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7 Key Tools & Techniques for Lean Continuous Improvement

By Jonathan Stolk

November 6, 2020

In our last post, we shared a birds-eye view on continuous safety improvement . So, now it’s time to talk about implementing CI in your organization. 

The not-so-great news is that putting together and executing an effective and sustainable continuous improvement (CI) program is hard work. A lot of it. And there is a sort of a catch-22 as Deryl Studervant, former President of Canadian Autoparts Toyota (CAPTIN), explains ,

“Try and perfect anything before you expand it. Yet at the same time, the philosophy of continuous improvement tells us that there’s ultimately no such thing as perfection. There’s always another goal to reach for and more lessons to learn.”

And you can be sure that Toyota lives by this philosophy. They make more than 1 million changes to their processes per year. Imagine this! 

Continuous improvement is not a static state. It cannot be because the word “continuous” implies constant movement. So, it’s not something you can reach. Rather it’s a state of mind that everyone in your organisation has to share so that the company can move forward as a whole. 

• 1 Where to start with continuous improvement?
• 2.1 PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)
• 2.3 Gemba Walks
• 2.4 The 5 Whys
• 2.5 The 3Ms – Muri, Mura, and Muda
• 2.6 Value Stream Mapping
• 2.7 The 5S Technique
• 3 Conclusion
• 4 References & Further Reading

Where to start with continuous improvement? 

A first glance, a CI initiative may look so complex and overwhelming that you may resist starting at all. But, in reality, your strategy only needs to answer one big question:

“What should this operation bring to the business?”

With this in mind, you can follow the simple algorithm below and draft your CI program in much less time than if you were trying to identify the millions of small improvements that you could potentially make. This simple approach helps you stay focused on the most impactful changes.

While you’re following these steps, a few more simple questions may arise. For example:

• What can we do differently to help the business deliver more value?
• Does the business need us to produce more?
• Does the business need us to lower our production costs?
• Does the business need us to produce a different mix of products?

And, while you’re asking these questions, keep in mind the word “continuous”. Adopting the CI mindset means that you will be making changes all the time. So, start small and make those adjustments larger as all employees — from the shop floor to the boardroom — begin to realise that change is how the company will evolve and increase the value it delivers. 

“What happens in Toyota’s culture is that as soon as you start making a lot of progress toward a goal, the goal is changed and the carrot is moved. It’s a deep part of the culture to create new challenges constantly and not to rest when you meet old ones.”

—Deryl Sturdevant, Former President and CEO at Toyota British Columbia ( Source )

Now, on to the strategies and tools you can use for continuous improvement.

There are a number of strategies and methodologies that you can use. In fact, you can employ several continuous improvement strategies within your organisation because different departments or facilities may benefit from different strategies. 

PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) 

The PDCA cycle gives you a framework for testing different ideas and hypotheses for continuous improvement. In essence, PDCA enables front-line teams to identify the potential pitfalls of each new improvement and assess its effectiveness. It works as follows:

• Plan – Define your strategic goal and how you’ll achieve it. 
• Do – Execute your plan and implement all necessary changes.
• Check – Evaluate the results and document what works and what doesn’t.
• Act – Make the necessary improvements based on the previous step. Repeat.

There is a slightly different flavour of PDCA called the PDSA cycle, where the S stands for “study”. Instead of actively checking the results like PDCA, PDSA is about passively observing them. 

Toyota is a prime example of CI and, so, their continuous improvement philosophy, Kaizen , deserves a special place on this list. 

The premise of the kaizen approach is that a lot of small changes can be easier to make and have a bigger impact in the long run, compared to a few big changes. What makes it different than other strategies is that improvement suggestions usually come from the front-line employees rather than the management team. This helps engage workers in safety because they know their ideas can directly impact their personal safety. 

One way to gather ideas in a kaizen-based CI program is to use the so-called huddle boards (or kaizen boards). Simply put, these boards are the place where employees can share their ideas, see which ones are being executed upon and track progress — whether it’s online with simple post-it notes. 

Gemba Walks

Much like kaizen, Gemba walks are a way for managers to get out of the office and gather input directly from front-line workers. Doing a Gemba walk is as simple as it can possibly get. The EHS leader goes to the shop floor, observes employees as they do their day-to-day work and asks questions. 

The goal here is not to evaluate the worker’s performance but to understand how work is being executed in the real world, what challenges employees face and what inefficiencies they see in the processes. After a Gemba walk, the supervisor can begin implementing the changes using another technique such as Catchball . 

A large part of continuous improvement is root cause analysis because it helps understand what really went wrong and why. The 5 Whys is an excellent tool to help you identify the root cause.  

This simple but powerful tool requires nothing but pen and paper (or a computer, if you prefer). All you have to do is:

• Write down the problem.
• Ask why the problem happens. 
• Write your answer below. You’ll likely uncover another problem. 
• Repeat steps 1-3 until you uncover the root cause. You may require more or fewer than 5 Whys. 

What makes the 5 Whys technique extremely useful is that it can be employed on a large scale, too. Once you identify the root causes of several problems, you can identify complex cause-effect relationships by creating a fishbone diagram (also known as Ishikawa diagram).

Example fishbone diagram

The 3Ms – Muri, Mura, and Muda

There is really a lot we can learn from Toyota when it comes to creating a lean production system. The 3Ms is another one of the tools that this manufacturer has pioneered and, like the 5 Whys, it’s focused on root cause analysis. 

The 3Ms refer to three Japanese words that signify the different categories of problems that companies experience:

• Muri – overburden caused by poor planning, lack of resources, or too much waste removal.
• Mura – unevenness or irregularities that cause too much waste or “muda” issues.
• Muda – waste in any area such as excessive transport or inventory, idle time, overproduction, or too many defects.

It’s interesting how these three categories are connected. Identifying overburden in your production (Muri) helps to pinpoint irregularities in the products (Mura) which enables you to decrease waste (Muda). 

Value Stream Mapping

Value stream mapping (VSM) shows exactly where value is added and helps you decide which areas may need to be improved. This strategy was first designed to optimise manufacturing processes but it can also be repurposed for other industries.

To create a value map, it’s best to gather a small team consisting of the leaders of several (or all) different departments within your company. 

To simplify the process, you can aim to create value maps at different levels, e.g. you can create value stream maps at the company, factory and process levels. It may seem easier to start optimising from the bottom up but it’s actually the other way around. If you start to optimise one process within the facility, you may sub-optimise another. So, in this example, it will be better to start at the facility level. 

The 5S Technique

The 5S methodology focuses on the details — organising the workspace in the most efficient and effective way possible. The concept is to first identify what tools or resources are needed for a specific process and then to make them immediately available. A 5S strategy can involve anything from adding foam tool organisers to moving machinery around for a faster production flow.

Conclusion 

Continuous improvement is vital to any modern company but it requires constant changes. And, as all business leaders know very well, employees don’t like changes. So, it’s important to strike a balance between continuously evolving your production processes and giving employees that sense of confidence and security which comes with the repetitive work. 

As Jim Waters, former executive at Caterpillar, says : 

“You need to consider that forcing change will only jeopardize the cultural shift to fast CI. You should limit change activities to a small set of critical, highly valuable standard work. If you hold knowledge days, for example, you need to make sure that there is an understood attendance norm, such as “each person must complete one focused improvement project per day away.”

Whichever continuous improvement technique you choose, make change measurable and easy to embrace and you’ll soon start reaping the benefits.

References & Further Reading

• Continuous Safety Improvement: What, Why & How
• Learning to Lead at Toyota
• (Still) Learning from Toyota
• Ask an Expert: Successful Continuous Improvement
• Safety and Continuous Improvement Example
• Systematizing Continuous Improvement: It’s Not About the Methodology or Tools

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Table of Contents

Learn more about capptions.

• Guide: Continuous Improvement (CI)

Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

• Last Updated: December 30, 2023
• Learn Lean Sigma

Continuous Improvement, incorporated by the Japanese term “ Kaizen ,” signifies a strategic approach to enhancing organizational processes, products, and services through small, incremental changes.

It is in contrast to large one-off step-change improvements, advocating for a gradual yet sustainable progression toward betterment. Embeded in organizational culture, continuous improvement developers on the principle of perpetual enhancement, with a keen focus on minor yet consistent modifications that collectively lead to substantial overall improvement.

Within this guide, we will give you a good understanding of the basis of what Continuous improvement is and why successful businesses use it, including key methods used.

Table of Contents

What is continuous improvement (ci).

The concept of continuous improvement, often linked with the Japanese term “ Kaizen ,” represents a deliberate approach to enhancing processes, products, and services through a series of small, incremental changes. 

Unlike strategies that rely on large-scale overhauls or dramatic transformations, continuous improvement focuses on a gradual and sustainable progression towards betterment. This method is particularly effective in fostering adaptability and responsiveness within an organization, leading to long-term success and efficiency.

“Continuous improvement” is more than just a strategy; it’s a philosophy that integrates deeply into an organization’s culture. It is rooted in the principle of Kaizen, which translates to “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” The core of this philosophy is the belief that there is always room for improvement in every aspect of an organization’s operation, no matter how small. This approach contrasts starkly with the mindset of making occasional, radical changes.

One of the key strengths of continuous improvement is its emphasis on ongoing, minor modifications. These small changes are less disruptive and more manageable than large-scale reforms, making them more accepted by the workforce and easier to implement. Over time, these incremental changes add up, resulting in significant overall improvement.

Core Principles of Continuous Improvement

The principles of continuous improvement provide a strategic framework for organizations aiming to enhance their processes, products, and services. This approach revolves around several interconnected concepts that collectively foster an environment primed for ongoing advancement.

Incremental Change is preferred over sweeping reforms. Small, manageable adjustments are more practical and less disruptive, facilitating smoother implementation and adaptation. This approach allows for ongoing refinement and reduces the risk associated with change.

Standardization plays a key role once improvements are identified and tested. By standardizing these improvements, organizations ensure consistency and establish a new baseline for future enhancements. This standardization aids in maintaining quality and simplifying the management and measurement of processes.

Lastly, Measurement and Feedback are vital. Regularly assessing processes and outcomes, with input from employees and customers, provides a clear picture of the impact of changes. Utilizing key performance indicators (KPIs) aids in identifying areas needing further improvement, thereby sustaining the continuous improvement cycle.

Methodologies in Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is not a one-size-fits-all concept; rather, it encompasses various methodologies, each with its unique focus and approach. Understanding these methodologies is crucial for organizations to select the one that best aligns with their specific needs and goals. In this section, we explore four prominent methodologies: Lean , Six Sigma , Total Quality Management (TQM), and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle.

Lean emphasizes continuous flow and just-in-time production, ensuring that work is smoothly processed without delays or inventory build-up. Tools commonly used in Lean include value stream mapping, 5S (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain), and Kanban (a scheduling system). Lean is not just about efficiency; it’s also about building a culture of continuous improvement and respect for people.

The central idea of Six Sigma is the DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), used for improving existing processes, and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify), used for creating new processes. Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes.

Total Quality Management (TQM)

TQM is a holistic approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction. It is based on the participation of all members of an organization in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work. The principles of TQM include customer-focused, total employee involvement, process-centered, integrated system, strategic and systematic approach, continual improvement, fact-based decision making, and communications.

TQM requires that the company maintain a culture of continuous improvement and that all members strive to create improvements in all aspects of the company’s operations. This method emphasizes quality in every aspect of the company and involves all members, from top management to the frontline employees.

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle

• Plan : Identify an opportunity and plan for change.
• Do : Implement the change on a small scale.
• Check : Use data to analyze the results of the change and determine whether it made a difference.
• Act : If the change was successful, implement it on a wider scale and continuously assess your results. If the change did not work, begin the cycle again.

PDCA is a simple, straightforward approach to problem-solving and is widely used in various industries for quality control and continuous improvement.

Each of these methodologies brings a unique set of tools and perspectives to continuous improvement. Organizations may adopt one or a combination of these approaches, depending on their specific needs, culture, and goals. The key is to embrace the underlying principle shared by all: a relentless pursuit of excellence through continuous improvement.

Implementing Continuous Improvement

Implementing continuous improvement in an organization involves several key steps. Drawing from my background as an operations improvement consultant, with experience in food processing, manufacturing, and automotive industries, I’ve seen firsthand how effective the following steps can be in driving significant improvements.

Step 1: Identify Opportunities

A good method we usually suggest for identifying improvement opportunities is to conduct a waste walk by going to the place where the work is done and observing processes for wasteful activities which can be removed or reduced within the process using methods such as 5S or other lean tools.

Step 2: Analyze the Process

Step 3: develop a strategy, step 4: implement changes, step 5: review and refine.

The final step is to review the impact of the changes and refine them as necessary. This involves collecting data, analyzing results, and comparing them against the objectives set in the strategy phase. Continuous feedback loops are vital here; they ensure that the improvements are effective and sustainable. In all the industries I’ve worked in, this step has been crucial for ensuring that the changes made deliver the desired results and contribute to long-term improvement.

Implementing continuous improvement is an ongoing process. Success in this effort comes from a willingness to continuously evaluate and adapt, ensuring that the organization remains agile and responsive to change. Through my experiences, I have seen organizations transform their operations, achieving not just incremental improvements but also fostering a culture that embraces change and strives for excellence.

