The Secret to Kaizen Events is Kaikaku

If you're a part of the Lean Manufacturing community, you have undoubtedly heard about Kaizen, or continuous improvement, but have you heard of Kaikaku? We’re not trying to overload you with Japanese management terminology, but this is an important concept to understand, especially in how it contrasts and supports Kaizen. A lot of this boils down to fixing faulty translations from Japan to the West. The most prominent of these is the idea of a "Kaizen Workshop." Why is this confusing, and what exactly is Kaikaku? Let me explain.

Kaizen Event (Does that even make sense?)

It seems straightforward at first: a Kaizen event is a short-term workshop where employees learn and implement Kaizen techniques. But wait a minute;if Kaizen is "continuous improvement," how can it be an "event"? Continuous means ongoing, and events are inherently finite. So what should you call the kind of improvements made in a Lean training workshop? There must be a term for that… and there is! It’s Kaikaku!

Kaikaku (Rapid Improvement)

"Kaikaku? Is that anything like Theoretical Physicist Michio Kaku?" No. Not at all, but he is Japanese, and he does have pretty cool hair. Sorry to get of subject there. I watch a lot of edutainment television. Kaikaku means "Rapid Improvement." How is this different from the continuous improvement exemplified by Kaizen? Kaizen by its very nature is incremental. It is based on the principle that small changes taking place over long periods of time achieve the most sustainable results. This is why calling rapid improvements "short-term Kaizen" or a "Kaizen blitz" is confusing and detrimental to developing a real understanding of what Kaizen means. This is why Kaikaku is a useful phrase and why you should use it to avoid confusion.

So, should you describe Kaizen Events and workshops as Kaikaku Events instead? It depends on how you present the purpose of the event. There are two reasons to conduct these workshops. One is to create quick and significant changes. If this is the case you should definitely use the term Kaikaku to describe the action. On the other hand, if the main purpose is to teach people the principles of Kaizen, and the improvement itself is secondary, it is perfectly appropriate to use the term Kaizen. Just make sure you follow through after the workshop so everyone understands the ongoing commitment that is a key element of Kaizen. Most of all, make sure that you are consistent with your phrasing and your message.