The improvement kata
The improvement kata is a routine for moving from the current situation to a new situation in a creative, directed, meaningful way. It is based on a four stage model:
- Understand the Direction / Challenge
- Grasp the current condition
- Establish the next target condition
- Experiment towards the target condition
The Kata routines are structured routines, patterns or ways of doing things that are practiced continuously so that the patterns become habits and allow us to develop new skills and mindsets through scientific thinking. It is very helpful in development of thinking patterns through a shared / group approach as everyone starts with the same basic set of questions. We have to:
To do this we will need:
- Storyboard
- Process analysis – grasp the current condition
- Establish a Target condition
- Experimenting record
- Obstacle Parking lot
The Kata helps build a bridge between theory and practice by translating principles into something relatively simple, real and tangible.