In conclusion, the journey of implementing continuous improvement is a testament to the power of incremental change and strategic planning. Through my career as a consultant in various industries, I’ve observed how identifying opportunities, analyzing processes, developing strategies, implementing changes, and reviewing outcomes can collectively transform operations.

This approach not only leads to tangible improvements in efficiency and quality but also fosters a culture of resilience and adaptability. Continuous improvement, therefore, is not just a methodological approach; it’s a mindset that encourages organizations to constantly seek better ways of doing things, ensuring long-term success and a sustained commitment to excellence.

• Singh, J. and Singh, H., 2015. Continuous improvement philosophy–literature review and directions .  Benchmarking: An International Journal ,  22 (1), pp.75-119.
• Bhuiyan, N. and Baghel, A., 2005. An overview of continuous improvement : from the past to the present.  Management decision ,  43 (5), pp.761-771.

Q: What is the primary goal of continuous improvement in an organization?

A : The primary goal of continuous improvement is to enhance overall organizational performance by systematically improving processes, products, and services. This is achieved through incremental changes that lead to increased efficiency, higher quality, better customer satisfaction, and improved employee engagement. The focus is on making small, manageable improvements on a continual basis, rather than implementing large-scale changes sporadically.

Q: How does employee engagement contribute to continuous improvement?

A : Employee engagement is crucial in continuous improvement as it leverages the insights and expertise of those who are closest to the processes and challenges within an organization. When employees are encouraged and empowered to contribute ideas and participate in improvement initiatives, it not only leads to more effective solutions but also fosters a sense of ownership and motivation among staff. This increased involvement often results in higher productivity, innovation, and a more positive workplace culture.

Q: Can continuous improvement be applied in any type of organization?

A : Yes, continuous improvement can be applied in any organization, regardless of its size or industry. The principles of continuous improvement are universal and can be adapted to suit different operational contexts, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and service industries. The key is to understand the specific needs and challenges of the organization and then apply the continuous improvement tools and methodologies that best address those issues.

Q: What role does leadership play in successful continuous improvement initiatives?

A : Leadership plays a pivotal role in the success of continuous improvement initiatives. Leaders are responsible for setting the vision and strategic direction for improvement efforts. They must create an environment that encourages and supports continuous improvement, allocate resources, provide training and support, and ensure that improvement activities are aligned with the organization’s overall objectives. Effective leadership also involves recognizing and celebrating improvements, which helps to sustain momentum and embed a culture of continuous improvement.

Q: How do organizations measure the success of their continuous improvement efforts?

A : Organizations measure the success of their continuous improvement efforts by using key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that are aligned with their strategic objectives. These might include measures of efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and financial performance. Regular monitoring and reporting of these metrics help organizations to assess the impact of their improvement efforts, identify areas for further improvement, and make informed decisions about future initiatives.

Daniel Croft is a seasoned continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. With over 10 years of real-world application experience across diverse sectors, Daniel has a passion for optimizing processes and fostering a culture of efficiency. He's not just a practitioner but also an avid learner, constantly seeking to expand his knowledge. Outside of his professional life, Daniel has a keen Investing, statistics and knowledge-sharing, which led him to create the website learnleansigma.com, a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights.

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16 Best Continuous Improvement Tools (with examples) 

2019 - Present Marketing specialist Innovative content marketeer with MSc in International Communication, Mindaugas brings fresh ideas and inspiration about project management and beyond.

If you’re aiming for operational excellence, using continuous improvement tools can significantly boost your chances of success. Out of the many continuous improvement tools out there, we’ve narrowed it down to 16 that we believe are the most common and well-suited for various organizations, each addressing its unique challenges.

As we dive into the 16 best tools, I’ll walk you through their benefits and some downsides, share how I evaluated them, and provide real-world examples.

What is a continuous improvement tool? 

Continuous improvement is a critical component of Lean and Agile methodologies. A continuous improvement tool is like a well-crafted roadmap that organizations constantly rely on to refine their efficiency. Picture it as a toolkit designed to identify, analyze, and implement improvements, whether that’s a process, product, or service. These tools find widespread application  across diverse industries  such as manufacturing, healthcare, software development, construction, education, financial services, mining, and food and beverage. 

For instance, in a manufacturing setting, implementing  Six Sigma methodologies  might involve statistical tools to minimize defects in a production line, ideally leading to higher-quality products and reduced waste. Six Sigma is a disciplined approach to continuous improvement, using quality management methods based on statistical analysis. 

What benefits do organizations see after implementing continuous improvement tools? 

Besides the benefits we’ve already discussed, here’s what organizations experience once they incorporate continuous improvement tools. 

• Quality Boost : Continuous improvement helps identify and eliminate inefficiencies, improving product or service quality.
• Productivity Surge : Streamlining operations systematically through continuous improvement leads to higher productivity and profitability by eliminating unnecessary steps and achieving higher efficiency.
• Cost Savings : Continuous improvement allows organizations to slash costs, optimize resources, and make data-driven decisions, leading to savings and resource optimization.
• Customer Satisfaction : Implementing continuous improvement tools streamlines processes, reducing customer complaints and returns, ultimately improving customer satisfaction.
• Engaged Workforce: Continuous improvement elevates employee engagement and knowledge , empowering them to tackle daily challenges and fostering innovation, ensuring adaptability to changing business landscapes.

Top 16 continuous improvement tools for your organization

1. plan-do-check-act (pdca) cycle.

The PDCA Cycle, often called the Deming Cycle, serves as a continuous improvement framework. In the planning phase, organizations identify areas for improvement. The doing phase involves implementing changes. Checking involves assessing the results focusing on adjusting strategies based on the findings.

It’s a cyclical process that enables organizations to refine and optimize processes iteratively. It’s flexible and adaptable to various industries and processes. However, this tool requires commitment and may become routine if not implemented with creativity. 

2. Value Stream Mapping

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) visually represents a process from start to finish. It helps identify steps that add value and those that are wasteful. Analyzing the entire value stream aids organizations in eliminating bottlenecks and streamlining processes.  

Before using this tool, remember that initial mapping can be time-consuming, and effectiveness highly depends on accurate data and understanding of processes. 

Kaizen , meaning “continuous improvement” in Japanese, is a philosophy that encourages small, incremental changes by involving all employees. It fosters a culture where every worker actively contributes to improving processes, leading to a continuous cycle of positive change and efficiency gains.  

We have a complete guide about Kaizen tools that might bring some clarity. It is important to note that Kaizen’s effectiveness depends on accurate data and understanding of processes. 

Originating from Toyota’s production system, Kanban is a visual management method . It involves cards or boards representing tasks or products, allowing teams to monitor and optimize workflow.  

The main reason to choose Kanban is when you want to maintain a smooth production flow, minimize inventory, and respond quickly to changes in demand.

The main reason not to choose Kanban is if your company operates in a highly variable environment, where it may face challenges due to its complexity.  

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5. Quality Management

Quality Management involves a systematic approach to meeting and exceeding customer expectations. It includes processes, standards, and methodologies to ensure consistent quality in products or services. Industries implement Quality Management systems like ISO 9001.  

These systems standardize processes to ensure consistency. Also, enhance customer satisfaction, minimize errors, and improve overall performance. 

However, remember that strict adherence may stifle innovation, and in some cases, obtaining the certification can be a resource-intensive task. 

6. 5 Whys 

The 5 Why’s is a problem-solving technique. It’s simple and aimed at identifying the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking “why” until the core problem is revealed. Organizations use this method to delve beyond surface-level symptoms, addressing underlying issues and preventing recurring problems. In Teamhood, we have developed a 5 Whys template, which you can find in the following article.  

This tool specifically relies on the team’s skill in asking the right questions. It also may not address complex issues with multiple causes. 

7. Gemba Walks 

Gemba Walks involves managers going to the actual workplace to observe processes, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of operations.  

This tool enables direct employee engagement, identification of improvement opportunities, and real-time problem-solving on the shop floor. It’s proven that this tool builds relationships between management and employees. On top of that, Gemba walks enable real-time problem-solving. 

However, it will be more complicated to implement the tool if the management at your organization is not communicating openly or has no time to commit to it.  

8. DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)

DMAIC is a structured problem-solving approach within the Six Sigma methodology. It begins with defining the problem, measuring key aspects, analyzing data to identify root causes, implementing improvements, and establishing controls to sustain them. 

DMAIC is mainly used to achieve data-driven, systematic improvement. This method ensures sustained improvements through control measures. Due to that, it can be resource-intensive. If you operate in creative environments, it may be perceived as too rigid.  

9. Ishikawa Diagram

The Ishikawa Diagram , also known as a Fishbone Diagram, visually represents the potential causes of a problem. It categorizes causes into branches or “bones,” depending on how you see it, aiding in identifying root causes.  

It is a highly visual tool that also encourages team collaboration, thus companies like to use this tool to analyze and solve complex problems systematically. As with every collaboration tool , solutions can be subject to interpretation or bias. Also, the tool should be combined with other tools from this list, as it may oversimplify too complex issues. 

10. Pareto Chart

Named after the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule), the simple and intuitive Pareto Chart prioritizes issues based on their significance. It helps organizations focus resources on resolving the most impactful problems. With that, it ensures that your improvement efforts have a substantial and immediate impact. As the polar size is quite an imbalance, remember that it may overlook less frequent but critical issues. 

11. 3M’s – Muri, Mura, and Muda

The 3 M’s address waste in processes: Muri (overburden), Mura (inconsistency), and Muda (waste) is a comprehensive approach to waste elimination. It addresses multiple aspects of inefficiency and creates a holistic view of process improvement.  

Organizations use these principles primarily to identify and eliminate unnecessary strain, inconsistency, and waste in their processes. On the other hand, this method requires a deep understanding of processes. Overemphasis on waste elimination may hinder innovation in your organization. 

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The 5S methodology ( Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain or Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke) is a systematic approach to workplace organization. It mainly creates a visually organized, clean, and efficient work environment. The initial implementation may be time-consuming and requires consistent discipline from all team members. However, teams that successfully implement it report improved safety, productivity, and employee satisfaction.

As part of the 5S methodology , Seiri focuses on sorting and organizing items efficiently in the workspace. It involves eliminating unnecessary items to create an organized and efficient workspace. Workplaces use Seiri to reduce clutter, enhance productivity, and create a safer work environment. Initial implementation may disrupt workflows, thus, your team should be fully ready for these changes. 

The A3 process, derived from Toyota , involves using a single-sheet report for problem-solving and communication. It forces teams to be concise and transparent about the problem, analysis, and proposed solutions. Industries adopt A3 to streamline communication and decision-making in improvement projects. Implementation success will highly depend on practical use and interpretation. 

15. Theory of Constraints (TOC)

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) identifies a system’s limiting factors or bottlenecks that hinder overall efficiency. You might want to use TOC if you want to optimize processes by addressing constraints ensuring resources are utilized effectively to maximize throughput and achieve organizational goals. As with every other similar system, be aware that overemphasizing constraints may neglect other essential factors. 

16. Poka-Yoke (Error Proofing)

Poka-Yoke , or mistake-proofing, is a method to prevent errors during the manufacturing process. It involves designing processes in a way that minimizes the possibility of mistakes. 

Why do industries implement it? Poka-Yoke helps to enhance product quality, reduce defects, and increase customer satisfaction as it reduces the need for rework and corrections. However, it’s considered rather costly in various industries and not applicable to every process.   

Continuous improvement software 

Nowadays, agile companies choose software solutions that are specifically designed to support continuous improvement initiatives across different industries. Software tools lead to a more systematic and data-driven approach to continuous improvement.

Some constant improvement software features include:  

• Data Analytics:  Analyze data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. 
• Workflow Automation: Automation features to help streamline processes, reduce manual work, and ensure consistency in implementing improvement initiatives. 
• Task Management : Mainly task management capabilities to assign, track, and monitor tasks. 
• Collaboration and Communication : To facilitate collaboration among team members and allow real-time communication and sharing of insights. 
• Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Tracking : Software to help monitor and track KPIs, providing a clear view of performance and areas that need attention. 
• Root Cause Analysis : To identify and address the root causes of issues, fostering a deeper understanding of challenges. 
• Document Management:  Effective documentation is essential for continuous improvement. 

Teamhood project management software addresses the need for continuous improvement. It offers robust features, including all the features mentioned above. Teamhood also offers a free trial, allowing you to experience a full suite of tools before committing. 

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Continuous Improvement Tools and Techniques

Table of contents.

• 1 3 Key Concepts of Lean Process Improvement
• 2 Process Improvement Steps
• 3 Process Improvement Tools
• 4 A3 Process and Problem Solving
• 5 What is a Continuous Improvement Model?
• 6 Continuous Improvement Tools and Techniques
• 7 Kanban and Continuous Improvement

So you’ve been learning about continuous improvement and are looking for actionable ways to implement it. How do you get started?

The first step is to assess the current state of your team or organization:

• What do you do well?
• Where do you struggle?
• What seems broken?
• What is starting to crack under the pressure of growth?

