Elements and Performance Criteria

Scope of event may include:

description of the business

the target work process

what the key stakeholders seek from the kaizen event

a mission for the event

a set of goals

a statement of the do's and don'ts for the kaizen team


The decision to proceed (or otherwise) will be based on:

the focus of the kaizen event makes sense

the business case for doing the event is reasonable

the degree of support from management and employees

the setting and resources available to the event are adequate

the timing of the event will not interfere with business

specifics about the work process such as its overall operating cost and factor costs (eg labour, machine, raw materials) are available


The description of the work target process may include:

an overview that captures the purpose of the work process

essentials about the process (eg inputs, outputs, departments with which it coordinates)

a work process map that shows the sequence of operations that execute it


Procedures includes all work instructions, standard operating procedures, formulas/ recipes, batch sheets, temporary instructions and similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant. They may be written, verbal, computer based or in some other form.

For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (eg Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Responsible Care) and government regulations.

Procedures also include required procedures under legislation or regulation. awards and enterprise agreements.


The authority will vary according to the problem encountered and may include:

internal or external technical specialist

designated manager

equipment supplier

regulatory authority

safety specialist

reference manuals


Waste (also known as muda in the Toyota Production System and its derivatives) is any activity which does not contribute to customer benefit/features in the product. Within manufacturing, categories of waste include:

excess production and early production

delays

movement and transport

poor process design

inventory

inefficient performance of a process

making defective items

Waste for this unit may include activities which do not yield any benefit to the organisation or any benefit to the organisations customers.


Solving performance issues includes:

generating improvement ideas (brainstorming/ask expert)

selecting most appropriate improvement ideas to proceed with

conducting experiments where required to test idea

making final selection of improvement ideas

Overview of assessment requirements
Assessment should cover the ability to implement a continuous improvement (kaizen) strategy across a manufacturing enterprise as distinct from simply participating in kaizen events

What are the specific resource requirements for this unit?
Access to an organisation using or introducing kaizen.

In what context should assessment occur?
Assessment will need to occur in an organisation implementing a continuous improvement strategy (kaizen). Assessment should cover a sufficient period to observe the success of the continuous improvement strategy. Assessment may be by project or portfolio assessment.

Are there any other units which could or should be assessed with this unit or which relate directly to this unit?
Depending on starting point for the continuous improvement program in the enterprise other relevant units that could be assessed in conjunction with this unit include:

What method of assessment should apply?
Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria, skills and knowledge. A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.
Assessors should gather sufficient, fair, valid, reliable, authentic and current evidence from a range of sources. Sources of evidence may include direct observation, reports from supervisors, peers and colleagues, project work, samples, organisation records and questioning. Assessment should not require language, literacy or numeracy skills beyond those required for the unit.
The assessee will have access to all techniques, procedures, information, resources and aids which would normally be available in the workplace.
The method of assessment should be discussed and agreed with the assessee prior to the commencement of the assessment.

What evidence is required for demonstration of consistent performance?
Generally one significant kaizen event or a number of routine events, plus ongoing kaizen would be needed to generate sufficient evidence.