Toast Kaizen

Narrated by and featuring Bruce Hamilton, Shingo Prize recipient and Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership president, this video highlights the seven deadly wastes found in both administrative offices and in manufacturing processes. In this enjoyable but effective training tool, the simple process of making toast is used to represent the before condition and the target condition of a manufacturing or transaction-based process. It helps you understand basic but key elements of lean thinking, such as kaizen, the seven wastes and direct observation. Whether you are already on the Continuous Improvement journey or you are just beginning to realize the power of continuous improvement implementation, this video is an essential learning tool for your entire workforce.

Continuous improvement connects your employees to your customers by finding and eliminating non-value-added activities, those things the customer doesn't want to pay for, in all areas of your business. The key to success is to understand that continuous improvement is all about the people, that is, your employees are in the best position to identify and solve all the little problems that are manifested throughout your business processes. Given a little education and the proper support and encouragement, employees can find and eliminate all the headaches and time anchors that currently prevent you from delighting your customers. Continuous improvement is about creating an environment where employees can make changes that allow them to spend more time on those things your customer wants to pay for!