Key takeaways
- Kaizen idea sheets and poka-yoke sheets are records with owners and status, not slides.
- The Kobetsu Kaizen pillar menu includes product variants, capacity, losses, production log entry, a Kobetsu Kaizen (KK) report, bulk entry and a loss cost master.
- Losses recorded against equipment give projects a ranked starting list.
- MaintWiz is an AI CMMS built for TPM: all eight pillars, 5S, OEE, Kaizen and one point lessons, a clickable dashboard per pillar, mobile capture, tags that convert to work orders and ePTW for safety, rolled out in 6 to 8 weeks.
Kaizen records
What do Kaizen records need to do?
Improvement stalls where ideas are lost and results are unmeasured. A Kaizen system has three jobs: capture ideas and poka-yoke (error-proofing) proposals from the people who see the problem; rank losses so that the biggest are worked first; and keep the project record from idea to verified result. Software makes the third job possible at plant scale, because the record outlives the project team (Figure 2).
From a Kaizen idea to a verified result
Decide, implement, verify on the same definition, then standardise
Idea sheet with equipment and problem
Team decision recorded on the idea sheet
Owner and date
Implement (poka-yoke if error-proofing)
Verify on the same definition
Standardise and spread
maintwiz.comAI CMMS built for TPM
WhatsApp us
+91 93459 29168
Book a demoKaizen on paper and on screen
| Item | Paper | Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Capture the idea | paper form or spreadsheet | idea sheet entered on screen |
| Find the loss | reasons recalled from memory | loss records in the KK pillar menu of the same system |
| Track the action | chased by phone and email | owner, due date and status in one list |
| Verify the result | compared by hand months later | before and after on one dashboard |
| Share | folders of files | searchable by facility and department |
maintwiz.comAI CMMS built for TPMWhatsApp us+91 93459 29168Book a demoKaizen is the Japanese word for continuous improvement, and JIPM, the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance, lists focused improvement among the four core pillars of TPM.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Japanese term | Kobetsu Kaizen |
| English meaning | Focused improvement: small teams remove a specific equipment loss |
| What it controls | Chronic losses, improvement projects, error-proofing and idea flow |
| What MaintWiz records | Kaizen idea sheets, poka-yoke sheets, losses, production log entries, the loss cost master and a Kobetsu Kaizen report |
Downloads
Start on paper, run it in MaintWiz: Kaizen A3, tracker and ROI
ExcelKaizen idea sheet and poka-yoke trackerCollect floor ideas by PQCDSM and E category, answer every one
In MaintWiz: Kaizen idea sheet and poka-yoke sheet in one module.
- Sheets
- Dashboard, Inputs, Ideas, Poka-yoke, Summary, Read me
- A4
- Version
- v1.1, 5 November 2026
ExcelKaizen A3 report template (Excel) with a worked exampleRun a Kobetsu Kaizen project as an A3 report, with the Line 2 labeller project filled in from loss ranking to Yokoten
In MaintWiz: Kaizen records sit beside the losses they address.
- Sheets
- Dashboard, Inputs, Results, A3 report, A3 report, 2-page print, Calc, Read me
- One large sheet, or two A4 pages
- Version
- v1.1, 5 November 2026
ExcelLoss tree and Pareto-to-project mapBuild the loss tree from calendar time to valuable time, rank all 16 losses by cost
In MaintWiz: The Kaizen dashboard shows the status of Kaizens: completed, initiated and cancelled.
- Sheets
- Dashboard, Inputs, Tree, Project map, Pareto, Read me
- A4
- Version
- v1.1, 5 November 2026
ExcelKaizen savings and ROI calculator (project and portfolio)Test one Kaizen project for payback and ROI, then list up to 25 projects by loss to see which ones pay for the TPM
In MaintWiz: Kaizen status counts show completed, initiated and cancelled projects.
- Sheets
- Dashboard, Project, Sensitivity, Portfolio, Read me
- A4
- Version
- v1.1, 5 November 2026
PDFKaizen idea sheet and A3 report formPrint the floor idea sheet and the A3 report form, plus a filled A3 report showing how a finished project reads
In MaintWiz: Kaizen idea sheet and poka-yoke sheet in one module.
- Pages
- 8
- Idea sheet on one page; A3 report on one large sheet or two A4 pages
- Created
- 5 November 2026
Ideas and losses
How do ideas, poka-yoke and losses connect?
- A Kaizen idea sheet records the idea, the area, the benchmark, the target, the dates and a before image, and moves from Open to Completed or Cancelled.
- A poka-yoke sheet records an error-proofing change: the error, the device or method and the check that it works.
- The Kobetsu Kaizen records hold product variants, capacity, losses and production logs, with bulk entry for loading data.
- A loss cost master puts a value on loss categories so that projects can be compared.
- The KK report presents the losses and projects for review.
Where do project themes come from?
The best themes come from ranked losses, not opinions. OEE records and loss categories such as the six big losses show where time and output go; abnormality tags that recur on one equipment point to a project; defect records show a quality theme. The Pareto view ranks lost hours so that the first project addresses the largest block.
MaintWiz AI agents can run on your records and generate a list of what needs to be watched; agents propose, people approve.
System vs slides
How do Kaizen records in a system differ from slides?
| Paper or spreadsheet | In the system | |
|---|---|---|
| Ideas | Suggestion box and a notebook | Idea sheets with owner, status and equipment |
| Error-proofing | Photos in a folder | Poka-yoke sheets with the error and the check |
| Loss data | Spreadsheets per line | Losses, capacity and production log entered once and used for ranking |
| Value | Estimated in a meeting | A loss cost master puts a value on each loss category |
| Project record | A presentation | Idea to implementation status held as records |
| Review | Assembled before the meeting | KK report from the same data |
Book a demo and see an idea, its losses and its verified result on one equipment list.
