BOOK REVIEW.

Kaizen Blitz is the Association of Manufacturing Excellence's brand for an intense three-day productivity improvement program. The focus of Kaizen Blitz is to apply continuous improvement techniques in a focused, time-compressed process. There are three phases to the program: preparation, the core event (called the Kaizen Blitz event), and follow-up. According to the authors, top management commitment and participation is crucial to the success of the Kaizen Blitz process. The first three chapters of the book orient the reader to the philosophy and approach to Kaizen Blitz.

Chapter Four focuses on the first phase of the process: preparation (education, training, and experience). While project scope and objective can vary widely, early Kaizen efforts usually focus on productivity improvement, changeover/setup time reductions, and process flow. The balance of the chapter discusses the fundamentals of program preparation: project selection, choosing the team, defining the role of the team leader, team education and training, identifying basic measures, and team logistics.

Chapter Five discusses techniques for measuring work flow processes with emphasis on time indicators. The authors emphasize that time measurements are effective tools for identifying ways to eliminate waste and reduce customer response time without decreasing process performance. Chapter Six discusses techniques for measuring process improvement for manufacturing and service organizations. The categories of measurement are time, space, resource use, and results. Examples discussed in these two chapters demonstrate the techniques discussed.

Chapters Seven and Eight focus on the identification and analysis of process flows during the Kaizen Blitz event stage. Chapter seven identifies and discusses eight basic process improvement tools. Chapter Eight discusses, and provides examples of, numerous forms, charts, and measurements that can be used to measure the progress of the event stage.

The last three chapters discuss follow-up, what happens after the preparation, and Kiazen Blitz event stages. Chapter Nine discusses the potential of Kiazen Blitz as an agent for change. The key to cultural change, according to the authors, is the development of skills, the changing of ways that work is conducted, and organizational leadership that reinforces the lesson learned from the change process. Chapter Ten focuses on the "lean leader," the individual who balances process and results, knows when to intervene and when to play the role of cheerleader, leads by example, and facilitates the development of genuine change in his or her organization. Chapter Eleven emphasizes the need to constantly review and practice the fundamentals of Kaizen Blitz.

The Kaizen Blitz provides a framework for the analysis and change of product and service processes. The emphasis on top management commitment in word and deed, together with the need for skilled and motivated individuals at all levels of the organization, is an issue that is often overlooked in many discussions of change management. The approach -- preparation, change event, and follow-up -- is straightforward. The Kaizen Blitz could be more reader-friendly. The Introduction does not adequately describe what the book is about and the organization of the first three chapters does little to capture the reader's interest. The presentation of the balance of the book does improve somewhat. Unfortunately, the writing style of the authors does not adequately convey their grasp and enthusiasm for the Kaizen Blitz program.

In defense of The Kaizen Blitz, the approach described provides a methodology for accelerating the continuous improvement program in organizations that may not have had a systematic program for reviewing, revising, and renewing their production and service processes. The discussions of timeprints and "takt" times in Chapter Five, how to tell if there is improvement in Chapter Six, and Kaizen Blitz tools in Chapter Seven provide a good introduction for those who do not have a background in the fundamentals of process and systems analysis.

The Kaizen Blitz would be worthwhile reading to practitioners who are interested in accelerated process improvement and change management.