Quick and Easy Kaizen #5 - Tools

Quick and Easy Kaizen is an improvement that you can easily do for yourself that improves a process by improving quality, saving time, and so forth. The book, The Idea Generator, by Norm Bodek addresses quick and easy Kaizen and I have been practicing this technique at work for some time. Using the ideas from Norm's book, I have added improvements at home and here are some that have made my life better but didn't require that much time and effort to implement.


#5 Tools at the top of my toolbox.


When I got my Christmas present of a new toolbox, I wanted to organize the top layer. Not only did want the tools to be well organized, I wanted a sampling of the tools that I would use 80% of the time I went to the toolbox. So, these implements are what I would need to take out for various jobs most of the time:

I also outlined the tools for two reasons:

1) Anyone could see where the tool is to be put back in place

2) If a tool is gone, I would know immediately which one was missing.

Ever since I organized things this way, I have never lost or misplaced at tool!

Time to complete: 8 minutes to add the cardboard and make the outline

Cost: Reused cardboard, nothing.

Benefit: Reduce tool searching time, better organization.

What have you improved today?

Dan Lafever

Kaizeneer