improvement kata roles & structure

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The Improvement Kata

Introduction, Roles & Structure

Version 1.1

1

Some Background

Companies exist to create value for their customers

Company Customer Goods

Services

2

Some Background

Aerojet is no different,

existing to create value for its customers

Aerojet Customer Y

Customer Z

Customer X

Product

B

…

Customer Customer

3

Some Background

The system that creates a particular type

of value in a company is called a value stream

Customer Suppliers

Value Stream

Customer Customer

4

Some Background

Value streams are comprised of processes

Customer Suppliers

Receiving Incoming

Inspection Assembly

Final

Inspection Shipping

Processes

5

Some Background

Inside each company, there are also value streams

that serve internal customers

Manufacturing

Drawing

Release Requisition

Approval

Purchase

Order Issue

Source

Inspection Receiving

6

Some Background

Hence processes can take on a variety of forms:

• Manufacturing

• Fabrication

• Assembly

• Test

• Inspection

• Service

• Transportation

• Stores

• Maintenance

• Office/Transactional

• Order Taking

• Purchasing

• Engineering

• etc. etc.

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Some Background

One could consider a company to be a collection of

value streams providing value to various internal

and external customers

Company

Value Stream

Customer

Value Stream

Customer

Value Stream

Customer

Value Stream

Customer

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Some Background

Similarly, one could look at a company as a

collection of processes

Company

Customer

Customer

Customer

Customer

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

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Some Background

Ideally, the vision set by a company’s leadership

provides processes within the company a direction

in which improvements should move them

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Vision

Is NOT a “Mission Statement”

Is NOT a “Vision Statement”

IS specific & actionable

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Some Background

In reality, companies tend to have a hard time connecting

process improvement to leadership’s vision.

Process change is driven by other low-level factors

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Vision

Not my job Build my

kingdom

Waste walk

Don’t want to

What

Vision?

Entropy

That won’t

work here

Sub-

optimizing

Manager

didn’t like it

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Some Background

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Process Process Process

Vision

The Improvement Kata (IK) is the key to moving

processes in the direction of leadership’s vision!

IK IK IK

IK IK IK

IK IK IK

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

First, understand the direction in which the process needs to improve

• How does leadership’s vision apply to this process?

• What is the challenge for this process to achieve?

• Value Stream Mapping is a great tool for setting challenges!

1

13

Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Then, deeply understand the current condition (CC) for the process

• Detailed process analysis is performed in order to develop this understanding

1 2

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Next, establish a target condition (TC) describing how the process

should operate to move it toward its challenge

• This is a specific, actionable description of the desired pattern

1 2 3

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Finally, use Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) to perform small experiments

that move the process toward its target condition

• This will expose the unseen obstacles,

helping identify what needs to be worked on!

• Tools may be pulled into the process as needed

to overcome these obstacles (e.g. lean tools)

1 2 3 4

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Another depiction of the Improvement Kata:

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

This cycle repeats continually, achieving and setting

new target conditions and challenges,

moving the process toward leadership’s vision

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Structure of the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

The Improvement Kata is used on key processes

at all levels of the company

It’s fractal!

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The Improvement Kata

Key Process

Vision

Applied across the company, the IK looks like:

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

CC CC CC

CC

TC

Challenge

TC TC

TC

Obstacles Obstacles Obstacles

Obstacles

Key Process Key Process

Key Process

Challenge

Challenge

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The Improvement Kata

For each key process, the Process Owner is responsible for

continuously improving their process using the Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Vision

Process

Owner Process

Owner Process

Owner

Process

Owner

Key Process

CC CC CC

CC

TC

Challenge

TC TC

TC

Obstacles Obstacles Obstacles

Obstacles

Key Process Key Process

Key Process

Challenge

Challenge

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The Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

There’s a lot to applying the Improvement Kata!

• Understanding the Direction

• Grasping the Current Condition

• Establishing a Target Conditions

• Effective use of PDCA

???!!!!

Process Owner

How does a process owner

learn all of this?!

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The Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

They get a coach!!

Process Owner

= Learner

Coach

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The Improvement Kata

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Coaches are typically the person to which

the process owner reports

Consider this: Your boss is always teaching you something, whether consciously or not

• The Wrong Lessons: • Focus on making the metrics look good (versus on the process itself)

• Do what I say, don’t think for yourself

• Make conclusions based on assumptions and personal preference

• Protect my kingdom

• Gather information from your desk – no need to go and see

• A Good Lesson:

• Here’s how you apply

the Improvement Kata!

