Improvement kata describes a routine for continuous improvement through four major steps. Those steps provide a structured pattern to enable consistent practice of each kata routine until it becomes habit—until it’s a natural way of thinking and acting. This change in behavior makes it easier solve problems, to grasp a situation, and to develop a solution.

The following images represent the four steps of improvement kata:

In the fourth step, “Iterate Toward the Target Condition,” we have a form, called the “PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycles record,” that provides an additional level of structure for people learning kata and for those coaching kata.

When learning improvement kata, you are practicing behaviors repeatedly until the routine is second nature. If you no longer have to think about how to do the routine your mind is free to think creatively, and your capabilities can expand.

The following is the PDCA record form from Mike Rother’s Improvement Kata Handbook:

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