by Taiichi Ohno to train new members. This is part of the philosophy of genchi
genbutsu, which emphasizes going to the actual place to observe and under-
stand. During this exercise, the member is directed to stand and observe an oper-
ation carefully, and to identify the waste within the operation and the conditions
that cause the waste to exist. Members are often left standing for 8 hours or
more before the sensei is satisfied that they have seriously seen the waste.
Ironically, this is even harder to do when you’re already familiar with the oper-
ation. Because you understand the “reason” that the waste exists, you will be
inclined to rationalize its existence (why it is that way) and to conclude that
nothing can be done to improve it. During the circle exercise it is best to simply
acknowledge that the waste exists, without the need to explain it or to try to fig-
ure out how to “fix” it.
If the exercise is taken seriously, the amount of waste observed can be over-
whelming. A common reaction is to immediately seek out solutions to remedy
the situation. In Part IV, which deals with problem solving, we explain that the
first step is to develop a thorough understanding of the situation prior to begin-
ning corrective action. Standing in the circle for many hours will allow a thor-
ough understanding, which is necessary before any true countermeasures can
be identified.
The circle exercise may be likened to a distance race, such as the marathon.
(Though we have never run anything close, we all know people who have.)
About 20 miles into the 26.2 mile race, runners describe a sensation known as
“hitting the wall.” Some have described the physical aspect as a sort of “tran-
scendence” of the body. The circle exercise is similar in nature. During the
first few minutes to an hour, the mind is observing the larger issues and cap-
turing the “big picture” and might conclude that everything has been seen
and there is no need to continue. Stand some more! The real learning is just
beginning. Depending on the individual, it may take four to eight hours
before “hitting the wall” and transcending to a higher level of awareness.
This is an extremely powerful exercise. Do not view it as merely “standing
around.” Rather, use it as a method of “tuning” your awareness skill. Once
this skill is mastered, a shorter observation will provide a clear understand-
ing of the details of an operation. Fortunately, it will not require eight hours
every time!
Standardized Work as a Tool to Identify and Eliminate Waste
After you have mastered the ability to observe and identify waste, it is possible
to document the situation using the standardized work tools. Often standardized
work is thought to be mainly a set of instructions for the operator. In reality one of
Chapter 4. Create Initial Process Stability 61