Dr. Shigeo Shingo was a Japanese industrial engineer and quality control expert, specifically on Japan’s Toyota Production System and manufacturing processes.
Key Process Points
- An entire workflow in manufacturing consists of two elements: process & operations.
- Process → Examines the flow of materials in time and space.
- Operations → The work performed to accomplish this transformation, by operators and equipment.
- Postmortems are an effective way of analyzing judgments made after the fact so that leadership can learn from those mistakes and avoid repeating them again.
- Kaizen is a process led by an experienced facilitator called a “sensei” (teacher) who teaches a cross-functional team of people how to identify and eliminate waste, unevenness, and unreasonableness, so that people can focus their efforts on value-added work. Kaizen facilitated correctly results in the simultaneous achievement of several favorable outcomes, including improved productivity, quality, and working conditions; reduced lead-time; lower costs; and improved communication and morale. Kaizen is a process for learning and should be fun and engaging. If not, then kaizen is being practiced incorrectly.
Improvement Processes
Some concepts spearheaded by Shingo:
- Poka-yoke → A term in Lean manufacturing that means "mistake-proofing" or "error prevention." It involves designing processes or systems in a way that makes errors impossible or immediately noticeable, reducing the likelihood of mistakes.
- Single-Minute Exchange of Die, SMED → A Lean tool employed to minimize the transition time between executing different processes in an operation. This aids in lowering cycle time, cutting costs, and enhancing flexibility. The term "single-minute" signifies the objective of achieving an exchange duration measurable in single-digit minutes.
Key Process Points
The Shingo Model
The following points are derived verbatim from Shingo Institute.
- Respect Every Individual – This means treating everyone in an organization with respect and as a human being with potential. An example of this would be creating an employee development plan that allows employees to maximize their potential.
- Lead with Humility – Leaders should seek input from others and always be willing to learn. Such leaders can create a culture where employees feel respected and energized.
- Seek Perfection – Perfection cannot ever be achieved, but the pursuit of perfection creates a culture of continuous improvement.
- