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

the machine goes down the next process keeps working off of inventory anyway?
When machine shutdowns choke the next process so it also shuts down, there is a
sense of urgency to fix the machine and do your preventive maintenance.
Also, the tools are there to support waste elimination, not as stand-alone
tools. Take reducing changeover times, the main benefit of which is that you can
change over more often, reduce batch size, and support leveled production. But
as a stand-alone tool, we’ve seen many companies use changeover reduction to
simply produce more parts and make even larger batches. This clearly sends the
wrong message.

Company X Production System Approach

Now let’s jump way up to the total organization level. Let’s say the vice president
of manufacturing decides to get serious about lean. Through reading, benchmark-
ing visits, or a few successful kaizen events or hot projects, this executive proclaims,
“We need a true lean production system.” This is a noble vision and ultimately
something we want with lean.
We have assisted in a number of “Company X” production system creations.
One of the largest was the creation of the Ford Production System in the mid-
1990s, or should we say re-creation, since TPS was originally based on Ford’s
system. The story in each case is the same as the summary in Figure 19-4. The con-
sultants work with internal lean staff, with involvement of others in the company

408 THETOYOTAWAYFIELDBOOK

Characteristics

Create standard operating system

Focus on education and training

-- Understanding & buy-in

-- Convincing upper management

Typically large, multiplant organizations

Staff-centered deployment

All advances together in standardized approach

Focus on right lean metrics

STRENGTHS

• Lots of opportunity for
  buy-in


• Consistent message across entire
  organization


• Common language and vision for
  organization


• Standarized practices as basis for kaizen


• “Lean” metrics promote right behavior

TRAPS

• VERY SLOW Progress


• $$ Expensive $$


• Invites lots of useless debate, resistance


• People without lean experience may be
  shaping modifications and compromises
  of lean principles.


• Often feels overwhelming, leads to stalls


• Bias is toward PowerPoint presentations
  rather than action.


• Development before experience can lead
  to vacuous operating system

Figure 19-4. Strengths and traps of X production system approach