Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Assessment
You should use this file to complete your Assessment.
The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a USB
drive
Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly
When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference
Then, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My
Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and
Assessment number.
Please note that this Assessment document has 11 pages and is made up of 4
Sections.
Name:
Section 1: Continuous improvement techniques [LO1]
This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 1: Know about continuous
improvement techniques (Kaizen).
Learning objective
1.1 Identify the main Kaizen principles and their application
Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 1
Question 2, Page 2,3,4,5
1. What are the four main Kaizen principles? Identify each one below. [1.1]
1 Continuous Improvement: A company philosophy to keen improving the process in an
organization reducing the waste.
2 People: If information flows between the staff, client and suppliers the employees could
make decision without the need of a manager.
3 Change: Implementing small but continuous changes is good and the company should
promote this mentality to improve the organization.
4 Eliminating waste: Reduce the amount of non-adding value activities to reduce the risk and
increase the efficiency
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
2. Read the case study below.
Case study
A toaster manufacturer, ‘Spring Morning’, is experiencing a decline in profits as a result of
the struggling economy. The business can’t control the economy but they can look at their
own operations and attempt to be as responsible and as lean as possible to prepare for an
uncertain future.
Read the bullet points below to learn more about how ‘Spring Morning’ operates:
‘Spring Morning’ has been an active business for 4 years and has continued to
manufacture its toasters in the same way, using the same raw materials.
Many staff have left the company during this time, citing their main reason for leaving
as feeling undervalued by management.
Another issue amongst staff is the lack of training being made available.
Equally, the management has issues with staff. Certain teams within the business
are showing a poor attitude to work.
One team in particular are causing problems for management due to their refusal to
work flexible working hours. Many people have been at the company since it was
created and are stubbornly refusing to change their shift patterns.
The management is also experiencing difficulties with younger members of staff who
have messy work stations and are lacking professionalism in the workplace as a
result of this.
The office secretary continually takes long breaks.
The business has introduced one noticeable change despite its apparent reliance on
traditional methods. This year, the company have started using their production
plants to create car exhausts, with new production teams entering toaster production
plants.
An important issue to be addressed is the over production of toasters. In the
struggling economy statistics suggest that the toaster market is shrinking rather than
growing at the current time.
Table
Complete the table below to show how Kaizen techniques can make ‘Spring Morning’ a
leaner company. Use the bullet points listed below to help structure your answer. In your
answer you should consider:
How Kaizen techniques could be applied to different parts of the business
The setting of defined goals
Identifying problems in the work area
Types of waste
How Kaizen techniques would benefit the business. [1.1]
What problems
are identifiable
in the work
area?
-There is not a good relation and bad communication between Operator
and Management.
-Lack of training
-No product and process improvement
-Employees don’t stay at the company for long periods
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
-Lack of Leadership in senior people and managers
-To introduce a totally different product at the same site using the same
methodology
-Big manufactured product inventory without hearing the market demand.
Identify types of
waste within the
company.
-Big inventory of raw material and finished products.
-Over production of the finished material.
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
How could
Kaizen
techniques be
applied to
different parts of
the business?
Kaizen techniques could help to the company in different ways.
The company must hear employees needs and suggestions of how to
improve the productivity and where are the bottleneck. For this a better
communication between management and operator need to be
implemented.
The company need to follow the continuous improvement philosophy and
make operator participate on this methodology to feel part of the company
and make clear that the company hears them.
Making small changes in the organization will generate a better
understanding of where the non-added value operation and waste are.
Improving the efficiency of the company.
What goals
should be set to
make the
business
leaner?
-Improve the communication and relation within operators and manager
-Implement and continuous improvement and change methodology
-Eliminate the overproduction and reduce the inventory becoming a just in
time organization.
-Offer trainings to the employees to improve their skill and knowledge of
the production lines
- Managers should hear employee’s enquiries and make clear which are
the changes to be implemented to satisfy both companies and stuff
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
needs.
How could
Kaizen
techniques
benefit the
business?
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Now that you have completed Section 1 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far – you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.
© Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved.