Getting Started with Lean

Lean is a mindset that helps you make smarter decisions about how to invest your time, energy, and money.

19 Process Improvement Ideas to Add to Your Toolkit

Identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and implement meaningful changes to your process.

Analyzing your current state as a group is a great way to energize people around change.

Then, try these continuous improvement tools and techniques:

• Kanban, to help you visualize, manage, and optimize your workflows.
• A3s, to provide vision and structure to big-picture improvements.
• The PCDA Cycle, to systematically test hypotheses.
• Gemba walks, to keep leaders and front-line workers on the same page.
• The 5 Whys, to encourage inquisitive thinking and effective problem-solving .
• Value Stream Mapping, to help organizations focus on structuring processes around customer needs.

You’ll learn more about each of these continuous improvement tools and techniques below.

Kanban helps you harness the power of visual information by using sticky notes on a whiteboard to create a “picture” of your work. Seeing how your work flows within your team’s process lets you not only communicate status but also give and receive context for the work.

Unlike other methods that force fit change from the get-go, Kanban is about evolution, not revolution.

It hinges on the fundamental truth that you can’t get where you want to go without first knowing where you are.

There are four big ideas in Kanban:

• Visualize your process
• Limit work in process
• Focus on flow
• Continuously improve

Kanban be used to manage individual, team, or even organization-wide work. Although popularized by software teams, Kanban can be applied to virtually any process that has distinct steps, and is frequently used by marketing, sales, finance, and other disciplines.

A3 is a structured approach to problem solving used by Lean and Agile organizations. The term A3 describes a type of oversized paper which is used to plan projects. The purpose of an A3 is to:

• Document the learning, decisions, and planning involved with solving a problem
• Facilitate communication with people in other departments
• Provide structure to problem-solving so as to maximize learning

A3s usually include the following elements:

• Current condition
• Cause analysis
• Target condition
• Implementation plan
• Follow-up and benefits

They are incredibly useful for planning, especially for work conducted across cross-functional teams. Teams and organizations can also use A3s to implement continuous improvement ideas.

Plan – Do – Check – Act (PDCA) Cycle

The (Plan – Do – Check – Act) PCDA Cycle is another excellent continuous improvement technique. Similar to the scientific method, the PCDA cycle is a way of identifying and testing hypotheses . The four steps of the PDCA Cycle are:

Gemba Walks

Lean leaders recognize that the vast majority of the value generated in their organizations is by the people with their hands on the product. The best ideas for improving their organizational processes can only come from those employees. And leaders can only tap into that knowledge by getting out of their offices and, to use another Japanese term, going to the gemba – the place where things are really happening.

Gemba walks are informal, casual opportunities for leaders to get a sense of what’s happening in the organization. Our research shows that executive sponsorship is a key component of practicing continuous improvement – and executives can’t support initiatives wholeheartedly if they don’t understand the problems behind them.

The 5 Whys is a thinking tool for identifying the root causes of problems. Using the 5 Whys, teams practicing continuous improvement are able to:

• move past blame
• think beyond the specific context of a problem
• identify a proper, sustainable solution to resolve the issue

The 5 Whys method is very simple in practice: Start with a problem statement, and then ask “why” until the root cause is revealed, and the answers become absurd. Here is an example a marketing team might experience:

Problem: Our blog writing process is slow.

Why? Blogs are usually tossed around between several team members and go through several editing cycles.

Why? Because we don’t have anyone owning that process, so it seems like it’s everyone’s responsibility and no one’s responsibility at the same time.

Why? Because we never decided on a clear process for blogging.

Why? Because…we’re busy?

The last response here is a little absurd, of course. The root cause seems to have been revealed after the third Why : The team never created a process for blogging; therefore, blogging doesn’t follow a process, therefore the ‘process’ is slow. Instead of pointing fingers, the team can now work together to create an effective, streamlined blogging process with clearly defined roles and steps.

Value Stream Mapping

Lean value stream mapping is gaining momentum in knowledge work because it encourages systems thinking, resulting in better communication, more effective collaboration, and more team wins. Any team can enjoy the improved productivity and collaboration that mapping your process can provide.

Although advanced mapping software and complex metrics can be incredibly valuable, they’re not required for teams to begin to enjoy the benefits of value stream mapping. Teams can get started easily by gathering around a whiteboard and defining the various steps involved in seeing their product, project, or service from start to finish.

Senior Marketing Manager

Rachaelle Lynn, a Certified SAFe Agilist, is a marketing manager and subject matter expert at Planview, a market-leading provider of project portfolio management, lean and agile delivery, project management, and innovation management software. Her experience in diverse B2B and B2C industries continue to drive her interest in the SaaS customer journey. Rachaelle holds a BA in Communication Studies from the University of Florida.

9 Continuous Improvement Methodologies & Tools

Not all change leads to improvement, but to improve anything, you need to bring about change. Usually, that’s easier said than done. Greatly enduring organizations have survived over the years through continuous improvement and incremental innovations.

What does it take to bring about improvements in a systematic and structured way? Besides the right mindset, culture, and capabilities, you need methodologies and tools to fuel and maintain these improvements.

While sometimes disregarded, methodologies provide a solid starting point for continuous improvement . Without a set of shared practices to guide the path, organizations tend to play it by ear, and that’s not something you want for long term success. What’s more, to implement and operate such methodologies, you need the right tools and techniques.

If you want to learn more about some of the best tools out there, what to consider when choosing the right ones, and how to implement them to unlock their full potential, keep on reading. We’ll walk you through a list of tools and best practices that will help you take continuous improvement practices to the next level.

Table of contents

• The role of methodologies and tools
• Methodologies and tools
• Kaizen corner
• Fishbone diagram
• Gemba walks
• Value stream mapping
• Error proofing
• SIPOC diagram
• Key success factors

The role of methodologies and tools in continuous improvement

Apple is a leading example when it comes to innovation, but let’s not forget that its success is mostly due to incremental innovations. The smartphone already existed when the iPhone entered the market, but Apple turned it into a mainstream success through significant improvements on the size of the touchscreen, an enhanced overall experience, the app store and later their own ecosystem that became the center of our daily lives. To this day, Apple has maintained its positions through small changes and improvements, but they are not the kind that have a profound impact on our lives. On the other hand, the internet and its commercialization were innovations that allowed many new industries and businesses to emerge, and it completely changed our society. Such innovations are far less common than incremental ones, and a lot more difficult to achieve. That’s not to say that incremental innovations are a breeze. There are so many things to improve whether you are developing products or services. The true challenge lies in how to approach continuous improvement in a sustained manner. How do you manage improvements systematically to turn them into a common practice? There are three key elements to consider:

Start with a goal that matters the most for your business strategy You need to know what you’re aiming for and not change things for the sake of change. The purpose of continuous improvement should be to make certain areas that are relevant for the strategic goals of the organization better.

Decide on the methods and processes that can support that goal The methods and processes provide guidance and a roadmap to help you reach the desired results. If you have these in place it’s easier to stay focused on the goal.

Choose the tools that bring to life the methods and processes. There’s a wide variety of tools and techniques that can be used in continuous improvement. Deciding on one, or several comes down to your current state and obviously, future goals.

For instance, Toyota, the pioneers of organizational continuous improvement, developed their own methodologies and tools that enabled them to become market leaders. However, this took many years of preseverance which led to a new mindset and culture.

Methodologies and tools for implementing continuous improvement

Instinctively, people check the competition to replicate their methods or the use of their tools. Even though it’s not wrong to get inspired, benchmarking what others are doing is not enough to set up your own continuous improvement system.

To make things easier, we listed below some of these methodologies and the tools that work for each of them, as well as some tips and best practices for implementation.

1. Kaizen corner

As the most common concept in continuous improvement is Kaizen, it’s only natural to start the list with the Kaizen Corner. We previously talked about continuous improvement processes, so you can explore the Kaizen concept more i n depth here .

What is it: So, the Kaizen corner obviously draws its name from the Kaizen concept, the Japanese management methodology loosely translated as continuous improvement, or literally, good change (kai = change, zen = good). Hence, the Kaizen corner is a place where employees can submit ideas and improvement suggestions. While originally used in factories and areas where employees were not in direct contact with top management, today it’s applied in a variety of industries, including software.

This bottom-up approach is meant to involve everyone in the organization in the continuous improvement practices. A Kaizen corner is a great tool to spot new opportunities for improvement, engage with employees and on the long run, contribute to a continuous improvement culture.

It's well suited for teams working in logistics, or other industries where they don’t have easy, regular access to digital tools. These are the employees whose feedback is most often neglected, but whose tacit knowledge can bring up unexpected opportunities. Just as well, you can use this in a digital format with an idea management tool, or a project management tool. It brings even more value because it provides more structure and transparency to the process.

Tips for implementation: Listening to your employees’ ideas , concerns and suggestions is always beneficial, but it shouldn’t stop there. For long term success, you need to act on those ideas, communicate, and follow-up on them.

Recommended tools: If you start small, with a team that works in the same space, where digital tools are not at hand, like construction sites, hospitals, factory floors, then the old-school tools are always a good option. These could be as simple as post-it notes on a wall or a suggestion box.

On the other hand, if your teams have access to digital tools or you want to bring together remote teams, an idea management tool like Viima is the solution. You can use it to collect ideas from hundreds and even thousands of employees.

Another digital option used for project management and writing down ideas is Trello , a tool built on the principles of the Kanban system, which we'll cover next.

What is it: Kanban means "visual sign" in Japanese and it’s used in many organizations, whether they use the official name or not. As a concept, Kanban is a lean method used to manage and improve work across systems. It’s generally applied through Kanban boards, cards or flows that describe the roadmap of a project and the status of each element. It's an easy method of improving efficiency. 

Kanban boards are commonly used in product management and development, so basically every organization could make use of this methodology. It’s easy to implement, it improves processes and workflow efficiency without making any changes to your team structure.

Tips for implementation: The steps for implementing Kanban are quite straightforward, but the important thing is to monitor the roadmap and adjust it as needed. As the project progresses, every stage of the process has its milestone and sometimes bottlenecks might come in the way. If this is the case, you can go to the root cause analysis, which we’ll cover next, to identify the cause of the bottlenecks, then work to eliminate them or prevent them from stopping or slowing down the process.

Recommended tools: Trello and Jira are some of the most popular tools for Kanban practices, but there are many others you can choose from. Something as simple as an Excel or Google sheet can be used to organize the steps and milestones. For larger projects and teams, though, it might become messy.

Viima is not just a tool to collect ideas, but it scales with your needs and allows you to organize, monitor and develop different boards and flows. What's more, Viima comes with a Jira integration, which allows you to connect preferred Viima statuses with kanban stages in Jira and allows for new Jira issues to be created automatically when the idea in Viima moves to the first connected status phase.

Root cause analysis

Many organizations don’t excel at continuous improvement because they either don’t know how to prioritize the things that need improvement, or they haven’t identified the real causes behind certain issues. So, here are two methods that can help you with this.

What is it: A popular tool used to get down to the root cause of issues. With the 5 Whys you can explore more in depth the factors that influence an outcome and go from contributing factors to root causes that lead to a problem.

For example, if a team was late in delivering a product, you want to learn why that happened and what could have been done differently. Likewise, you might see that productivity has decreased. Maybe more people are taking a sick leave than before, so you can assume that is the reason. But if you dig deeper, can you find out why are sick leaves more recurrent than before? The 5 Whys can also help reframe the thinking and eliminate biases.

Tips for implementation: While you could apply this in your own thinking, for more complex problems, it’s best to gather a knowledgeable team who can help you in the process. For this, you can create a time-bound session around a specific problem that needs a solution. You define the problem beforehand and bring people together and start exploring all sides of the issue with the 5 Whys exercise. For a better workflow you can have a facilitator to guide the session and write down ideas.

Recommended tools: The 5 whys doesn’t need any special tool, but to document the process better we added some templates to our Continuous Improvement Toolkit . However, keep in mind that the 5 whys is not a methodology to be used on its own. It’s part of a process that helps you get down to the root cause of an issue and then work on improvements to address that.

In your continuous improvement work, you will probably have to use the 5whys technique more than once for the same area or project. For this, you can use a flexible idea management tool. For example, you can simply add to a Viima board these questions where people will provide answers and suggestions. In time you will start noticing connecting ideas, trends, patterns, and recurring issues that will help uncover more opportunities for improvement.

4. Fishbone diagram

What is it: Also called the Ishikawa diagram, this is a diagram used as a root cause analysis, to show potential causes of an event. It was first described in the 60s by Professor Kaoru Ishikawa as a quality control tool. The fishbone diagram is mostly used in product design and quality defect prevention to identify the factors that could cause an effect.

For example, the CMS ( Centers for Medicine & Medical Services ) is showing how they’re using the fishbone diagram in their quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI). In this case they dig deeper to learn what systems and processes lead to a patient’s injury while under medical care.

The drawback of the fishbone diagram is that for more complex issues the interrelationship between causes can complicate things. What’s more, it’s not always easy to point to all the factors that make a problem. At the same time, there might be so many elements to point at, that it’s messy to handle them in a simple diagram model. So, it takes some experience and a knowledgeable team to work with the tool, as well as the right context for it.

