Definition
The starting documents for a Kaizen Event; all seven are required before the week can begin: event necessity, Current State, Future State, in scope, out of scope, daily plan, sustain plan; the participant list is recorded separately and is not counted among these seven hard gates.
In detail
The Kaizen Event Charter is the starting document for a Kaizen Event. It defines the necessity of the event, the current state, future targets, event scope (split into in-scope and out-of-scope items), the daily plan, and the sustainment plan—seven items in total, none of which may be missing to open the week. The participant roster must also be recorded (see the team size rules in the Kaizen Event tool card), but it does not count toward these seven hard gates; its counting basis is kept separate from the seven-item checklist. It solves the problems of unclear Kaizen Event objectives, uncontrolled scope, and undefined accountability. It is similar to a project charter but focuses more on the Kaizen Event as a short, high-intensity activity. Its output is a team-endorsed document that serves as the basis for Kaizen Event execution and the benchmark for subsequent evaluation.
Example in practice
Before starting an improvement week to reduce the defect rate on a production line, the improvement team leader convened stakeholders to jointly fill out the charter: clarifying the current state as a 5% defect rate, the target as reducing to 2%, scope limited to the assembly process excluding incoming material issues, planning five days, listing daily activities, assigning roles, and writing a sustainment plan — the team leader reviews the defect rate weekly, and the effort is only considered closed once the target holds for four consecutive weeks. This charter was announced on the first day of the improvement week, ensuring all members understood the goals and serving as a reference for correction when scope creep occurred.