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Section 2: Principles and techniques of workplace organisation [LO2]
This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 2: Understand the principles and
techniques of workplace organisation.
Learning objective
Place in Assessment
2.1 Explain areas of weakness in workplace organisation
and suggest improvements
Question 1, Page 6
1. Using the table below, explain possible areas of weakness in the workplace outlined
in the scenario and suggest any improvements that could be made. Your answer
should reference each of the 5S or 5C improvements areas. [2.1]
Scenario
In the last 12 months Patna Publishing, a local publishing company, has experienced rapid
growth. However, as they are still based out of their original office, such growth has brought
with it a number of issues. To support the company’s expansion they have had to take on 15
new members of staff but space issues have meant that teams are often split up or scattered
across the office. Also, new computer equipment has been purchased for all new members
of staff which has caused software incompatibility issues with the older computers used by
current employees. The office itself lacks a dedicated stationery and storage cupboard which
means items of stationery, along with order and invoice forms, are stored haphazardly in
different cupboards and boxes are scattered all over the place. Finally, in the past little effort
has been made to train employees about desk organisation and cleanliness, meaning many
work stations are dusty and cluttered with old paperwork.
5S/5C improvement areas
Areas of weakness
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Suggestions for improvement
7
Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Now that you have completed Section 2 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far – you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.
© Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved.
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Section 3: Use visual indicators to improve the work environment [LO3]
This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 3: Be able to use visual indicators
to improve the work environment.
Learning objective
3.1 Identify elements that contribute to good visual
management in the workplace
3.2 Prepare appropriate visual indicators
Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 8
Question 2, Page 8, 9
1. Identify elements that contribute to good visual management for each of the
following stages. [3.1]
Preparing to implement visual management techniques (VMT)
Implementing VMTs
Utilising VMTs
2. Prepare appropriate visual indicators for one of the scenarios below. Complete the
table below explaining how you would go about doing this. Your answer should
include which materials could be used, examples of possible visual indicators and
why your chosen visual indicators are appropriate. [3.2]
Scenario A
Workers in the canteen of a large office building must carry out hygiene checks three times a
day – once in the morning, once at lunch and once in the afternoon. To ensure this is done
properly, staff are looking to implement a visual system that clearly displays to others
whether these checks have been carried out or not.
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Scenario B
In the print room of an office, there is a wide selection of different paper sizes available that
run out at different times. To help the office manager know when to order more paper of a
specific size it has been decided that there will be a new VMT introduced so that they can
tell at-a-glance when paper is about to run out.
Scenario C
New recycling bins have been implemented at a local supermarket however the visual
displays have proved unclear and confusing to customers, causing waste to be placed in the
incorrect bin. As a result, new visual indicators are being developed that are clearer and
easier to follow.
Scenario:
Which materials could be
used
Examples of possible visual
indicators
Why chosen visual
indicators are appropriate
Now that you have completed Section 3 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far – you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Section 4: Eliminate variance from processes in the workplace [LO4]
This section will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 4: Know ways to eliminate variance
from processes in the workplace.
Learning objective
4.1 Describe the benefits of standard working methods
Place in Assessment
Question 1, Page 10
4.2 Prepare a standardised work document suggesting how
to eliminate variance to process
Question 2, Page 10, 11
1. Describe the benefits of standard working methods. [4.1]
2. Using the table below, prepare a standardised work document that suggests ways to
eliminate variance for a chosen process where you work. Alternatively, choose one
of the following processes: [4.2]
-
Safe preparation of food at a fast food restaurant
Operating a supply lift in a supermarket
Locking up an office for the weekend
Your standardised work document should include factors such as:
-
Types of material used
Description of the process (inputs/outputs)
How work flows
Layout of the area
People involved
Kind of actions that occur
Time taken
Any tools used.
Work process document
Name:
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Level 2 Certificate in Lean Organisation Management Techniques
Unit 2: Business improvement tools and techniques
Work process:
Step no.
Step
Tools used
Notes
Time
Total
Now that you have completed Section 4 of your Assessment, remember to save the
work you have done so far – you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking
once you have completed all 4 sections of this Assessment.
© Copyright Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved.
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