more fulfilling, less tiring, and safer.”

Quotes are from the website Investopedia (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/kaizen.asp) accessed 7/15/2024