Toyota Way Fieldbook : A Practical Guide for Implementing Toyota's 4Ps

JUST AS THERE AREmany potential causes and root causes for any problem, there

isalwaysmore than one way to solve anyproblem! The creativity of the problem

solver is an important aspect of the Toyota Way of thinking, so there are few

absolutes regarding the best approach; however, there are some key concepts to

guide the evaluation process. The typical process would include:

1. Broadly consider all possibilities.


2. Narrow the list by eliminating impractical solutions or combining similar
   items.


3. Evaluate based on simplicity, cost, area of control, and the ability to
   implement quickly.


4. Develop consensus on the proposed solution.


5. Test ideas for effectiveness.


6. Select the best solution.

Broadly Consider All Possibilities

Many a young engineer at Toyota has worked very hard to detail a solution

with great pride. He or she shows the solution to his boss or mentor with great

enthusiasm and a bit of trepidation, since the mentor is an expert in the field

and will find some weakness in the proposal. The mentor barely bothers to go

through the solution and supporting documentation but instead asks if that is

Consider Alternative

Solutions While

Building Consensus

Chapter 16

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