Tips for implementation: If unsure about how to get started, some people first use the 5 Whys method to create the main structure and identify each cause-and-effect element that will be developed in the fishbone diagram. Recommended tools: The fishbone diagram doesn’t require a specific tool for implementation. You can use a template like the one available in our Continuous Improvement Toolkit or make your own on from scratch on a whiteboard, during a brainstorming session. There are also countless tools out there for flowcharts and diagrams. Some of these are Visio from Microsoft, Lucidchart or Smartdraw .

5. Gemba walks

What is it: The Gemba walk is another popular tool in the continuous improvement toolkit. Simplified, it’s an observation practice where managers and leaders stay in touch with the ins and outs of the organization. “ The place to be ”, the meaning of Gemba in Japanese, refers to the areas where value is created in an organization. So, understandably the Gemba walks are meant to be applied in areas where things get done. This can be the shop floor in manufacturing, operating room in a hospital, construction sites, and so on.

Even though it doesn’t sound like much, in reality a Gemba walk is not a walk in the park. It requires experienced leaders who can spot things from the distance as well as careful planning.

Tips for implementation: As mentioned, Gemba walks should have a well-defined plan and a clear purpose. First, think of what you want to achieve with the Gemba walk. Is there something specific that you want to learn, understand, improve or address? Do you want to check the state of processes that are used, or how the lines of communication work.

Another thing to keep in mind is that during these Gemba walks leaders should not interrupt or point to things others should fix. Your role as a manager or leader performing a Gemba walk should be to observe and be open to understanding what others are doing and why.

A roadmap of areas you want to cover can come in handy here (for example you start with sales, and continue down the line to shipping, assembly line and so on). Prepare a checklist, especially at first, when you are still getting the hang of it. Below you can see an example of a Gemba walk plan at Toyota.

Recommended tools: While the easy way out is to look for examples of how others are doing it, it’s better to customize a checklist and a list of questions based on your strategic goals and organizational needs.

We created a Continuous Improvement Toolkit where you can find a set of useful tools, as well as a checklist with questions to address when planning your Gemba walk. You can download it for free, here .

6. Value stream mapping

What is it: Value stream mapping is a visual tool used to illustrate and structure the steps involved in the process of delivering a product or service from supplier to customer. The visual representation of such processes helps analyze, manage, and identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvements within the value stream.

As is the case with other tools and methods in Lean methodology, VSM was initially used in manufacturing, but it has been adopted in many other industries due to its effectiveness in continuously improving productivity and reducing and eliminating waste. A value stream map is meant to showcase the processes and relationships in manufacturing, production, scheduling and so on.

For example, in software development the value map streaming can be used to identify inefficiencies in the development process. Consequently, the team can reduce the number of steps or redundancies.

Tips for implementation: First and foremost, start with a problem that needs to be fixed. Based on this, you collect data, make different analyses, and look for solutions. To have a better overview and to be able to identify the weak spots and inconsistencies, you draw the current state map. This way, you’ll get a better understanding of the flow of information and materials. Now you can make a list of possible improvements for each issue you identify. Last, you create the future state map to draw the desired state of the process, after improvements.

This is a useful tool for organizations that work with complex processes that have multiple touch points. However, it’s not a multi-purpose tool that can be used for all kind of problems. The main purpose is to reduce waste, so if you have an issue that is not connected to the flow or you don’t have a linear flow of information and material, this might not do the trick for you.

Recommended tools: Each value stream map looks different for every organization, but the core steps to follow are similar for most. There are various diagramming tools that you can use to create a value stream map. Lucidchart from Lucid is a viable solution to create diagrams, as well as Visio from the Microsoft Office family.

In our Continuous Improvement Toolkit you can find more information about the steps to follow when creating your value stream mapping.

What is it: The 5s is a tool used to create a clean and orderly work environment that exposes waste and abnormalities. It can be used to identify improvements in the workplace through the following five actions:

• Sort (Seiri) is about arranging all items and eliminating unnecessary things from the workplace.
• Set in order ( Seiton) is about putting everything in order, to its designated space, so they are easy to locate.
• Shine (Seiso) is about a clean workspace that creates a safe, easy to work environment.
• Standardize (seiketsu) helps you establish procedures and schedules that ensure the repetition of the previous three practices.
• Self-discipline (sustain). Last, but not least, in order to turn these into a continuous practice, you have to ensure that the approach is followed and that it becomes a habit for employees.

As the terms reveal, the 5S framework is designed first and foremost for physical workplaces, such as factory floors. However, these same principles are just as valid in the modern workplace, a hybrid between physical and virtual. The 5S has now been adopted in different industries like healthcare, education, and government.

The 5S has become a building block for most lean tools and concepts today. The benefit is that it’s low cost and high impact as it doesn’t require a lot of money to implement it.

Tip for implementation: To successfully implement 5S practices, it’s mandatory to have top management support . Leaders should set the example, provide training at all levels and delegate a responsible for each area. Their commitment, together with an action plan will ensure continuity of the 5s practices.

Additionally, audits are important to keep the program alive, monitor its evolution and results. Like most continuous improvement tools and methodologies, this one too, comes with its set of challenges. There might be resistance from some people, and lack of alignment on how the concepts should be applied.

Also, it can become challenging to provide continuity if key players in the program leave the company or if there are changes in the team structures. To prevent this from happening make sure that everything is well documented, for example in an implementation manual that explains the principles, structures, and activities.

Recommended tools: The tools you choose will greatly depend on the environment of your organization and each S in part. While there might be different tools for each S, to avoid getting lost in all the options, it’s best to draw a plan and create an audit checklist, as well as keep track of the results of the audits.

For this, you can even use a Google form to create an audit checklist that suits your environment. But to help you out, the Continuous Improvement Toolkit also comes with an audit template.

8. Error Proofing

What is it: The error proofing (or mistake-proofing from the Japanese Poka-Yoke) is another methodology applied in lean management and manufacturing. Error proofing is generally used as a standardization technique to ensure that all conditions are met to perform the steps of a process.

The error proofing can be implemented wherever there are processes that depend on people’s skills, experience, and attention. To name just a few, think of the de-icing layer applied on the planes’ wings before each take-off to prevent serious accidents, the color coding on wires to prevent short-circuiting, or the electric sockets designed to prevent wrong plugging.

The cost of not preventing errors and mistakes can be huge for companies. Dell and Sony lost roughly $400 million when they had to recall over four million laptops whose lithium-lion batteries became a fire threat.

Tips for implementation: For successful implementation of error proofing, you either need to prevent errors from happening or detect them when they occur. Similarly with the other tools and methodologies, commitment and support from top management is essential, as well as an action plan to disseminate the right practices.

Recommended tools: The beauty of the various continuous improvement tools and methodologies is their interconnection. To detect mistakes that are hindering a process, you first need to identify the root cause  of possible issues or threats using a root cause analysis tool. To prevent error from happening you can map the steps of a process through value stream mapping.

9. SIPOC diagram

What is it: The SIPOC (suppliers, input, process, outputs, customers) diagram is a visualizing tool used in the DMAIC methodology (a continuous improvement cycle we presented in our article on Continuous Improvement Processes ) to highlight the main stages of the process. It helps establish a common understanding and unify people around the project or problem at stake.

In short, the SIPOC diagram is used to define the inputs and outputs of the process with the goal of determining results and identifying inefficiencies along the way.

Tips for implementation: SIPOC can be as simple as a table where you write down the five elements of the diagram. The suppliers involved in the process, the inputs – the most important resources required, the process that will connect the inputs to the outputs and the steps involved, the outputs and the key results of the process, and lastly, the customer who will benefit from the outputs.

Before creating a SIPOC diagram, write down some key elements: the owner of the process, the name, start and end date of the process, as well as known constraints and feedback loops that will define how you will communicate during the process.

While useful to present the big picture, to improve on the existing processes, it’s usually best used along other tools that can help with the problem solving.

Recommended tools: Many organizations are already using a project management software and they can also be used to create these kinds of diagrams. If you don’t have one in place, you can use a template like the one you can find in the Continuous Improvement toolkit.

No matter the tools and methods in place, at the end of the day they are just a means to an end. As we’ve seen in Toyota’s case, continuous improvement can take years to perfect. But even so, by picking a strategic goal and one of the above-mentioned methodologies and tools, you can start noticing measurable positive change within weeks, or even days, if we’re talking about smaller improvements.

But your work doesn’t stop there. If you want to have long-term results, a systematic approach is essential. So, next we’ll go through some best practices to consider for a good adoption of these methodologies and tools.

Key success factors for successful implementation

• Start small

With every long-term approach, you need to take it step by step by starting with something small. You won’t be able to improve everything at once so it’s best to find your focus, an area you want to improve, or address a challenge your team is facing. At the same time, you need to keep in mind the long-term goals and work towards those, even if at first the progress is small.

If you decide to improve productivity by 15% in the following 6 months, that’s a high bet. You need to first identify the specific areas that slow down productivity and tackle one element at a time.

• Don’t overcomplicate things

In many cases problems are simpler than they seem, and that’s why it’s important to peel their layers and get down to the root cause. The revealed cause might have an easy fix in the end. So, you can’t just guess, you must go beyond assumptions and biases.

Also, if you’re expecting people to include new tools or methodologies in their daily routine you shouldn’t come up with complex terminologies, schemas, or diagrams. For employees from all levels of the organizations to be on board, any new practice should be straightforward and easy to understand. You can work on their complexity gradually, once people start getting used with the basics.

• Accountability is key

To achieve continuous improvement at all levels, you need managers with the right mindset and dedication, who are able to put in the effort to first change their own habits and routines through constant, deliberate practice every day.

But that’s not enough. If you want employees to buy in the continuous improvement approach, they also have to take more responsibility for the company’s success. Continuous improvement won’t succeed unless every team member is on board and engaged in the process.

Manufacturer Roll Forming Corporation identified accountability as the element missing from their continuous improvement program to be successful. So, they came up with a new program to increase accountability through a gainsharing plan which enabled employees to earn more based on their involvement and the improvements visible in their areas.

While this worked for Roll Forming Corporation as a motivator boost that led more people to be accountable, it doesn’t work in all circumstances. Not all companies can afford that and also, it can lead to a culture of mercenaries which can also results in a toxic organizational culture.

When people take responsibility and ownership both for their own success and the company’s they will be more open in adopting new tools and working methods.

• Persistence and resilience

Getting people on board, whether to use new tools, or practice new routines is a constant struggle. But practicing every day for 15 minutes brings more results than practicing two hours once a week.

So, make sure employees are sticking to the improvement routines, and that leaders provide not just a vision and a connecting challenge, but also the time, resources and training that enable them to persist and be resilient.

The famous saying “a man is only as good as his tools” can be true to a certain extent. These tools and methodologies won’t automatically turn your organization into a continuous improvement machine, but they can help you get there. As long as you keep your eyes on the prize and focus on your most important goals, things will start moving in the right direction.

It's also important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to tools and methodologies. But with the right mix adapted to your needs, you will start seeing tangible value.

The right tools have the power to address the way you bring about change, and therefore they have a direct influence in how you manage and maintain continuous improvement practices.

Using a digital continuous improvement tool, such as Viima, for running and managing all your continuous improvement processes has many benefits. Book a demo to see it in action!

Related articles

How to Collect Ideas From Frontline Employees

The Ultimate Guide to Continuous Improvement

What is a Kanban Board: From Sticky Notes to Digital Transformation

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6 Continuous Improvement Tools & Techniques

Posted on February 27, 2019

BY Borja Gomez

12 minutes, 11 seconds read

Continuous improvement tools are a powerful resource in the lean manufacturing journey. Leveraging the right one can lead to improved productivity, reduced errors, and greater profitability overall. There are many different continuous improvement models that can help a business reach their lean ideals. But how do you know which one is most suited to your organization or specific challenges? In this article, we look at a range of options that can aid process management, streamline quality control, and improve efficiency.

Continuous Improvement Tools and Methodologies

Over the years, numerous tools, techniques, and systems have been designed to aid improvement. They are intended to give businesses a framework so that they don’t have to create their own from scratch. This allows them to learn from the best practices of others and leverage what’s been proven to work. However, knowing the difference between processes and terminology can be confusing. With so many options to choose from, how do you know which one is right for your specific business needs? Here’s an overview of the six most popular and effective continuous improvement tools available.

The PDCA cycle (short for plan, do, check, act) provides you with a systematic approach to testing different ideas and hypotheses. It can help you to implement continuous improvement throughout your organization using a structured framework. If you want to improve business processes, efficiency, or productivity, then the PDCA cycle can help.

The framework gives front line teams a four-step guide for executing incremental improvement practices. It enables them to avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly and is commonly used in lean manufacturing . PDCA stands for:

• Plan – define your strategic goals and how you’ll achieve them.
• Do – implement the plan and make any changes required to ensure it works.
• Check – evaluate the results and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Act – make adjustments based on what’s found in the previous step.

