3. Some Background
Aerojet is no different,
existing to create value for its customers
Customer X
Product
Aerojet B
Customer Y
Customer Z
…
2
4. Some Background
The system that creates a particular type
of value in a company is called a value stream
Suppliers
Customer Customer
Customer
Value Stream
3
5. Some Background
Value streams are comprised of processes
Suppliers
Customer Customer
Customer
Incoming Final
Receiving Assembly Shipping
Inspection Inspection
Processes
4
6. Some Background
Inside each company, there are also value streams
that serve internal customers
Manufacturing
Drawing Requisition Purchase Source
Approval Order Issue
Receiving
Release Inspection
5
7. 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.
6
8. Some Background
One could consider a company to be a collection of
value streams providing value to various internal
and external customers
Company
Customer
Value Stream
Customer
Value Stream
Customer
Value Stream
Customer
Value Stream
7
9. Some Background
Similarly, one could look at a company as a
collection of processes
Company
Customer
Process Process Process
Customer
Process Process Process
Customer
Process Process Process
Customer
Process Process Process
8
10. Some Background
Ideally, the vision set by a company’s leadership
provides processes within the company a direction
in which improvements should move them
Is NOT a “Mission Statement”
Is NOT a “Vision Statement”
Vision IS specific & actionable
Process Process Process
Process Process Process
Process Process Process
9
11. 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
Vision
Not my job
Build my
kingdom
Don’t want to
Process
Sub-
Process
Waste walk
Process
optimizing
What
Process Process Process Vision?
Process Process Process
That won’t
Manager
Entropy work here
didn’t like it
10
12. Some Background
The Improvement Kata (IK) is the key to moving
processes in the direction of leadership’s vision!
Vision
IK IK
IK
Process Process Process
IK
IK IK
IK IK IK
Process Process Process
Process Process Process
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 11
13. Structure of the Improvement Kata
1
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!
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 12
14. Structure of the Improvement Kata
1 2
Then, deeply understand the current condition (CC) for the process
• Detailed process analysis is performed in order to develop this understanding
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 13
15. Structure of the Improvement Kata
1 2 3
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
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 14
16. Structure of the Improvement Kata
1 2 3 4
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)
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 15
17. Structure of the Improvement Kata
Another depiction of the Improvement Kata:
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 16
18. Structure of the Improvement Kata
This cycle repeats continually, achieving and setting
new target conditions and challenges,
moving the process toward leadership’s vision
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 17
19. Structure of the Improvement Kata
The Improvement Kata is used on key processes
at all levels of the company
It’s fractal!
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 18
20. The Improvement Kata
Applied across the company, the IK looks like:
Vision
Challenge Challenge
Challenge
TC
TC TC
TC
Obstacles
Obstacles Obstacles
Obstacles CC
CC CC Key Process
CC
Key Process Key Process
Key Process
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 19
21. The Improvement Kata
For each key process, the Process Owner is responsible for
continuously improving their process using the Improvement Kata
Vision
Challenge Challenge
Challenge
TC
TC TC
TC
Obstacles
Obstacles Obstacles
Obstacles CC
CC CC Key Process
CC
Key Process Key Process Process
Key Process Owner
Process Process
Owner Owner
Process
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook Owner 20
22. The Improvement Kata
There’s a lot to applying the Improvement Kata!
• Understanding the Direction
???!!!!
• Grasping the Current Condition
• Establishing a Target Conditions
• Effective use of PDCA
How does a process owner
learn all of this?!
Process Owner
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 21
23. The Improvement Kata
They get a coach!!
Coach
Process Owner
= Learner
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 22
24. The Improvement Kata
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 Teaches x
the Improvement Kata!
Coach Learner
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 23
25. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
Learner
We have a process, with its process owner / learner
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 24
26. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
Coach
Learner
The learner has a coach,
typically his supervisor / manager / director / VP
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 25
27. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
Coach
Learner Facts
& Data
The learner directly observes the process to start gaining a deep
understanding of how it is truly operating – facts & data
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 26
28. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step
Learner Facts
& Data
The learner discusses the facts & data with the coach,
along with how they think the improvement kata should be applied
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 27
29. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step
Learner Facts
& Data
The learner uses a storyboard at the process to communicate their
facts, data, and next step to their coach
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 28
31. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
IK Coaching,
NOT SOLUTIONS
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step
Learner Facts
& Data
The coach provides the learner with feedback,
to help them learn and properly apply the IK.