Learner Coach

Teaches x

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

We have a process, with its process owner / learner

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The learner has a coach,

typically his supervisor / manager / director / VP

Coach

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The learner directly observes the process to start gaining a deep

understanding of how it is truly operating – facts & data

Coach

Facts

& Data

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The learner discusses the facts & data with the coach,

along with how they think the improvement kata should be applied

Coach

Facts

& Data

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The learner uses a storyboard at the process to communicate their

facts, data, and next step to their coach

Coach

Facts

& Data

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

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Roles & Structure

From Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The coach provides the learner with feedback,

to help them learn and properly apply the IK.

The coach does not suggest solutions!!

Coach

Facts

& Data

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The learner uses PDCA to conduct small experiments

that move the process toward its target condition

Coach

Facts

& Data

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Here’s how it works:

Learner

The cycle continues,

achieving and setting new target conditions and challenges.

IT NEVER STOPS…

Coach

Facts

& Data

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

The learner and the coach are interdependent,

relying on each other for process improvement

Pro

cess U

nd

ers

tan

din

g &

Im

pro

vem

en

t

TC

• Learner relies on coach to help

understand the Improvement

Kata

• Coach relies on learner to:

• come up with solutions

that improve the process

• help gain deep

understanding of the process

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

There are a couple supporting roles as well:

Learner

The team members that work in a process support the learner

by helping generate ideas to overcome obstacles

Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

There are a couple supporting roles as well:

Learner

The 2nd coach, typically the coach’s manager / director / VP,

coaches the coach!

2nd Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

Coach

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

There are a couple supporting roles as well:

Learner

The 2nd coach observes the coach/learner interaction, to evaluate how

well the coach is keeping the learner in the “improvement corridor”

2nd Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

Coach

Observes

Coach/Learner

interaction

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

There are a couple supporting roles as well:

Learner

The 2nd coach provides the coach with feedback

on how to make their coaching more effective

2nd Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

Coach

Observes

Coach/Learner

interaction

Feedback on

Coaching

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

A couple more details…

Learner

The learner/coach interaction is called a coaching cycle,

and should occur about fifteen minutes, every day, for optimal learning

2nd Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

Coach

Observes

Coach/Learner

interaction

Feedback on

Coaching

Coaching cycle

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Roles & Structure

Taken from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

A couple more details…

Learner

The coach/2nd coach interaction is called 2nd coaching, and should

occur at least weekly to ensure proper process improvement

2nd Coach

Facts,

Data,

& Ideas

Facts & Data,

Next IK Step

IK Coaching,

NOT SOLUTIONS

Improves through

PDCA

Team Members

Coach

Observes

Coach/Learner

interaction

Feedback on

Coaching

2nd coaching

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Roles & Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Learner: scientifically striving for the challenge using the IK. •Looking for cause-and-effect between steps taken and progress

toward the target condition

Coach: scientifically teaching the learner the IK • Looking for cause-and-effect between the learner’s approach

and progress toward the target condition

2nd Coach: scientifically helping the coach be more effective • Looking for cause-and-effect between the coach’s approach

and the learner’s development

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Striving

and

Learning

The

Workday

Reacting

The goal is a new type of workday.

Improvement is not an occasional project,

but a normal part of every day

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Typical Company Today

The

Workday

Reacting

Unfortunately, today most companies look more like this:

• Reacting to problems has become an accepted cultural norm

• The best “firefighters” are considered the most valued employees

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

The

Workday

Reacting

So how do we make

THIS look like THIS?

Striving

& Learning

The

Workday

Reacting

HOW?

Today Tomorrow

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Practice!

w/ Coaching

Guidance

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Correct practice makes perfect:

• slow

• difficult

• tentative

• fast

• effortless

• confident

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A New Work Structure

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

As learners practice, the company transforms:

Practicing

the

Improvement

Kata

New

Mindset

&

Behavior

New

Organizational

Culture Teaches Develops

Striving

& Learning

The

Workday

Reacting

Aerojet Tomorrow

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Any Thoughts?

Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook

Have any thoughts about this presentation?

Feedback is welcome!

Please send your comments to Tyson Ortiz:

tyson.ortiz@aerojet.com