Some companies follow a slightly modified PDSA cycle, where the S stands for ‘study’ instead of check. It’s very similar to PDCA but involves passively observing instead of proactively checking. The simple format means that PDCA is one of the most easily adopted continuous improvement tools. Everyone in a company can understand and follow the four steps as they’re relatable in a wide variety of job roles, from human resources to R&D. It facilitates continuous process improvement and empowers employees to test ideas on a small scale. Over time, this creates a culture of creativity and innovation which is difficult for your competitors to replicate.

One of the key benefits of PDCA is that it’s easy to understand and remember. The acronym can quickly become a mantra that is repeated and utilized by everyone in the business. Some companies display the process on posters around their buildings while others print it on to mouse mats and coffee mugs. This gives employees a visual reminder and encourages them to adopt it as a consistent part of their work routine. The 4-step process doesn’t require weeks of training to understand either – it can be summarised clearly in a matter of minutes. Managers can then follow-up with staff as they implement it and help them to learn on the go. This approach to coaching means there isn’t a large barrier to implementation in terms of training. Companies can hit the ground running and then tweak it as they go along.

2. Gemba Walks

When it comes to continuous improvement tools, Gemba walks can be particularly powerful. They enable you to tap into the most valuable resource a company has: its people. The most innovative improvement ideas often come from the employees who are working on the front line and problem-solving on a daily basis. They have an in-depth understanding of their particular area of the manufacturing process and are able to provide potential solutions.

Smart managers understand that the best way to capture these valuable insights is to get out of their offices and into the ‘Gemba’. This is the place where things actually happen, such as manufacturing or product development. Gemba walks involve interacting with staff on an informal basis at the location where they do their work (as opposed to a meeting room). It enables observation of real-life situations or the actual production process so that leaders have a better idea of things that are happening. This casual yet accurate form of data collection can be a powerful tool for companies that like simple improvement tools and techniques.

Regular Gemba walks also develop better employee relationships and a greater focus on continuous improvement. They provide a framework for regular interaction and create a habit of consistent feedback collection. However, it’s important not to use them as an opportunity to reprimand staff as this will make them less likely to open up and share their thoughts. This approach is best used to observe and collect data which can be used to inform future decision making.

As you might have noticed, this is a tool that’s specifically designed to gather feedback. It’s a data collection process that allows managers to tap into the vast knowledge of their team members. However, it’s not an end-to-end solution for improving business processes since it doesn’t facilitate the implementation or measurement. It is simply intended as a way to gather ideas and suggestions that can then be followed-up later. So, if you are going to try this approach, it’s really important that you have a mechanism in place for acting upon what you learn. You can use it in combination with other tools on this list or a follow-up process of your own.

3. 5 Why’s

The 5 why’s is one of the best continuous improvement tools for root cause analysis. It can help you to identify the source of a problem and see beyond the superficial issue. By asking ‘why’ several times in a row, you can dive deeper into the heart of a problem. This enables you to them come up with potential solutions that accurately address it instead of just treating the symptoms. It also helps teams to move past apportioning blame or finger pointing to find the real issue.

Using the 5 why’s technique can also help you to determine the relationships between cause and effect (ideal for creating a fishbone diagram). It’s a simple tool that anyone can utilize without the need for statistical analysis like data regression or hypothesis testing. Businesses may find that they need to ask ‘why’ a few more times or a few less to get to the root of an issue. But this approach is a full proof way of getting to the heart of anything that isn’t working.

However, as with the Gemba Walk approach, this is not an end-to-end solution. It’s a powerful method for getting to the heart of an issue and identifying improvement opportunities. But it doesn’t facilitate the implementation of any ideas or provide a structure for coming up with solutions. It’s intended to help businesses get to the real issue instead of being distracted by superficial answers. This makes it a very useful tool to have in your arsenal but one that needs to be combined with others in order to enact meaningful change.

4. Toyota kata Coaching from Managers

The Toyota Kata concept was observed by Mike Rother as part of his research into the car company. Renowned for its Kaizen culture of continuous improvement, he noticed behavior patterns or ‘katas’ that were contributing to it. One of these katas related to the coaching of employees so that they learn, improve and focus their efforts in the right direction.

If you feel that your team is unmotivated or no longer developing, then Toyota Kata coaching can help them to improve effort. It sets regular challenges for them to achieve so that they’re always striving for continuous improvement. They are encouraged to develop daily improvement routines or habits that eventually become second nature. This approach provides a structure for continuous learning and development. This helps to reengage employees who feel stuck or those that have hit a plateau in their professional growth. Over time, this contributes to quality improvement and boosts productivity, so that your employees, customers, and bottom line all benefit.

There are a series of questions that managers can use to facilitate Kata Coaching with their staff members. They are designed to prompt reflection and self-development on the part of the employee. These questions are:

•    What was your last step?
•    What did you expect to happen?
•    What actually happened?
•    What did you learn?

Using these questions provides a framework for coaching discussions. They encourage employees to be proactive and think for themselves. They put the onus on staff members to identify issues and development areas so that it’s not just a one-way discussion. This aids engagement and helps to ensure that meaningful learning takes place.

5. 3M’s – Muri, Mura, and Muda

The 3M’s were identified as part of the Toyota lean production system. They refer to three different categories of deviation that cause problems for companies. These issues can manifest themselves in manufacturing, research and development, marketing, or any number of other departments. The 3M’s refer to Japanese words that are usually translated as:

• Muri – overburden caused by lack of resources, poor planning, or too much waste removal.
• Mura – unevenness or irregularities which tend to be the source of ‘muda’ waste issues.
• Muda – waste such as excessive transport, inventory, waiting, overproduction, or defects.

In pursuing a lean management approach to business, the 3M’s is one of the best continuous improvement tools for identifying problems that also eliminates waste. It can be used to highlight issues or opportunities for operations to become leaner. The system is helpful for total quality management and promoting the adoption of lean practices that create value for the customer.

It can be helpful to work through the 3M’s in turn. Looking for examples of Muri or overburden in your business will enable you to identify areas that need more resources or could benefit from better planning. Finding the sources of Mura or irregularities in your products will facilitate the next step of decreasing Muda or waste. It’s also important to consider other sources of waste too in order to streamline your lean operations to their full potential. This will allow you to focus on the elements that drive customer value and minimize the wasteful aspects that drain resources unnecessarily.

6. Continuous Improvement Software

There are now many digital continuous improvement tools that offer powerful business benefits. They tend to leverage the best aspects of other improvement tools and combine them into one easy-to-use solution. Online platforms enable companies to easily capture ideas and feedback from employees. Some have built-in guides that walk people through continuous improvement processes (such as the PDCA cycle), empowering them to take action.

Continuous improvement software also makes analysis and reporting a breeze. Instead of spending time creating complex spreadsheets or gathering key performance indicators from different departments, reports can be generated instantly. This enables you to see how your company is progressing towards its continuous improvement goals and how productivity, profitability, or quality are being impacted.

Digital solutions also free up the flow of information. Because everything is stored centrally, there are no bottlenecks to delay steps in the process. Employees are able to see the progress of their suggestions or share updates on tests that they are running. This is a powerful step to removing silos between different departments and creating a culture of collaboration. It also removes the burden of ownership from specific team members and makes employees more accountable for making changes happen. The improved visibility leads to greater buy-in and a flurry of additional improvement ideas that can benefit the company.

Your Digital Continuous Improvement Tool

Rever is all about sharing and reusing, doing and tracking. Continuous improvement becomes a hundred times easier with our innovative digital platform. Using Rever’s dashboard, you can monitor the performances of your teams, the summary of their impact, and easily identify the people making the biggest difference at your company.

Rever Cycle is our version of the PDCA methodology and guides your teams on the exact steps to follow to execute their own ideas. It allows them to capture the entire process, from identifying a problem to experimenting and implementing a solution. They can use it to capture the before and after with pictures, notes and drawings, making their ideas a reality in no time. The time of your team is too valuable to be wasted in handmade drawings and complex explanations.

At Rever, we believe that anybody can be a knowledge worker and thrive. What makes us human is the capacity to grow our intellect and will, and to use them for good. We observe, especially at work, that most people are asked to stop thinking and do as they are told. We want to change that. We enable people to achieve their full creative potential.

Interested in learning more? Then get a demo today with one of our friendly lean management experts.

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Continuous Improvement (CI) Explained

What is Continuous Improvement (CI)?

Continuous Improvement (CI) is a philosophy that enables organizations to constantly enhance their processes, products, and services to meet the changing needs of their customers and stay ahead of the competition. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and innovation, CI empowers organizations to identify and eliminate waste ( refer to 8 types of Lean Wastes ), optimize efficiency, and drive growth. Discover how CI can transform your organization and propel it to new heights of success.

What is Lean Continuous Improvement (CI)?

Continuous improvement (CI) is more than just a buzzword in the business world; it’s a mindset, a way of life. Organizations that embrace continuous improvement are constantly striving to identify areas for improvement, making incremental changes to optimize their operations and enhance the customer experience. The concept of CI has been around for decades, evolving and expanding to become an important business strategy that is embraced by organizations of all sizes and industries.

Continuous improvement is not a one-time project or initiative but rather an ongoing process that involves every member of the organization. It requires a commitment to excellence, a willingness to change, and a culture that fosters innovation and creativity. Organizations that embrace continuous improvement are better equipped to adapt to changing market conditions, meet customer demands, and outperform their competitors. In this blog post, we will explore the evolution of continuous improvement, key principles and elements of successful CI programs, different approaches to implementing CI, common challenges and obstacles faced in CI initiatives, and the role of technology and data in driving CI.

 The Evolution of Continuous Improvement and its Impact on Businesses Over Time

Continuous Improvement (CI) is not a new concept. In fact, the origins of CI can be traced back to the Japanese concept of “Kaizen,” which refers to the practice of continuous improvement. Over the years, CI has evolved to become an important business strategy that is embraced by organizations across the world.

The impact of CI on businesses cannot be overstated. By continuously identifying areas for improvement and making incremental changes, businesses can optimize their operations and increase their competitiveness. CI helps organizations to improve quality, reduce waste, enhance customer satisfaction, and boost employee engagement. Continuous improvement is an ongoing process involving every organisation member, from the leadership team to frontline employees.

Key Principles and Elements of Successful CI Programs

There are several key principles and elements that are essential for the success of a CI program. One of the most important principles is the use of lean principles . Lean principles are focused on eliminating waste and creating value for the customer. By adopting lean principles, organizations can streamline their processes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

Another important element of a successful CI program is leadership support. The leadership team must be committed to the program and actively participate in it. They must also be willing to provide the necessary resources and support to ensure the success of the program. Employee engagement is also critical. Employees must be involved in the program and encouraged to identify areas for improvement. They should also be given the necessary training and resources to implement changes.

Different Approaches to Implementing CI

There are different approaches to implementing CI, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. One approach is top-down, where the leadership team drives the program and sets the goals and objectives. Another approach is bottom-up, where employees are encouraged to identify areas for improvement and implement changes.

Project-based CI focuses on specific improvement projects, while culture-based CI involves changing the organisation’s culture to embrace continuous improvement. The approach will depend on the organization’s goals, culture, and resources.

Common Challenges and Obstacles Faced in CI Initiatives

CI initiatives can face several challenges and obstacles. One common challenge is resistance to change. Employees may be resistant to change, particularly if they feel that their jobs may be affected. Another challenge is a lack of resources. CI requires time, money, and personnel resources, and organizations may not have the necessary resources to implement changes.

Lack of buy-in from the leadership team can also hinder the success of a CI program. The leadership team must be committed to the program and actively participate in it. Finally, a lack of data and metrics to measure progress can make it difficult to track the success of the program.

The Role of Technology and Data in Driving CI

Technology and data play an increasingly important role in driving CI. Analytics can help identify areas for improvement, and automation can streamline processes and reduce waste. Digital transformation initiatives can also help organizations to optimize their operations and enhance customer satisfaction.

Data and metrics are also critical for measuring the success of a CI program. Organizations should establish metrics to measure progress and track the success of the program. This will help to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

In conclusion, continuous improvement is an essential business strategy that can help organizations to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. By adopting lean principles, securing leadership support, encouraging employee engagement, and leveraging technology and data, organizations can implement successful CI programs and achieve their goals.

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Using the pdca cycle to support continuous improvement (kaizen).

by Nawras Skhmot

5th August 2017

"Plan" is really a three-step process. The first step is the identification of the problem. The second step is an analysis of this problem. The third step is the development of an experiment to test it. Some of the things to consider during this process includes: Problem Identification

• Is this the right problem to work on?
• Is this problem important and impactful for the organization?
• Who does the problem affect and what is the potential impact of solving it?

Problem Analysis

• What is the requisite information needed to fully understand the problem and its root cause?
• What data do we already have related to the problem? What data do we need to collect?
• Who should be enlisted or interviewed to better understand the problem?
• After understanding the problem, is it feasible to solve it? Will the solution be economical and practical?

Developing an Experiment

• What are some viable solutions?
• Who will be involved in the process and who will be responsible for it?
• What is the expected outcome of the experiment and how can we measure performance?
• What are the resources necessary to run a small scale experiment?
• How will the results from the small scale experiment translate to a full-fledged implementation?

