Kaizen & Continuous Improvement Events Flashcards
7 cards from real CLL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Kaizen & Continuous Improvement Events flashcards as text
What is the main difference between a Kaizen event and a traditional improvement project?
Answer: A Kaizen event is short, focused, and rapid; a traditional project is longer and broader in scope
Kaizen events are compressed, cross-functional workshops designed to produce immediate results, unlike multi-month traditional projects.
During a Kaizen event, a '30-day list' is used to track items that:
Answer: Cannot be resolved during the event but need follow-up action
The 30-day list captures important improvement ideas or tasks that could not be finished within the event window, ensuring accountability after the event.
Which lean concept describes the ideal state where every process step adds value as perceived by the customer?
Answer: Value-added flow
Value-added flow is the goal where each step in the process transforms the product or service in a way the customer is willing to pay for.
A Lean Leader facilitating a Kaizen event observes team members reverting to old habits after the event. The BEST response is to:
Answer: Implement standard work and use regular audits to sustain the improvement
Standard work documents the new process and audits verify adherence, which are the primary mechanisms for sustaining Kaizen gains.
What is 'breakthrough Kaizen' (also known as Kaikaku) distinct from everyday Kaizen?
Answer: It involves radical, large-scale change rather than incremental improvement
Kaikaku (breakthrough Kaizen) refers to fundamental, radical transformation of a process, whereas everyday Kaizen focuses on small, incremental improvements.
In a Kaizen event report-out, what should the team present to leadership?
Answer: Current state, future state, improvements made, results measured, and open action items
The report-out communicates what was found, what was changed, measurable results achieved, and what still needs follow-up.
Which of the following best describes 'continuous flow' as it relates to Kaizen improvement events?
Answer: Processing one piece at a time through sequential steps without queuing between steps
Continuous flow eliminates batching and queuing between process steps so each unit moves immediately to the next step, minimizing lead time.