ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the last piece of the Lean Information Technology (IT) Expert puzzle: mastering continuous improvement and becoming a Lean IT kaizen lead. The Lean IT kaizen lead is someone who is involved with Lean improvement at any level of the IT organization, in any “department” or team. Lean is particularly known for its desire to improve using small steps. This is the preferred method because of the relative ease with which small improvements can be achieved. Lean recognizes three words used to define different types of improvement: kaizen, kaikaku and kakushin. Kaizen is the Japanese word for continuous improvement using small incremental changes. Lean also recognizes that there are moments where more radical, step change is necessary. This type of change is known as kaikaku. A third type of improvement known within Lean is kakushin. The idea contained within kakushin is that some change will form a complete deviation from the current situation.