The “Do” stage is where we test the proposed solutions or changes. Ideally, this should be carried out on small-scale studies. Small-scale experiments allow us to learn quickly, adjust as needed, and are typically less expensive to undertake. Make sure that you measure the performance and collect the data necessary to make an evaluation later on.

In this stage, review the experiment, analyze the results, and identify what you’ve learned. Consider the following questions:

• Did the implementation of the change achieve the desired results?
• What did not work?
• What was learned from the implementation?
• Is there enough data to show that the change was effective?
• Do you need to run another experiment?
• How does the small scale experiment measure up to the larger picture?
• Is the proposed solution still viable and practical?

In this stage, take action based on what you learned in the study. If the change did not work, go through the cycle again with a different plan. If you were successful, incorporate what you have learned from the test into wider changes. Use what you have learned to plan new improvements and start the cycle again. If your plan worked, you will need to standardize the process and implement it across the business. During this phase of the PDCA cycle, you should ask the following questions:

• What resources are needed to implement the solution company-wide?
• What kind of training is needed for full implementation of the improvement?
• How can the change be maintained and sustained?
• How can we measure and monitor the impact of the solution?
• What are some other areas of improvement?
• How can we use what we have learned in this experiment to devise other experiments?

Using the PDCA Cycle to Support Kaizen

The PDCA process supports both the principles and practice of continuous improvement and Kaizen . Kaizen focuses on applying small, daily changes that result in major improvements over time. The PDCA Cycle provides a framework and structure for identifying improvement opportunities and evaluating them objectively. Using PDCA, an organization undergoing continuous improvement can create a culture of problem solvers and critical thinkers. Improvement ideas can be rigorously tested on a small scale. Using data, the team can make adjustments to the solution and reassess the hypothesis. After an idea has been shown to be effective, it can be standardized and implemented companywide. The iterative process of the PDCA cycle enables ideas to be continuously tested and promotes a continuous improvement and continuous learning culture. Eager to get started? Use The Lean Way to practice PDCA and Continuous Improvement with your team. Get started with a free 14 day trial.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nawras Skhmot, is a Norwegian civil engineer and entrepreneur with an educational background from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and UC Berkeley. He is currently working on applying Lean Construction in the Norwegian construction industry, in addition to be involved in several startups that aims to develop softwares and applications based on lean thinking.

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A Practical Guide to Applying Unified Problem Solving (UPS) in a CI Environment

Essential to the support of every organisation is the efficient and effective application of problem-solving tools and techniques. The Unified Problem Solving (UPS) method has been designed to engage everybody in the whole organisation to autonomously eliminate losses at a pace, helping them to drive improvements in all areas.

Learning as a team and practising the skills of problem-solving enables organisations to develop a high level of rigour and speed in solving problems, solidifying the UPS method as a way of life as opposed to a one-time tactic. The framework helps individuals, teams and leaders achieve the stretching goals of reducing costs and its application allows us to tackle losses and improve efficiency – lowering costs in a logical, streamlined and effective manner.

In this practical guide to applying Unified Problem Solving in a Continuous Improvement (CI) environment, we will cover the following bases:

– The Aims of UPS – The Characteristics of Poor Problem Solving – Linking Financial Matters to Shop Floor Activities – Roles and Responsibilities in Problem Solving – 8 Key Benefits of Unified Problem Solving

The Aims of UPS

UPS ignites problem-solving as a core competence and, subsequently, individuals become more effective and efficient in their processes.

The concept of UPS is implemented to enable a universal and flexible language. It emphasises the fundamental principles and logic, unifying all problem-solving methods and tools of continuous improvement (CI) in a single framework, allowing a smooth, logical transition between the tools.

Unified Problem Solving enables:

– Natural selection of appropriate tools to solve a specific problem – Support for problem-solving training and coaching – An increase in the pace of problem-solving – Simplifies and ignites daily problem-solving – Support in reaching challenging targets such as significant reductions in minor stoppages and changeover time, improvements in productivity and delivery of innovations on time in full

The UPS method unlocks the understanding of the logic behind continuous improvement methods and tools. It guides the leadership team (or those in leadership roles) in the overall implementation, coaching and auditing of problem-solving to change people’s mindset toward CI.

Related read:  The 4 Key Components of a Successful CI Programme in 2022 .  

The Characteristics of Poor Problem Solving

To sensitise people to the issues of problem-solving, it is often helpful to highlight the issues that exist with the current approach.

The symptoms of poor problem-solving implementation can show in many ways, often leading to a company’s objectives not being sustained, if achieved in the first place.

There are a number of reasons why poor problem-solving occurs:

– Not seeing the problem – Not using facts or evidence – Not involving the right people – Not identifying the problem factually – Not understanding how the machine or process should work – Jumping to conclusions or not following the logical step-by-step approach – Not getting to the root cause during the analysis – Not verifying the stages of analysis with the team – Not implementing the correct countermeasure – Not creating a sustainable solution

Related read:   How to Design a World-Class CI Programme to Transform Performance

Linking Financial Matters to Shop Floor Activities

We use problem-solving to deal with the cause of losses and the risks to businesses. However, to make the best use of resources, we must know which problems to spend our time on and the most appropriate method of tackling them.

There are different types of problems, and so appropriate tools must be used to match their nature and complexity. Different people tackle problems differently due to the nature of their role within the organisation. Whatever the problem’s level, type, or complexity, it’s important that everyone in an organisation uses the same approach consistently to determine which problems to solve – and how – to ensure streamlined processes. When a problem is recognised, the individual person or persons should utilise the same prioritisation mechanism to tackle the issues, indicating a clear link between a  cost  and a  loss .

It is fundamental to understand the link between costs and losses to create a strategic approach to improvement. To achieve this, we predominantly use these 3 languages in business: the languages of  Money, Key Performance Indicators  (KPIs) , and  Loss .

The Language of Money is primarily used at the senior level in business to make strategic decisions, particularly about investment. Unless we can relate to this, there may not be the desired commitment.

The Language of Loss and waste is the most widely spoken and practical of languages and is the real driver for change. It is used at the shop floor level but is critically important to define and relate to performance and, ultimately, cost. The relationship and identification of related losses are vital as each of the losses has its own defined toolkit used to attack and reduce them. If the loss is not defined and identified correctly, then it is less likely that you will apply the appropriate toolkit to solve the problem, and ultimately, eradicate it.

From the definition of CI to the benefits, tools and methodologies, click here to read our essential guide to continuous improvement.

Roles and Responsibilities in Problem Solving

Fundamentally, there is a need to develop people’s competency at all levels of the organisation. Competency in problem-solving can be achieved by developing knowledge through understanding the theory of the problem-solving process, developing skills through practising the application of problem-solving tools and adopting the right behaviours to achieve success.

In practical terms, competency for the following roles is described as:

a)  Leaders

Leaders should ensure that they are fully competent in the application of problem-solving techniques and be able to provide training and coaching support to teams and individuals to ensure practical application and pace. They should promote high standards through auditing and informal coaching, ensuring that clear responsibility is assigned for the execution and follow up of problem-solving activities.

b)  Practitioners

Experts in either processes, machines, or the problem-solving techniques themselves, practitioners need to be highly competent problem solvers. They should be capable of supporting team members in the practical application of problem-solving, transferring ‘system’ knowledge to raise the competency of individuals and facilitate autonomous problem-solving.

c)  Team Members

It’s important to develop team members, company-wide, to ensure proficiency in solving problems autonomously using specific tools and methodologies. Everyone should develop their knowledge of the ‘system’, so they can identify the gap between the actual problem and how it should work to assist in rapid problem-solving. Additionally, team members should support practitioners in gathering data to acquire an in-depth understanding of anomalies, and aid in solving more complex problems.

Learn how to radically improve your performance within a CI environment with this 7-step process:

8 Key Benefits of Unified Problem Solving

– A simple, straightforward method that is easy to learn and adopt. – Provides an understanding of the use of problem-solving tools, improving the ability to identify and eliminate the root cause and gain a right-first-time problem-solving solution. – Simplify the selection of the correct tools to solve specific problems. – Foster positive individual involvement at all levels and across all functions. – Enhance the pace in the elimination of loss and waste to achieve the goals now and the future performance targets. – The ability to see and attack opportunities daily. – Unlock people’s potential and change behaviours from firefighting to continuously looking for opportunities. – Provides a universal and flexible common language.

Related read:  6 Key Benefits of Implementing a Continuous Improvement (CI) Programme in Your Business

Whether you’re new to the world of continuous improvement, you’re in the middle of a programme, or you’re a CI expert in need of some up-to-date tips on tools, approaches, or implementation,   get in touch today to speak with one of our experienced consultants.

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The 7-Step Model for Successful Cost Deployment (CD)

The 4 Key Components of a Successful Continuous

Radically Improving Your Performance Within a Continuous Improvement

We create 360° value.

The source of competitive advantage is hidden within your organisation. Our job is to utilise its real potential, helping you achieve optimal efficiency. 

Top 10 Differences between Traditional and CI-Infused Problem-solving

1. Jumping to solutions

In traditional problem solving, a lot of time is spent defending various positions, proposed solutions or beliefs, and not enough time getting the facts needed to weigh and select from possible solutions. In continuous improvement, time spent upfront in understanding the situation helps people to quickly arrive at consensus on sensible courses of action.

2. Demanding short-term results even at the cost of long-term results

Traditional problem solving puts focus on short-term results, or immediate relief from problems. This causes people to put band-aids on problems or even sweep them under the rug, rather than take the time to address their underlying causes. This results in the problem coming back later, often at greater cost. When new problems and old problems rear their heads at the same time, this creates a vicious cycle of having time only for short-term relief. Continuous improvement recognizes the need for short-term problem containment and relief but keeps the focus on long-term countermeasures at the source.

3. Single best solution vs. multiple, set-based countermeasure

Closely related to #2, in traditional problem solving we tend to pick “one best solution” and put most if not all of our limited resources towards it. This is great when we pick right but see #1. The continuous improvement approach of pursuing a set of countermeasures that address a set of causes enhances learning and increases our chances of success. It also leads to #4.

4. Keeping it simple

When we pursue multiple countermeasures in the continuous improvement approach, no single one can take a large share of resources. This causes us to look for small, simple, even minimally-viable solutions, rather than a big, smart and sophisticated approach as traditional thinking might suggest. Small, simple actions give us immediate feedback on whether our assumptions about the problem and its causes are correct, allowing us to make more small adjustments quickly.

5. Speeding up rather than slowing down

Traditional problem solving tends to be additive. We speed up the process to get more output. We add capacity. We put in more hours. Continuous improvement recognizes that this works in the short-term but is not sustainable. In the long-term we need to reduce losses across the system, work less hard, eliminate steps that don’t add value. We often can slow things down here and there to match and synchronize the pace of work with our customers, build quality into the process and improve throughput of the whole.

6. Punishing failure vs. learning from experiments

Problem solving in the context of traditional management can be limited by the fear of failure and its professional, financial or social consequences. Continuous improvement recognizes that failures are stepping stones to success, a part of learning, and leaders create environments appropriate for this.

7. Gemba focus

Traditional problem solving does not always insist that we go see for ourselves to understand the current situation, while continuous improvement does.

8. Solving the wrong problem

It is still surprisingly common to find people attempting to solve a problem which may or may not be the problem that matters to the customer. The continuous improvement approach requires that we thoroughly clarify, de-aggregate, stratify, define the gap and prioritize the perceived problem, from the customer’s eyes, before we set a target.

9. Failure to socialize

Where traditional problem solving can excel at providing technical solutions, the results often don’t live up to promise when it falls short on change management. The new process, policy or solution needs to be “socialized” adequately, which just means listening and talking to people throughout the problem solving stages. Otherwise known as respect for humanity, this is something that goes hand-in-hand with continuous improvement.

10. Experts vs. everyone

The reliance on a small number of experts at the expense of involving everyone in solving problems may be the largest failing of traditional problem solving. However, this ranks at #10 because I see and hear this steadily getting better over the last couple of decades. It seems the mainstream discussion today is not, “Should we empower and involve our people?” but rather “How do we…?” Practical Problem Solving, Toyota Business Practice, Toyota Kata, other simple kaizen methods, and continuous improvement principles above begin to answer that question.

This rank order is highly subjective to my personal experience. The reader may find otherwise. There are no doubt other significant differences between how problem-solving is practiced before and after adopting a continuous improvement mindset. Feel free to add your thoughts, opinions, questions and experiences to the conversation.

Jon has dedicated his 25+ year career to the field of kaizen, continuous improvement, and lean management. Jon spent the first eighteen years of his life in Japan, then graduated from McGill University with a bachelor’s in linguistics.

This is a great summary to explain people why we want to take the CI approach! Thx.

Andy Wagner

I called it “one-step problem solving”. I’m agnostic about PDCA, TOPS-8D, 8-step problem solving, 5-step problem solving, DMAIC, etc…. just don’t use your old-fashioned one-step problem solving.

Matt George

I think you nailed it. This would make a great Gemba Academy video series. Looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing.

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What Is CI?

In software engineering and development, CI (continuous integration) is a code maintainability practice. Every time we make a change to our code, we repeat the CI process to ensure the code works correctly.

