(SME: Dearborn, MI) -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) announces the release of Kaizen Event Fieldbook: Foundation, Framework and Standard Work for Effective Events, by Mark R. Hamel (SME, 2009), which details the strategies, tools, and techniques necessary for conducting effective lean events.

Kaizen event effectiveness is a prerequisite for lean transformation success. While the engine of any lean transformation is people, the kaizen event is the primary vehicle for engaging their hearts and minds. The Kaizen Event Fieldbook is a tool for teaching and engaging employees at all levels as a company seeks to institute and sustain changes.

“Ineffective kaizen events induce unnecessary suffering and can quickly derail lean implementation,” says Arthur Byrne, operating partner of J.W. Childs Associates. “The Fieldbook positions both the practitioner and the lean leader to work a lot smarter and more effectively.”

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