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ISO 9000 -
An international quality process auditing program, based on a series of standards published by the International Organization of Standardization in Geneva, Switzerland, through which manufacturing plants receive certification attesting that their stated quality processes are adhered to in practice.
ISO 14001 -
A series of generic environmental management standards developed by the International Organization of Standardization which provide structure and systems for managing environmental compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and affect every aspect of a company's environmental operations.
Improvement -
as a part of a successful Kaizen strategy, "improvement" goes beyond the dictionary definition of the word. Improvement is a mindset of maintaining and improving standards. In a still broader sense, improvement can be defined as Kaizen and Innovation, where a Kaizen strategy maintains and improves working standards through small, gradual improvements, and innovation calls for radical improvements as a result of large investments in technology, processes, and/or equipment. The Kaizen strategy clearly delineates responsibilities: workers are to maintain standards, and managers are to improve standards. The Japanese perception of management boils down to one precept: maintain and improve standards.
Jidohka -
see "Autonomation"
Jishu Kanri -
self-management, or voluntary participation.
Jishuken -
Kaizen with outside help - a "fresh pair of eyes" approach to kaizen to complement the improvement ideas of those carrying out production tasks day-by-day. Outsiders (for example, from a customer) help the production team to eliminate waste. Process improvement engineers going into suppliers are sometimes described as "jishuken teams".
JIT/Continuous-Flow Production -
Implementation of "just in time" techniques to reduce lot size, reduce setup times, slash work-in-process inventory, reduce waste, minimize nonvalue-added activities, improve throughput, and reduce manufacturing cycle time. JIT production typically involves use of "pull" signals to initiate production activity, in contrast to work- order ("push") systems in which production scheduling typically is based on forecasted demand rather than actual orders. In many "pull" systems, a customer order/shipment date triggers final assembly, which in turn forces replenishment of component WIP inventory at upstream stages of production.
JIT ( Just In Time ) Production, Slash your inventory costs
A system for producing and delivering the right items at the right time in the right amounts. Just-in-Time approaches just-on-time when upstream activities occur minutes or seconds before down-stream activities, so single-piece flow is possible.
Jutsu -
the art of something (i.e., 'leanjutsu: the art of lean production').
KPIs
Key Performance Indicators. Vital measurement tools showing how the business is performing, from shop floor, or Gemba level feeding right up into company targets and goals.
Kaikaku -
Radical improvement of an activity to eliminate muda, single piece flow in a small space. Reduce travel by co-locating related activities. [Also called breakthrough kaizen, flow kaizen, and system kaizen.]
Kaizen -
The systematic, organized improvement of processes by those who operate them, using straightforward methods of analysis. It is a "do it now" approach to continuous, incremental improvement of an activity to create more value with less muda. Kaizen establishes what needs to be done and instils the principles of continuous improvement. [Also called point kaizen, process kaizen, or blitz]
OR
Kaizen - the philosophy of continual improvement, that every process can and should be continually evaluated and improved in terms of time required, resources used, resultant quality, and other aspects relevant to the process. When applied to the workplace, Kaizen means continuing improvement involving everyone - managers and workers alike. Kaizen is not limited to manufacturing systems only. It also means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life.
Kaizen Event -
A concentrated effort, in which a team plans and implements a major process change or changes to quickly achieve a quantum improvement in performance. Participants generally represent various functions and perspectives, and may include non-plant personnel.
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