CI provides fast feedback whenever a recent update causes the code to break so the programmer can work on correcting the issue before releasing updated code. CI is considered one of the basic foundations of the Agile software development methodology but we can use CI in any software development methodology. Using CI adds another level of security and ensures our code remains high-quality for the users.

How Does CI Work?

Jez Humble and David Farley describe CI in their book Continuous Delivery: Reliable Software Releases Through Build, Test, and Deployment Automation . Using CI is like having a checklist to go through every time you (or a team member) add something to the codebase.

The CI checklist has 6 items.

What Are the 6 Steps of CI?

• Check that the current version of the code is working correctly before introducing new changes.
• Ensure the recent changes execute successfully on your local server before submitting them to the codebase.
• If the recent changes execute successfully, add them to the codebase and check if it still works.
• Use a CI tool to check everything.
• If the build fails, check the problem, try fixing it and return to step two.
• If the build passes, go on to the following change or release the new version.

Related Reading From Built In Experts Machine Learning Engineers Should Use Agile for Developing Models

Why Use CI?

For companies and individuals, catching errors and potential weaknesses in the code early on can save money and effort while maintaining a good user experience. Using CI allows you to detect these potential risks efficiently, thereby leading to a smoother path through the software development life cycle .

CI Common Practices

In order to use CI effectively in your project, make sure you:

• Test your build regularly.
• Commit new changes regularly rather than waiting until you have many changes. This will make it easier to track bugs.
• Improve your builds so they will be fast and simple.
• Make sure your tests imitate the production environment.
• Document bugs and errors often to avoid repeating them.

What Are the Benefits of CI?

Incorporating CI in the development process can have several benefits for the development team. Using CI in the software development process can:

• Save time and resources : When a development team uses CI, they can save time by fixing any risks once they occur and ensuring the code deployment is simple and efficient.
• Scale the codebase : Using CI enables teams to scale their codebase size by eliminating the worry of code breakage at any point in the development process.
• Clarify communication : When done properly, CI can lead to better team communication and collaboration. 

There are many tools you can use to build CI pipelines while maintaining quality code readability and quality. The three most-used tools are:

• Jenkins : Jenkins is an open-source CI automation server that allows users to distribute tests and builds over multiple devices for better speed and efficiency. Jenkins also provides many features, such as automated unit tests and test reporting. 
• GitLab : GitLab is another open-source tool that can run unit and integration tests. Like Jenkins, GitLab can divide builds on multiple devices to decrease execution times. It also supports integration with tools such as Atlassian Jira and Jenkins.
• JetBrains is another integration and management server for CI that enables the team to test their code before they commit changes to the main code base. If a test fails, the tool sends a notification to stop integration.

More From the Built In Tech Dictionary Pseudocode: What It Is and How to Write It

CI vs. CD: What’s the Difference?

Whenever you read about CI, it’s often combined with CD (continuous delivery) . The software development process has three stages: integration, deployment and delivery. These three stages take software from idea to implementation, and finally to the end user. 

CI is the first step of that process and covers how different team members contribute to the same codebase. CI ensures their contribution doesn’t break the codebase and that they work together without clashing. 

The next step is continuous delivery. This step takes care of packaging the software for the end users, thereby ensuring the available version is always functioning. 

The last step of the development process is continuous deployment. This step automates deploying the software to the user after confirming both previous steps are passed successfully. Most tools used for CI can also be extended to include CD.

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My Continuous Improvement Toolbox

Where to start?

While working with a client a few weeks ago, I pulled out some basic tools from my Continuous Improvement (CI) toolbox to visualize the problems and problem-solving.  While this client had some data, we needed to dive deeper. During our sessions, the client Team realized that we need more than just data. While data does show us the current state and helps point us in the right direction, we need to do more than look at data.  All of the Control Charts, Pareto Charts, Histograms, or bar graphs only show so much.  We must go deeper than the data. We needed to understand where we are genuinely starting.

 Before the virtual “Kaizen” workshops, I completed virtual Gemba Walks with the Team to develop the current state Value Stream Map (VSM) and cross-functional map.  During the Gemba Walks, I built relationships with the Team to learn more about them, what they do, how they felt, and what ideas they may have for improvements. I either spoke to individuals or small Teams about their part of the process.  While these sessions were all virtual, this is something that I do with all my clients either virtually or in person.

Kaizen Events

Once the mapping exercises were done, it was time to bring everyone together to start the virtual “Kaizen” workshops. During the first few sessions, we validated the VSM and cross-functional maps. While going through sessions, things the Team uncovered many problems that we later validated with the data.  During these sessions, I used the

• Fishbone diagrams
• Affinity Diagrams

 Without the Team knowing it, they are learning to use the tools effectively.   They were brainstorming and problem-solving in an open environment because they knew they were in a trusted space. They were becoming better problem-solvers.  I also remind the client Teams that they are in a safe space and that titles do not matter.  What truly matters is their voice.  While I want decision-makers to be a part of the workshops to make quick fast decisions, I do not allow the Titles to get in the way. It is not about “I”; it is about “we.”  When looking at processes end-to-end for a product, service, back office, or front office, it is not about one person.  It is about the Team! I

As I move the Team into the following stages, they are starting to see the flow.  They realize that the schedule was built to move them along through the Kaizen Process, but there is also room to be creative, learn, and get to know people better.  Together the Team was developing something better, an environment that would be productive.  It is not all about the bottom line, but employee and customer satisfaction.

Using the right tools

Depending on the situation, I will pull out the right tools from my CI Toolbox to help the Team visualize. Most of the time, the “gut” feelings are correct because we can see them in the data from the start. But there are times that the data does not show everything.  Remember, we use the data to help point us in the right direction, but sometimes you need to dig deeper to get to the “root” cause of the problem. 

While we are moving further into the workshop, the Team starts to brainstorm improvement ideas.  There are so many ways to go about this. Still, sometimes if we cannot get together in a room with sticky notes and markers, I walk the Team through Excel or a board to generate ideas.

If you have all the money in the world…

 My favorite way to start these types of sessions is to say, “Do not worry about time or money!  Imagine you have all the money in the world, how would you solve these problems? No idea is too big or too small.”  After taking away the restrictions, this gets the ideas or juices flowing.  Just about 99% of the time, my client Teams come up with great ideas!  But I only give them so much time to come up with ideas as well.  I use Time Management to keep them on track and to only think about the task at hand.  I also guide them to go deep. During these sessions, they were not there to develop the Improvement Plans, Change Management Plans, or set up a “side” projects just yet. 

After the “time” has run out during these brainstorming improvement sessions, it is time to rank! While there are different ways to categorize improvements (and even root causes) through Affinity Diagrams, things need to be rank to determine the best path forward. While I wanted the Teams to go up with great ideas, you cannot implement everything because it may either too costly or doesn’t have enough impact.  I just wanted to remove the restrictions in their minds to get things the creative juices flowing.

With all my clients, I use a ranking system of all improvements based on the benefits for their customers or clients, cost and effort, and internal benefits to the company.  While we want the customer to be happy, we also need to make sure that there is enough ROI on the improvements and internal benefits.  Who wants to implement something that makes your job harder?  That is not the point of Continuous Improvement.

Which tools should I use?

As you can see, I’ve used many different tools when working with this particular client.  My thought going into each client is that I have all kinds of tools in my toolbox to use for the right situation.  While there are many advanced tools out there in the form of statistics (ex: Minitab or other stat tools), data analytics, or Big Data, I use the right tools for the right situation. The type of tool that should be used depends on the situation, the problem you are trying to solve, the data you might have, and how well you truly know the problem.  

I started to wonder if others thought in the same manner.  A few weeks ago, I decided to ask on Social Media what everyone’s favorite Continuous Improvement tool was.  The responses I received are:

• Process Mapping
• Visual Management
• Relationship Building
• Gemba – go to Gemba – walk the process
• Measurement System Analysis
• Tim Woods – Lean Wastes – Have you seen Tim Woods lately?
• Fishbone Diagram or Ishikawa or Cause and Effect Diagram
• Standard Work

Each one of these tools is a part of my toolbox. I pulled them out when the situation is right.  The ones that I do use the most are

• Gemba and process mapping together to understand the “as is” current state and to show the future state
• Relationship building to truly get to know my clients and their Teams
• Value Stream Map to learn the flows and the internal and external customer experience
• 5 Whys when process mapping to learn and to also get the root causes to the problem
• Lean Wastes
• Data Analysis along with Measurement System Analysis after I completed all of the above
• Fishbone and 5 Whys for further problems solving and creativity with the Teams
• Standard Work – this is more of an improvement but is a must before any technology
• Time Management

Keep it simple!

Sometimes, we need the more advanced tools, but you don’t always need to start there.  Always keep things simple at first, and then move on to advance tools depending on the situation.  CI is not always about data analytics and using every tool. Sometimes, it is as simple as the Gemba walk and processing mapping with relationship-building to uncover the business and process problems. After you figure out where the problems are, you can use data to help back up the gut feeling. Of course, if the data is not 100%, it is a starting point that often leads to improvement itself by setting up the right KPIs for the process and product.

The next time you think you need to use a fancy tool, remember it sometimes best to start with the simplest and cheapest tools.  By keeping things simple, you can begin to move faster in the right direction vs. spending too much time on the wrong thing.  It is better to start small and then move into more advanced tools.  It is the power of Continuous Improvement that teaches us that!

If you would like to learn more about how I can help you improve your business, let’s set up some to talk .

“Do not worry about time or money!  Imagine you have all the money in the world, how would you solve these problems? No idea is too big or too small.”  -Lauren Hisey

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Nine essential problem solving tools: The ultimate guide to finding a solution

October 26, 2023 by MindManager Blog

Problem solving may unfold differently depending on the industry, or even the department you work in. However, most agree that before you can fix any issue, you need to be clear on what it is, why it’s happening, and what your ideal long-term solution will achieve.

Understanding both the nature and the cause of a problem is the only way to figure out which actions will help you resolve it.

Given that most problem-solving processes are part inspiration and part perspiration, you’ll be more successful if you can reach for a problem solving tool that facilitates collaboration, encourages creative thinking, and makes it easier to implement the fix you devise.

The problem solving tools include three unique categories: problem solving diagrams, problem solving mind maps, and problem solving software solutions.

They include:

• Fishbone diagrams
• Strategy maps
• Mental maps
• Concept maps
• Layered process audit software
• Charting software
• MindManager

In this article, we’ve put together a roundup of versatile problem solving tools and software to help you and your team map out and repair workplace issues as efficiently as possible.

Let’s get started!

Problem solving diagrams

Mapping your way out of a problem is the simplest way to see where you are, and where you need to end up.

Not only do visual problem maps let you plot the most efficient route from Point A (dysfunctional situation) to Point B (flawless process), problem mapping diagrams make it easier to see:

• The root cause of a dilemma.
• The steps, resources, and personnel associated with each possible solution.
• The least time-consuming, most cost-effective options.

A visual problem solving process help to solidify understanding. Furthermore, it’s a great way for you and your team to transform abstract ideas into a practical, reconstructive plan.

Here are three examples of common problem mapping diagrams you can try with your team:

1. Fishbone diagrams

Fishbone diagrams are a common problem solving tool so-named because, once complete, they resemble the skeleton of a fish.

With the possible root causes of an issue (the ribs) branching off from either side of a spine line attached to the head (the problem), dynamic fishbone diagrams let you:

• Lay out a related set of possible reasons for an existing problem
• Investigate each possibility by breaking it out into sub-causes
• See how contributing factors relate to one another

Fishbone diagrams are also known as cause and effect or Ishikawa diagrams.

2. Flowcharts

A flowchart is an easy-to-understand diagram with a variety of applications. But you can use it to outline and examine how the steps of a flawed process connect.

Made up of a few simple symbols linked with arrows indicating workflow direction, flowcharts clearly illustrate what happens at each stage of a process – and how each event impacts other events and decisions.

3. Strategy maps

Frequently used as a strategic planning tool, strategy maps also work well as problem mapping diagrams. Based on a hierarchal system, thoughts and ideas can be arranged on a single page to flesh out a potential resolution.

Once you’ve got a few tactics you feel are worth exploring as possible ways to overcome a challenge, a strategy map will help you establish the best route to your problem-solving goal.

Problem solving mind maps

Problem solving mind maps are especially valuable in visualization. Because they facilitate the brainstorming process that plays a key role in both root cause analysis and the identification of potential solutions, they help make problems more solvable.

Mind maps are diagrams that represent your thinking. Since many people struggle taking or working with hand-written or typed notes, mind maps were designed to let you lay out and structure your thoughts visually so you can play with ideas, concepts, and solutions the same way your brain does.

By starting with a single notion that branches out into greater detail, problem solving mind maps make it easy to:

• Explain unfamiliar problems or processes in less time
• Share and elaborate on novel ideas
• Achieve better group comprehension that can lead to more effective solutions

Mind maps are a valuable problem solving tool because they’re geared toward bringing out the flexible thinking that creative solutions require. Here are three types of problem solving mind maps you can use to facilitate the brainstorming process.

4. Mental maps

A mental map helps you get your thoughts about what might be causing a workplace issue out of your head and onto a shared digital space.

