Kaizen literally means ‘change for the better’ and focuses on daily, incremental improvement. It encourages employees at all levels to actively contribute to process optimisation. Kaizen creates a culture in which improvement becomes an integral part of the work.
Symbol supports organisations in implementing Kaizen as a culture and way of working, ensuring that continuous improvement is structurally embedded.
Gemba Walks take leaders and teams to the shop floor (‘the place where it happens’) to observe processes directly. This increases insight into bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. By looking together and asking questions, engagement is created alongside direct action based on facts.
Result: attention shifts to the place where it actually happens.
PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) ensures a structured approach to improvement initiatives. By first planning, then testing, evaluating, and securing, improvements become measurable and sustainable. This prevents ad-hoc solutions and encourages continuous learning.
Result: short-cycle improvements following a structured approach.
Effective problem solving focuses on identifying the root cause rather than treating symptoms. Methods such as 5 Whys and fishbone analysis make causes transparent. This results in structural solutions that prevent recurrence.
Result: insight into the root cause of the problem.
Improvement starts on the shop floor. We support your organisation in implementing Kaizen as a way of working, from the first Gemba Walk to a sustainably embedded improvement culture. Together, we develop ownership, rhythm, and structure, so that teams continuously improve and performance is visibly and permanently enhanced in daily operations.
What is a Gemba Walk?
A Gemba Walk is a structured tour of the shop floor where leaders observe processes at the place where value is created. By looking directly, asking questions, and identifying improvement opportunities together, factual insight into bottlenecks is gained. This accelerates process improvement and strengthens a culture of continuous improvement.
How does the PDCA cycle work within Continuous Improvement?
The PDCA approach (Plan-Do-Check-Act) is a structured method for carrying out small improvement projects on the shop floor. Employees plan an improvement, execute it, measure the result, and standardise the new way of working to secure it.
What is the approach to problem solving?
Addressing problems in a structured way begins with a clear problem definition, for example using the 5W2H method, followed by finding and eliminating the root cause. Techniques such as 5 Whys are used for this. By analysing methodically, sustainable solutions are achieved. This prevents the recurrence of errors and increases process stability.
How do you ensure Gemba Walks are more than just a walk around the shop floor?
Effective Gemba Walks have a clear focus, a fixed structure, and concrete follow-up on actions. The goal is to observe and learn, not to inspect. By recording findings and providing feedback, trust and visible improvement are created.
When do you choose the PDCA approach and when the DMAIC approach?
The chosen method must suit the impact and complexity of the issue. PDCA is suitable for short-cycle, well-defined improvements that are typically carried out on the shop floor. For more complex problems, and for problems where the solution is not yet known, the DMAIC approach is more appropriate.