The Idea Generator

Slide 2: The Idea Generator Quick and Easy Kaizen Book pic AUTHOR: Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek PUBLISHER: PCS Press DATE OF PUBLICATION: 2004 NUMBER OF PAGES: 407 pages

Slide 3: THE BIG IDEA The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek Kaizen – Definitions, Structure, and Systems • Kaizen is a Japanese term that means continuous improvement. For the purpose of this book’s discussion, however, Kaizen shall be functionally defined as:  Improvement through changes in the method  Small changes, not big changes  Changes within realistic constraints

Slide 4: Turning Ideas into Success The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek Quick and Easy Kaizen  a system of encouraging employees to come up with small ideas and to implement these ideas. For each new idea, an employee is expected to:  Present the idea to his supervisor  Keep the supervisor informed of his daily progress with respect to the idea  Produce a write-up of the idea to share with his co-employees  Report on his successes or needs for assistance

Slide 5: Improving by Changing Methods The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek  To make a Quick and Easy Kaizen system work well, focus only on small changes, not big ones.  Kaizen means continuous change. Lasting change is only possible with a change in method.  Kaizen allows for successive trial-and-error within the scope of each job.

Slide 6: Kaizen Steps and Principles The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek Three Kaizen implementation rules:  Stop. Stop doing things that you have done in the past but do not seem to have any reason to continue doing today.  Reduce. Eliminate unnecessary things that may be cluttering the workplace and cut back on activities that are no longer required today.  Change. Just do something different. Make one slight improvement to make something better.

Slide 7: Surfacing Ideas The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek Writing Down a Kaizen is Easy:  Before: What was the problem? – What was the specific problem that required a solution?  After: How was it improved? – What was the specific solution that was implemented to solve the problem?  Effect: What were the results? – What is the impact/effect of having implemented the solution?

Slide 8: Surfacing Ideas The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek Writing Down Kaizen Ideas Write down ideas you had in the past and  solved. Write down a change that you would like to  make – a small change. Write down the problem, the solution, the effect. Write down problems you have now that need  solutions. Constantly be on the lookout for possible  small changes. Focus on what you can do. 

Slide 9: Principles of Kaizen Implementation The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek 3 Principles of Kaizen Implementation:  Attack by changing a part, not the whole. – Divide a problem into smaller parts. Attack little by little. Change little by little.  Attack by changing the angle. – Don’t stick to only one way of doing things. Change the factors involved. Change the conditions. View the problem from a variety of perspectives.  Attack by changing the level. – It is not necessary to be perfect in Kaizen. Start at the level at which something can be done immediately and easily to improve the situation.

Slide 10: ABOUT BUSINESSSUMMARIES The Idea Generator by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek BusinessSummaries.com is a business book Summaries service. Every week, it sends out to subscribers a 9- to 12-page summary of a best-selling business book chosen from among the hundreds of books printed out in the United States. For more information, please go to http://www.bizsum.com.