Because mental maps mirror the way our brains take in and analyze new information, using them to describe your theories visually will help you and your team work through and test those thought models.

5. Idea maps

Idea maps let you take advantage of a wide assortment of colors and images to lay down and organize your scattered thought process. Idea maps are ideal brainstorming tools because they allow you to present and explore ideas about the best way to solve a problem collaboratively, and with a shared sense of enthusiasm for outside-the-box thinking.

6. Concept maps

Concept maps are one of the best ways to shape your thoughts around a potential solution because they let you create interlinked, visual representations of intricate concepts.

By laying out your suggested problem-solving process digitally – and using lines to form and define relationship connections – your group will be able to see how each piece of the solution puzzle connects with another.

Problem solving software solutions

Problem solving software is the best way to take advantage of multiple problem solving tools in one platform. While some software programs are geared toward specific industries or processes – like manufacturing or customer relationship management, for example – others, like MindManager , are purpose-built to work across multiple trades, departments, and teams.

Here are three problem-solving software examples.

7. Layered process audit software

Layered process audits (LPAs) help companies oversee production processes and keep an eye on the cost and quality of the goods they create. Dedicated LPA software makes problem solving easier for manufacturers because it helps them see where costly leaks are occurring and allows all levels of management to get involved in repairing those leaks.

8. Charting software

Charting software comes in all shapes and sizes to fit a variety of business sectors. Pareto charts, for example, combine bar charts with line graphs so companies can compare different problems or contributing factors to determine their frequency, cost, and significance. Charting software is often used in marketing, where a variety of bar charts and X-Y axis diagrams make it possible to display and examine competitor profiles, customer segmentation, and sales trends.

9. MindManager

No matter where you work, or what your problem-solving role looks like, MindManager is a problem solving software that will make your team more productive in figuring out why a process, plan, or project isn’t working the way it should.

Once you know why an obstruction, shortfall, or difficulty exists, you can use MindManager’s wide range of brainstorming and problem mapping diagrams to:

• Find the most promising way to correct the situation
• Activate your chosen solution, and
• Conduct regular checks to make sure your repair work is sustainable

MindManager is the ultimate problem solving software.

Not only is it versatile enough to use as your go-to system for puzzling out all types of workplace problems, MindManager’s built-in forecasting tools, timeline charts, and warning indicators let you plan, implement, and monitor your solutions.

By allowing your group to work together more effectively to break down problems, uncover solutions, and rebuild processes and workflows, MindManager’s versatile collection of problem solving tools will help make everyone on your team a more efficient problem solver.

Download a free trial today to get started!

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MindManager helps boost collaboration and productivity among remote and hybrid teams to achieve better results, faster.

Why choose MindManager?

MindManager® helps individuals, teams, and enterprises bring greater clarity and structure to plans, projects, and processes. It provides visual productivity tools and mind mapping software to help take you and your organization to where you want to be.

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Continuous Improvement Toolkit

Effective Tools for Business and Life!

Introduction to 5S: A Journey towards Workplace Excellence

• 10 MINUTES READ

Also known as Five S and Workplace Organization .

Variants include 6S.

The 5S methodology is an improvement tool for organizing and maintaining a disciplined and productive workplace. It facilitates the creation of a better working environment by reducing waste while improving efficiency, safety and quality. 5S represents five fundamental practices that starts with the letter ‘S’. It is commonly applied by manufacturing facilities in production lines, storage areas, maintenance areas, and offices. It is now being increasingly applied across diverse industries including health care, logistics, hospitality and construction.

Rooted in Japanese management principles, 5S was originally developed by Toyota as an integral component of their Lean production system. It is considered an important component of Lean Thinking and a prerequisite for driving other Lean techniques such as TPM and flow optimization. Many companies start their Lean transformation journey with 5S because it is one of the easiest Lean techniques and exposes some of the most visible examples of waste. Many experts believe that you need to be successful with 5S so you don’t struggle with the other techniques during Lean implementation.

One main issue faced when implementing 5S is that cost savings typically cannot be captured in most costing systems. There will be soft-savings in terms of quality, safety and employee morale, however, there will be no hard-savings that can be measured and tracked. One way to justify the value of 5S is by measuring the reduction in waste as a result of performing 5S activities.

The 5S Phases

The term 5S is an abbreviation for five Japanese words: seiri , seiton , seisou , seiketsu , and shitsuke . These five words are often translated into English as: sorting , setting in order , shining , standardizing , and sustaining . Other English translations are also possible.

This phase refers to the practice of going through all the items within the workplace and keeping only what is actually needed. Items which are excess to requirements should either be stored offsite, sold, scraped, or discarded. The main idea behind this phase is to clear the area from distractions to concentrate on what remains in the workplace. This leads to less clutter and wasted time, frees up valuable space, and creates a more streamlined workplace.

Some of the strategies used in Sorting are:

• Inspect all items in the workplace then define what is necessary to perform the work. Keep only what is needed and remove everything else.
• Remove items which are unusable, broken, outdated, redundant and occasionally used.
• Do not allow secret warehousing of parts or tools.
• Remember to sort out unnecessary documents in files.
• Don’t forget computer files and emails. Archive or delete files that are no longer needed.
• Define standards for eliminating unnecessary items and for waste disposal.

A widely employed tool during the sorting phase is the Red Tag technique. It is a labeling tool used to highlight what is necessary within a specific area. The objective is to determine if anyone thinks an item is necessary and in what quantity. Items are red tagged for a limited period of time during which their usage is evaluated. After one week or two, items that remain unused or unneeded after this period should be either relocated or disposed of, resulting in a less distracting workplace.

Setting In Order

Setting in order refers to the practice of arranging the required items to optimize accessibility. It defines where and how items to perform the work should be located and organized. Once you have eliminated all the unneeded items, get back to the left items and organize them in a way that makes it easy to find what is needed. It should be obvious at a glance if things are not where they are supposed to be. This approach reduces wasted time and motion, improves process workflow, and contributes to overall efficiency.

Some of the strategies used in this phase are:

• Assign positions for all equipment, tools, parts and materials.
• Store items by frequency of use and at the point of use.
• Organize normal items in modular cabinets, drawers, shelves and racks.
• Organize small items into storage bins, boxes and cans.
• Organize large items in standard well-labeled floor or outside areas.
• Change to an open storage system. Eliminate locks and covers as they hide secret inventory and lost parts and tools.
• Improve wiring organization.
• Place shared tools on shadow boards.
• Use different colored paint or tape to assign tools for different departments or individuals.
• Use functional carts when conducting changeovers, maintenance or cleaning.
• Ensure safety equipment is easily accessible.
• Keep clear standardized labels on work areas, doors, shelves, boxes, bins and hangars.
• Use tape or paint to mark and label floors, isles, storage areas, parking areas, delivery areas, staking areas, and the locations of safety equipment.
• Stack pallets correctly and ensure FIFO is being followed.
• Use colors and labels to define inventory levels and reorder triggers.
• Use a tool checklist to ensure all the proper tools are available.

The shining phase is all about keeping the workspace very clean without rubbish, dirt or dust. This enables the easy identification of abnormalities such as repeated contamination and oil spills, preventing them from getting worse. Moreover, maintaining a clean and orderly workspace helps in creating a sense of ownership among employees, making it safer and more pleasant to work in.

Some of the strategies used in shining are:

• Eliminate all forms of dirt, contamination and clutter.
• Thoroughly clean, dust, polish, wash and sweep on a regular basis.
• Clean all tools, machines, and equipment.
• Clean even the places where most people do not notice.
• Clean up spills on floor and walls and ensure they are in good condition.
• Make sure floors and isles are empty as possible.
• Divide the workplace into zones and allocate people to take charge of each zone.
• Establish a duty schedule and assign responsibilities.
• Identify the waste disposal storage area and regularly clean it.
• Ensure cleaning tools and materials are easily accessible.
• Use cleaning inspection checklists.
• Paint floors, walls, machines and tools.
• Don’t forget computers, furnishings, cabinets, storage bins, workstations and display boards.
• Use fault identification tags while cleaning to indicate any faults.

Standardizing

Keeping the workplace clean and tidy is a real challenge and can only be achieved if standards are established and adhered to. The standardize phase involves implementing clear guidelines for maintaining cleanliness and orderliness. Over time, these standards should be updated to streamline 5S practices, ensuring continued simplicity and ease of implementation.

Some of the strategies used in standardizing are:

• Establish procedures and schedules to ensure the consistency of implementing the first three ‘S’ practices.
• Ensure everything is done by everyone in a similar manner.
• Use photos and short instructions to help keep everything as it should be and remind people of the standards.
• Post standard guidelines, area maps and ‘after’ photos in visible places.
• Use easily understandable words and phrases.
• Establish basic standards to be followed including color coding, signs and labels design.
• Introduce visual management practices to promote consistency and create process stability.
• Review the status of the work area regularly using 5S audit checklists .

Once the first four phases have been implemented, attention must shift to sustaining what has been accomplished. Sustaining is the disciplined application of the first four ‘S’ practices to ensure the effectiveness and longevity of the 5S program. This phase proves to be one of the most challenging parts of implementation, as many companies have found themselves with cluttered and dirty workplaces again after their initial attempt to implement 5S.

5S has a tendency to fail when there is a lack of ownership from the top and when leadership does not place continuous focus on it. Leadership must buy-in and be personally committed to ensure the success of the 5S program. They must establish a culture where 5S excellence is expected and nothing less is tolerated. Adequate planning, training, monitoring, and a formal system of accountability must exist in order for the 5S program to ensure its successful continuation.

Some of the strategies implemented to sustain the gains include:

• Ensure everyone in the company knows the benefit of implementing the 5S program.
• Ensure everybody is participating and held accountable.
• Train everyone on the 5S principles.
• Make 5S part of the new employee induction process.
• Ensure all areas are covered by the 5S program.
• Improve the work structure to support the new practices.
• Enforce the standards through policies and procedures.
• Make it part of health and safety.
• Make it part of daily Gemba meetings and Kaizen events.
• Use 5S posters and signs to remind of the benefits.
• Audit the effectiveness of the 5S program.
• Monitor results through appropriate metrics and analysis.
• Communicate audit and performance results to all employees.
• Reward and recognize the efforts and accomplishments.

Implementing 5S in One Area

One of the best approaches to implement the 5S program is to start with a pilot area and use it as a model for the rest of the work areas. This gradual implementation will increase the likelihood for a successful transition later on. Start with whatever simple or find a problem for which 5S will play a key role in its resolution. Keeping it small and simple is better than starting big and having too many issues to handle at once.

The following steps describe how to implement 5S in one area:

• Establish a 5S team and appoint a team leader.
• Ensure the team understands the goals of implementing the 5S program.
• Observe the area and evaluate the current situation.
• Collect data and take the ‘BEFORE’ photos.
• Brainstorm with the team to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Establish an improvement plan that details the activities, responsibilities and timeframe.
• Implement the plan and spend proper time on each ‘S’ to implement the strategies.
• Audit the area and take the ‘AFTER’ photos to showcase the improvements.
• Develop and implement a control plan to sustain the improvement in that pilot area.

The progress and effectiveness of the program should be evaluated regularly. This can be achieved using a 5S Audit Checklist which should end up with a list of improvement actions.

Wrapping Up

5S is a structured approach to establishing and sustaining an organized, hygienic, safe, efficient, and productive workplace. It is not just about the appearance and keeping the workplace tidy, nor it is a housekeeping technique; rather, it is more a way of eliminating waste, creating a smooth workflow, and identifying opportunities for improvement.

With 5S, excessive inventory and parts, wasted motion, and time spent searching for essential items can be substantially eliminated or reduced. This will not only make everybody’s jobs easier but also boosts employee morale and creates a feeling of ownership and motivation.

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Mathematics > Numerical Analysis

Title: optimization methods for solving matrix equations.

Abstract: In this paper, we focus on using optimization methods to solve matrix equations by transforming the problem of solving the Sylvester matrix equation or continuous algebraic Riccati equation into an optimization problem. Initially, we use a constrained convex optimization method (CCOM) to solve the Sylvester matrix equation with $\ell_{2,1}$-norm, where we provide a convergence analysis and numerical examples of CCOM; however, the results show that the algorithm is not efficient. To address this issue, we employ classical quasi-Newton methods such as DFP and BFGS algorithms to solve the Sylvester matrix equation and present the convergence and numerical results of the algorithm. Additionally, we compare these algorithms with the CG algorithm and AR algorithm, and our results demonstrate that the presented algorithms are effective. Furthermore, we propose a unified framework of the alternating direction multiplier method (ADMM) for directly solving the continuous algebraic Riccati equation (CARE), and we provide the convergence and numerical results of ADMM. Our experimental results indicate that ADMM is an effective optimization algorithm for solving CARE. Finally, to improve the effectiveness of the optimization method for solving Riccati equation, we propose the Newton-ADMM algorithm framework, where the outer iteration of this method is the classical Newton method, and the inner iteration involves using ADMM to solve Lyapunov matrix equations inexactly. We also provide the convergence and numerical results of this algorithm, which our results demonstrate are more efficient than ADMM for solving CARE.

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