Editorial Reviews

"Karen Martin is the consultant and mentor that helped us launch our Lean journey, and we have been amazed with some of the lofty process improvements that have been achieved after less than two years of using Lean. Once 'waste' is clearly identified and resources can be reallocated to portions of the processes that do add value in the eyes of the customer, the passion for continual improvement becomes contagious.This book will be of great benefit to any leader in the planning of Kaizen events, and I plan to purchase a copy for each of our managers and lean facilitators."
--Chat Norvell, President & Chief Executive Officer, CarePartners, August 2007


"Karen Martin and Mike Osterling take all the questions and potential confusion out of planning, conducting and following-up on a Kaizen Event. With thorough explanations on the development of the Kaizen Charter, to everyone's roles and responsibilities and more, The Kaizen Event Planner is the "new" standard work for rapid improvement events in administrative / office environments. The authors are careful to capture those subtle, yet important differences between the factory floor and the office, and driving and accepting change for the better. The Kaizen Event Planner is a must have for any truly lean practitioners' library."
--Jerry M. Wright, P.E., Director, Corporate Quality Assurance, & Operational Excellence, DJO, LLC, August 2007


"High performing companies require that office, engineering, and other transactional processes have the same discipline of execution as shop and field work. Kaizen Events are a key part of any continuous improvement program. I wholeheartedly agree with the authors' emphasis on planning and encouraging a 'bias toward action'. This book provides a clear, step-by-step guide to planning and executing successful kaizen events. It is a detailed primer for those who want to demonstrate that rapid improvement is possible in the knowledge work environment."
--Stephen P. Turnipseed, Lean Sigma Advisor, Chevron Global Upstream, August 2007


"Karen Martin and Mike Osterling have put together an excellent guidebook that should be a part of every Lean Resource Library. All aspects of planning and executing a successful Kaizen Event are covered in a way that is easy to understand and to explain to others. With the specific, practical tools and methods described, both beginners and experienced practitioners can now venture into non-manufacturing environments with comfort and ease."
--Andrew Zozom, Jr., Ph.D., Director Of Process Improvement, Seattle Goodwill industries, August 2007