Definition
Five levels of complexity for shop-floor improvement: layout adjustment, building non-precision devices, restoring precision devices, building precision devices, and empowering precision devices.
In detail
The five levels of improvement are five complexity levels for shop floor improvement, from low to high: layout adjustment, building non-precision devices, repairing precision devices, building precision devices, and enabling precision devices. They help teams choose the appropriate improvement depth based on problem complexity and resource availability, avoiding over-engineering or superficial efforts. Unlike the seven levels of Jidoka, the five levels of improvement focus more on the physical implementation level of improvement activities. The typical output is a tiered plan for improvement projects, guiding resource allocation.
Example in practice
An assembly line faced a bottleneck process. The team first tried layout adjustments (Level 1), merging adjacent workstations, but with limited effect. Then they created simple jigs (Level 2) to aid positioning, improving efficiency. Further analysis revealed insufficient equipment precision, leading to Level 3 repairs of precision devices, ultimately achieving stable production. The entire process progressed step by step through the five levels, avoiding the direct purchase of expensive equipment.