Creating a Culture for Problem Solving
Presented By:
David Meier
Session Abstract:
The problem solving process is fundamental to the Toyota Way, and is an essential part of any continuous improvement effort. The Training Within Industry (TWI) programs were also a key part of the development of the Toyota Production System.
In this session we are melding a foundational problem solving methodology with the TWI model of training delivery to help participants master this essential ability. This course follows the typical 4-Step approach of TWI and provides tools and templates to guide participants through the 4 essential steps as follows:
Step 1: Find and Clarify the Problem
Step 2: Find the Root Causes
Step 3: Identify and Implement Countermeasures
Step 4: Confirm and Follow Up
A fundamental principle of the Toyota Way is that all problems must be surfaced so that people can apply kaizen (continuous improvement) thinking to develop creative and effective solutions. Finding “problems” is not difficult. There are many things in every workplace that are difficult, challenging, frustrating, and causing undue hardship on the people working there. While most people can easily recognize issues that are not desirable, they struggle with putting those conditions into the specific terms needed for effective problem solving.
In this session you will learn to effectively “frame” a problem meaning to put the condition being experienced into terms that allow for effective analysis and development of countermeasures. We will discuss the difference between the true problem, symptoms of the problem and causes of the problem. Clearly differentiating these elements of a problem and ensuring alignment towards a common outcome is an essential as we know “a problem well defined is a problem half solved”!
Most people understand the basic idea of finding the root causes of a problem, but very few actually get to them. This course will cover tools and techniques for analyzing and identifying root causes, and provide insights into how to know that the root causes have been determined. In addition the course will provide basic methods of collecting and analyzing data to understand the causes of problems and to focus on the critical issues.
Developing effective countermeasures (corrective actions) is actually very easy if the root causes have been determined. This course will provide methods for identifying and evaluating potential countermeasures and for developing an implementation plan.
Follow-up, sustainability of improvements, and continued confirmation of the countermeasures is an essential part of the problem solving process. It is imperative to develop a plan for ongoing follow-up to ensure countermeasures are continuously deployed and effective.
Learning Objectives:
In this session you will learn…
- How to avoid the most common mistakes made during problem solving
- A systematic approach for Problem Solving
- A process that is applicable to all organizations and all types of workplaces
- To differentiate between symptoms, causes, and the true problem
- To grasp the situation at the point of recognition and drive to the point of occurrence and point of cause
- How to apply lean tools to solve real world problems
- A common language for communicating activities and results
Facilitator Bio:
David Meier was first exposed to the TWI methods in 1987, and has applied them in many industries since that time. David Meier is an internationally recognized authority on Lean Manufacturing and The Toyota Production System (TPS). David is the co-author of the best selling books, The Toyota Way Fieldbook, (McGraw-Hill, 2005), and Toyota Talent, (McGraw-Hill, 2007) with Jeffrey Liker.
The modern workplace is certainly different from the workplace when the TWI programs were originally developed.
Toyota Talent provides greater detail for using the TWI Job Instruction method for the more complex jobs of today.
David has applied the TWI Job Instruction method to every type of work in many different industries, and can provide a more clear understanding of how to use this powerful method to develop talent within your organization!