The Kanban System and its Requirements

Project Report from the year 2013 in the subject Engineering - Industrial Engineering and Management, grade: 66.0%, Edinburgh Napier University, language: English, abstract: 1 Abstract

It is said that a Kanban-System improves a process by changing the information flow in the process and rearranging rules of responsibilities. The purpose of the study was to find out what a Kanban is, what does it make the superior application to conventional western strategies, and what are the weak points of it. Furthermore, the study aims to have a look at the supporting environment to find out if there are requirements for a Kanban-system to be successful. To control and to measure the success of an introduced Kanban system, various methods and tools were examined, compared with conventional methods and tools, and presented. Finally, the study tried to use all collected information for a theoretical approach how to introduce a Kanban system step by step. To get an unprejudiced sight on this topic the development over the last years, scientific journals, and books from the early 80s until today were inspected.

The principal conclusion of the study was that Kanban can be a very efficient method to improve processes, to reveal problems, and to involve worker more in processes for improved motivation that results in a process improvement. But this needs a good prepared environment with trained staff through all levels. And the more a process is complex due to complex products, the more it is essential that the environment is working properly. Furthermore, the need of controlling tools and proper consequences seemed to be a significant part that decides over success or fail.