Kaizen/3P in new product development?

[McLeod]

If any readers have experience with Kaizen and/or Product Preparation Process ("3P&quot programs in new product development projects:

- What did you find to be the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology?

- How would you compare these concepts to other existing development/quality/efficiency initiatives (Concurrent Engineering, Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, Zero Defects)?

- What kind of problems did the methods (a) cause, and (b) solve?

- Did the methods significantly improve the product, process, or project schedule?

- What has to happen in order for the methods to be intelligently applied, so that inherent pitfalls can be avoided?

- Is it just me, or are all of these programs just re-hashing of old methods, cloaked in new buzzwords to make them appear to be the new silver bullet which actually works?

 

[awol]

This may or may not help. We are implementing a modified CON-BON system where, instead of storing raw material, we store products that are in several stages of process. So instead of three week delivery we now can support 5 day delivery of products. Changes and revisions do require focused handling. But so far all departments like it. Order comes in, castings are purchased (to replace the ones in work) and the items in-process are pulled from stock and finished to the customers requirements and shipped.
AWOL

 

[DesignControl]

FYI -- it's spelled Kanban, it is pronounced con-bon though.