Apply continuous improvement techniques in the workplace
Overview
This standard covers the skills and knowledge required to apply techniques to give continuous improvement (Kaizen) to work activities. It involves analysing work methods before and after actions in order to set quantifiable goals and targets for planned improvement procedures.
Any activity carried out will consist of identification of all forms of waste, problems or issues within work area where improvements can be made. It is necessary to concentrate on improvements which could give benefits to the organisation such as safety, reduced costs of product, quality, working practices and procedures and reduction of waste.
Improving standard working procedures is an important part of this standard and you will be required to create and be a factor in such improvements. These could include things such as cleaning and maintenance of equipment, health and safety procedures, manufacturing operations and improvements to quality processes.
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Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- comply with health and safety requirements and procedures at all times
- utilise values and procedures of Kaizen activity following standard operating procedures
- contribute to identification and planning of measurable objectives and goals when planning Kaizen activity
- identify areas where improvements can be made
- initiate Kaizen activity within identified and agreed work area or procedure
- initiate a controlled waste eradication activity based on identified problems or conditions
- assist with creation and updating of standard operating procedures (SOPS) resulting from Kaizen activity,
- identify and calculate measures of performance for cost, quality and delivery following standard operating procedures
- document and explain business improvement using key performance indicators
- confirm improvements by contrasting process before and after Kaizen activity
- work out and visually symbolise resources based on customer demand
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- relevant health and safety responsibilities and obligations and procedures that need to be followed
- how a work area or activity is chosen to undergo the Kaizen activity
- background, values and principles for use of Kaizen
- how to eliminate the eight wastes
- problem solving and root cause analysis
- how to carry out problem solving activity
- how a Kaizen activity should be carried out
- how to differentiate between fact and opinion in order to identify improvement actions
- how to utilise knowledge and experience of stakeholders involved in processes
- how improvements can be made to procedures within the workplace
- how to assess ideas to improve processes and select those that could be of use
- how to set and recommend measurable aims and objectives
- how to generate or bring up to date Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- how to communicate recognised changes due to implementation of Kaizen activities to stakeholders within processes
- business key measures of competitiveness and how to apply them
- how cycle time of processes can be defined
- how to calculate required production rates for processes by using calculations including Takt Time
- how to calculate optimum resources such as equipment, facilities, people and materials required for a process based on customer demand
- techniques used to distribute work content to balance cycle times to rate of customer demand and how to visually represent them
- relevant people to advise and update to ensure problems and issues can be settled