The Idea Generator Workbook, Quick and Easy Kaizen, by Bunji Tozawa and Norman Bodek, PCS Press 2002

This is a simple book  that’s sized to carry around.  Open it up at any section and you’ll find a perfect little kaizen tip.  For example, page 122, “Write it down” shows us why, despite the bother of it, team members need to “Write it down” in order to share and work on their ideas.   And on page 172 – this is brilliant, so visually smart, with great graphics to illustrate:  “At the office filing folders improperly is very easy to do.  And then when you look for a specific folder you can’t find it…”  The quick and easy answer?  You’ll love this!  Draw a diagonal line across the top of the folders  - that will tell you at a glance when a single folder (line) is out of place!  “Just one line is a kaizen!”

There are more of these powerful and simple kaizen suggestions in each of the book’s fourteen chapters, all neatly illustrated to prove the point.  Plus the authors added a comprehensive bibliography for more work and grounding in the history and basics of kaizen.  We can’t help but think of the applications this book has beyond manufacturing, in healthcare especially, where the numbers of intelligent workers and teams could only be benefited by simple visual approaches to getting the job done. We'll take a look at The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen by Graban and Swartz in an upcoming session.