Learning Kaizen from TOYOTA [with MindMaps]
I will present examples of process improvement (Kaizen) in factories in Japan, demonstrate how the Toyota Production System (TPS) constantly improves the way things are done to meet changing customer needs, involving wokrplace(Gemaba) people. After presentation of key TPS concepts, small groups will explore commonalities between Agile and TPS by developing Mind Maps, and then exchange the results. Note that this is a re-run of the same program at Agile2007, presented by Mary Poppendieck and Kenji Hiranabe(me). This time, the content is shortened, focusing on the best stories.
Key case studies(stories) showing TPS concepts and applications will be presented, including
- How to reduce WIP or Work in process.
- Stop-the-line culture.
- Reconstruction of a factory, changing velt-conveyer production to workcell production.
- Organizational change, and conflict.
- How topdown adoption of organizational change program fails.
- Empowering Gemba people.
- Educating poeple.
After presentation of each key TPS concept, small groups will explore commonalities and differences between Agile and TPS by developing Mind Maps, and then exchange the results with other attendees.
The procedure would be, Introduction, story-1, discussion-1, story-2, discussion-2, …, and share findings.
A mind map is drawn by each group on a peice of flip chart paper spread on the group table.
Resulting group mind maps would be like these(these pics are the ones of the Agile2007 session);
http://jude-users.com/en/modules/weblog/details.php?blog_id=37