Kaizen is a Japanese term made from two words Kai-Zen:

• Kai (Change)
• Zen (Good)

KAIZEN is most often expressed as ‘Continuous improvement’, or 'change for the better.' This is Japanese business philosophy regarding the processes that continuously improve operations and involve all the employees. Kaizen looks at the improvement in process and productivity as a gradual and methodical process.

A Kaizen approach can take many forms, but the three main pillars of Kaizen are:

1. Gemba – Japanese for ‘Workplace’ observation. It focuses on ensuring you have the right tools to work effectively.
2. Muda – Japanese for ‘Waste’, in focusing on 3M of waste elimination. We target rework, delays, process bottlenecks, double-handling etc.
3. Standardized change – PDCA: Plan, Do, Check, Act. Quick, iterative sprints which drive change fast.