How does it connect to the rest of TPM?
- OEE software supplies the losses that rank the themes.
- Abnormality management shows repeat problems that deserve a project.
- One point lessons carry the new standard to the floor.
- Early equipment management spreads the lesson to new equipment (horizontal deployment).
- TPM software: pillar-wise dashboards for all eight pillars, 5S, OEE and Kaizen.
Setting it up for your plant
Master lists (product variants, loss categories, cost values), sheet fields and roles are set up with each plant. Plants often start with one line, load its losses and run one project end to end before widening.
Because ideas, losses and projects sit on the same equipment list as the OEE and abnormality records, a project theme is picked from ranked losses and the result is checked on the same equipment afterwards. The idea sheet form holds the idea, horizontal plan, benchmark, target, dates and a before image, so each idea carries its own baseline (Figure 6), and the KK report presents losses and projects for review.
What the module gives your improvement team
MaintWiz records the idea, the loss, the change and the check, and the loss cost master puts a money value on each loss category, so a finished project is read against a loss priced in money as well as hours. Where a plant wants an ROI estimate for a project, the free Kaizen project ROI calculator sets out the arithmetic with your own inputs.
Who uses it
Who uses the Kaizen module?
| Role | What they do in the module |
|---|---|
| Operator and technician | Submit ideas and poka-yoke proposals |
| Supervisor | Reviews ideas, supports implementation |
| Project leader | Runs the focused improvement project and records results |
| Finance partner | Agrees the values in the loss cost master |
| Pillar owner and plant head | Use the KK report in review |
From idea to verified result
- Capture: an idea sheet with the equipment and the problem in the person's words.
- Decide: the team reviews the idea sheet and takes it forward, or cancels it with a reason and tells the author.
- Implement: assign an owner and a date; for error-proofing, record the poka-yoke change.
- Verify: check the loss figure after the change, on the same definition as before.
- Standardise and spread: update the standard and list where else it applies.
A free Kaizen A3 report template sets out a project from the loss to the verified result and the new standard, and serves as the Kaizen event or Kaizen report template for a workshop. Rank the losses a Kaizen project should attack with the six big losses.
What you will see in the demo
- A Kaizen idea sheet and a poka-yoke sheet, end to end.
- Master data for product variants, loss categories and capacity.
- Production log entry, including bulk entry, feeding the KK report.
- The loss cost master behind the KK report.
Mistakes
What are the common mistakes with improvement records?
- Collecting ideas and never deciding on them: authors stop submitting.
- Picking projects by enthusiasm instead of the loss ranking.
- Measuring benefit with a different definition from the baseline.
- Never standardising or spreading a result that worked.
- Counting ideas submitted as the measure of improvement.
A system makes these mistakes visible: ideas older than the agreed response time, projects without a verified result, results without a standard. Use that visibility in the weekly review.
What does the KK report show?
The KK report shows losses by equipment and category and the projects against them, valued with the loss cost master, period by period on the same definitions. Bulk entry loads production log data in volume, so losses and capacity reach the KK report early.
Export, deployment and pricing
Idea sheets, poka-yoke sheets and the Kobetsu Kaizen report data can be exported to XLS and PDF for review meetings. MaintWiz runs as software as a service (SaaS), or on-premises on your own servers on request.
Pricing is quoted for the modules and users you need; read how TPM software is priced.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is Kaizen software?
Software that records improvement ideas, error-proofing proposals, losses and projects from idea to verified result, so that improvement work is visible, comparable and does not depend on a single champion.
Does MaintWiz keep poka-yoke sheets?
Yes. A poka-yoke sheet records an error-proofing change: the error that can occur, the device or method that prevents or detects it, and the check that it works. The common functions dashboard counts poka-yoke records by facility.
What is a loss cost master?
A master list that puts a value on loss categories so that losses and projects can be compared in money as well as time. The values are the plant's own, agreed with finance.
How does Kaizen software relate to OEE?
OEE and loss data show where the largest losses are, and a lost-hours Pareto ranks them. Those rankings supply the themes for focused improvement projects, so the two sets of records should share the same equipment.
Can we start with a spreadsheet?
Yes. A free Kaizen idea and poka-yoke tracker, a Kaizen A3 report template and a project ROI calculator are free to download. Move to a system when ideas, losses and projects outgrow separate files.
Does it put a value on losses?
Yes. MaintWiz prices losses through the loss cost master, so each loss category is valued in money as well as hours, and the KK report shows the losses and projects side by side for review. The values are the plant's own, agreed with finance.
Is there Kobetsu Kaizen software?
Yes. MaintWiz has a Kobetsu Kaizen menu with product variants, capacity, losses, production log entry, a KK report, bulk entry and a loss cost master, plus Kaizen idea sheets and poka-yoke sheets.
How long does it take to roll out Kaizen software?
The MaintWiz roll-out takes 6 to 8 weeks, with easy Excel uploads for masters and people and guided project management by the MaintWiz implementation team.
Is there continuous improvement software for TPM?
Yes. MaintWiz keeps Kaizen idea sheets, poka-yoke sheets, losses and Kobetsu Kaizen projects on one equipment list, from idea to verified result, so continuous improvement is tracked as records and not as slides.