Refer to the “Preparing the Area” checklist Team Leader should carefully review the checklist to ensure that everything is ready Create a “War Room” with the necessary supplies Make sure that computers, software and LCDs are ready Special shirts or hats for the team during the event will help bring attention to the event

The right preparation for a Kaizen event is critical. It can make the difference between success and failure. The team leader should carefully review the preparation checklist in advance, and make sure that all of the necessary items will be ready.

It is sometimes useful to video tape the area ahead of time, to capture the “current state” of the area. This is especially useful when conducting a setup reduction Kaizen, so that the setup steps can be analyzed from the video. Video recorders and digital cameras should also be available during the event.