ABSTRACT
The Leaner Practitioner understands that Improve is basically a roadmap. There are also more sophisticated tools used in Improve should the project be more robust in nature and need additional assistance. Kaizen is often translated in the West as ongoing, continuous improvement. Improvement must be based on statistical/quantitative evaluation of process performance. The Improve phase involves creating a project plan. This requires a basic understanding of project management. The key activities in Improve involve choosing a solution and implementing a solid project plan. The Improve phase of the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control model is about making the best decision based on the information gathered from the Define, Improve and Analyze phases. Acting on that decision by using a project plan.
