This document provides an introduction and agenda for a Toyota Kata workshop presented by Marek Piatkowski. The workshop will cover the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata routines used by Toyota to develop continuous improvement capabilities. It will include a team exercise applying the Kata routines to a quality test lab simulation. The overall goal is to help organizations develop the habits of continuous improvement, problem solving, and adaptation that underlie Toyota's success.
6. 6Marek.Piatkowski@Rogers.com
Improvement Kata
Workshop
Introduction
Thinkingwin, Win, WIN
The Toyota Kata Research
The research that led to the book Toyota Kata ran from 2004-2009
The objective was to gain a deeper understanding of how Toyota manages to
achieve continuous improvement, and what it will take to develop that in non-
Toyota organizations.
The research was driven by two questions:
What are the unseen managerial routines and thinking that lie behind Toyota's success
with continuous improvement and adaptation?
How can other companies develop similar routines and thinking in their organizations?
I began by interviewing Toyota people, but it quickly became apparent that they
have difficulty articulating and explaining the patterns of their thinking and
routines
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Improvement Kata
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Introduction
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Connecting Kata to Lean Culture
We have been trying to add Toyota Production System practices and principles on
top of our existing management thinking and practices without adjusting that
approach
Toyota’s techniques will not work properly, will not generate continuous
improvement and adaptation, without Toyota’s logic, which lies beyond our view
Hoping to create a different behaviour in the organization by explaining or trying to
convince people does not work.
We do not behave a certain way because we lack information. We behave one
way or another because it is a habit.
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9. John Shook
19971994
Jeff Liker Mike Rother
Jim Womack Dan JonesEducators/Practitioners
Art SmalleyJeff Smith David VerbleChuck Ward Rick Harris Marek PiatkowskiErik Hager
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Improvement Kata
Workshop
Introduction
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What is Kata?
Kata (型 or 形, literally: "form”) is a Japanese word describing detailed
choreographed patterns of movements practised solo or in pairs
Kata originally were teaching and training methods by which successful self-
defence techniques were preserved and passed on
Kata is a routine that is practiced deliberately in effort to make its pattern a habit,
so it becomes second nature
Kata describes a methodology of repetitive patters for teaching or doing something
KATA is a training routine for making a desired behaviour a habit
By practicing in a repetitive manner the learner develops the ability to execute
those techniques and movements in a natural, reflex-like manner
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Introduction
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Kata is a routine you practice so it becomes a habit
Through practicing, the pattern of a Kata becomes second nature – done with little
conscious attention – and readily available
An example is practicing to learn to drive a car. Once you know how to drive, you
do not think much anymore about how to use the car's controls and instead you
focus your attention on the situational aspects of navigating the road
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Improvement Kata
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Introduction
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What is Toyota Kata?
Toyota Kata is a management system that unlike other approaches does not focus
on implementing Lean solutions, tools and methodologies.
Toyota Kata focuses on increasing problem solving and continuous improvement
abilities of your organization by:
developing and changing behaviours
making people feel comfortable with change and striving for challenges
making Continuous Improvement an everyday habit
Improvement Kata is based on four operating principles:
always strive for a challenge
go and see – get the facts
understand Root Cause
validate quickly by experiment
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Improvement Kata
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Introduction
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Toyota Improvement Kata Routines
The Improvement Kata is a step-by-step approach towards solving problems and
identifying opportunities for continuous improvement
Toyota Kata eliminates random hunting for solutions or disconnected reaction to
problems.
Practicing Kata routines allowed an organization to engage in a structure problem
solving process by using a systematic team approach
In this management approach a primary job of Leaders (Learner) and Managers
(Coach) is to develop people so that desired results can be achieved
In the lean environment, the Improvement Kata pattern is reinforced in daily
management, daily problem solving, quality circles, improvement events & A3s.
The overall goal, as with any Kata, is to make the pattern and mindset of the
improvement kata an autonomic habit. This happens through deliberate, coached
practice in daily work.
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Improvement Kata
Workshop
Introduction
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Improvement Kata - Continuous Improvement
To help you engage your employees in a process of Continuous Improvement
activities by using an Improvement KATA process
To transfer your workplace culture to achieve extraordinary results through high
levels of engagement and participation
To empower your employees to develop problems solving skills
To teach them a systematic, scientific way of developing their own solutions, based
on an Improvement KATA process
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Improvement Kata
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Introduction
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Teamwork - Definition of a Team
Work Team – a group of people working together towards common goals and
objectives
Workgroup - a collection of people (employees) in need of a pay check brought
together to make products, provide service and to achieve company objectives
We hope that they will be loyal to the company, hard-working, dedicated, self-
motivated, highly-skilled, cooperative, flexible, interested in improving things for
the company, engaged in solving problems, generating ideas and eager to
cheerfully follow the direction of their appointed leaders.
Does this happen in your workplace?
You need to teach your employees a standardized and a well defined problems
solving and continuous improvement process – this is what Improvement Kata and
Coaching Kata is all about
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Problems with Continuous Improvement Activities
A common problem with Continuous Improvement is that we look at this as:
An extra activity - something to do on top of my “Daily Work”
Middle management says – this is nice, but I have no time for this, I need to run my
operation, I have targets to meet
Operation people say – Continuous Improvement is OK, but we have no input how
things are improved her, all these Experts are telling us what to do
Our biggest mistake is that we separate Daily Work from Continuous Improvement
We look at these two activities as something completely different – they
continuously clash with each other. We look at Continuous Improvement as
something that stops me from doing my daily work. And that is wrong.
A key to our success is to make Continuous Improvement as a part of our Daily
Business – and this is what Toyota Kata will do for you.
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Improvement Kata
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Managing Problems
We manage by standards. We wait for the process to fall behind, we bring it back
to “normal” – we bring it back to defined standard. This is not improvement.
This is a common problem in Shop Floor management – we jump from one
problem to the other, we fix it and than we find another one to work on
Sub-standard performance,
abnormal situation
New Standard
New Challenge
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Managing Improvement
1. React to abnormal situation (deviation)
2. Solve problems based on assumptions
and experience – I know how to fix this
3. Focus on solutions only – results
4. Plan and control implementation
1. Strive for Challenge
2. Get the facts – go and see, what is the
actual situation? Current condition
3. Understand the Root Cause
4. Conduct small experiments – validate
quickly
Which patterns exist today and which must we develop?
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Improvement Kata
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Objectives of Toyota Kata Workshop - Kata Routines
1. Improvement Kata:
How can we make improvements, problem solving and adaptation part of
everyday work throughout the organization?
How can we develop and utilize the capability of everyone in the organization
to repeatedly work toward and achieve new levels of performance?
How can we give an organization the power to handle dynamic, unpredictable
situations and keep satisfying customers?
2. Coaching Kata:
How can we change our management style from “telling people what to do” to
coaching them, encouraging them, advising the and mentoring them.
How can we teaching the improvement kata methodology to employees at
every level to ensure it motivates their ways of thinking and acting.
How can we improve our prevailing management approach to ensure that we
know how to support and motivate our employees through their ways of
thinking, acting and solving problems.
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Improvement Kata
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Introduction
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Changing the World. One Transformation at a time
This presentation is an intellectual property of W3 Group Canada Inc.
No parts of this document can be copied or reproduced
without written permission from:
Marek Piatkowski
W3 Group Canada Inc.
iPhone: 416-235-2631
Cell: 248-207-0416
Marek.Piatkowski@rogers.com
http://twi-network.com
Thinkingwin, Win, WIN