The coach does not suggest solutions!!
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 30
32. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
IK Coaching,
NOT SOLUTIONS
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts
& Data
The learner uses PDCA to conduct small experiments
that move the process toward its target condition
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 31
33. Roles & Structure
Here’s how it works:
IK Coaching,
NOT SOLUTIONS
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts
& Data
The cycle continues,
achieving and setting new target conditions and challenges.
IT NEVER STOPS…
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 32
34. Roles & Structure
The learner and the coach are interdependent,
relying on each other for process improvement
TC
• Learner relies on coach to help
Process Understanding & Improvement
understand the Improvement
Kata
• Coach relies on learner to:
• come up with solutions
that improve the process
• help gain deep
understanding of the process
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 33
35. Roles & Structure
There are a couple supporting roles as well:
IK Coaching,
NOT SOLUTIONS
Coach Facts & Data,
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The team members that work in a process support the learner
by helping generate ideas to overcome obstacles
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 34
36. Roles & Structure
There are a couple supporting roles as well:
2nd Coach
IK Coaching,
NOT SOLUTIONS
Facts & Data,
Coach
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The 2nd coach, typically the coach’s manager / director / VP,
coaches the coach!
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 35
37. Roles & Structure
There are a couple supporting roles as well:
Observes
2nd Coach Coach/Learner
IK Coaching,
interaction
NOT SOLUTIONS
Facts & Data,
Coach
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The 2nd coach observes the coach/learner interaction, to evaluate how
well the coach is keeping the learner in the “improvement corridor”
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 36
38. Roles & Structure
There are a couple supporting roles as well:
Feedback on
Coaching
Observes
2nd Coach Coach/Learner
IK Coaching,
interaction
NOT SOLUTIONS
Facts & Data,
Coach
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The 2nd coach provides the coach with feedback
on how to make their coaching more effective
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 37
39. Roles & Structure
A couple more details…
Feedback on
Coaching
Coaching cycle
Observes
2nd Coach Coach/Learner
IK Coaching,
interaction
NOT SOLUTIONS
Facts & Data,
Coach
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The learner/coach interaction is called a coaching cycle,
and should occur about fifteen minutes, every day, for optimal learning
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 38
41. Roles & Structure
A couple more details…
Feedback on
Coaching
Observes
2nd Coach Coach/Learner
IK Coaching,
interaction
NOT SOLUTIONS
2nd coaching Facts & Data,
Coach
Next IK Step Improves through
PDCA
Learner Facts,
Data,
& Ideas
Team Members
The coach/2nd coach interaction is called 2nd coaching, and should
occur at least weekly to ensure proper process improvement
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 40
42. Roles & Structure
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
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 41
43. A New Work Structure
The goal is a new type of workday.
Improvement is not an occasional project,
but a normal part of every day
Striving
and
Learning
Reacting
The
Workday
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 42
44. A New Work Structure
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
The
Workday
Reacting
Typical Company Today
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 43
45. A New Work Structure
So how do we make
THIS look like THIS?
Striving
& Learning
The Reacting
Workday
HOW?
Reacting The
Workday
Today Tomorrow
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 44
46. A New Work Structure
Practice!
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 45
47. A New Work Structure
Correct practice makes perfect:
w/ Coaching
Guidance
• slow • fast
• difficult • effortless
• tentative • confident
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 46
48. A New Work Structure
As learners practice, the company transforms:
Practicing New
New
the Mindset
Teaches Develops Organizational
Improvement &
Culture
Kata Behavior
Striving
& Learning
Reacting
The
Workday
Aerojet Tomorrow
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 47
49. Any Thoughts?
Have any thoughts about this presentation?
Feedback is welcome!
Please send your comments to Tyson Ortiz:
tyson.ortiz@aerojet.com
Adapted from Mike Rother / Improvement Kata Handbook 48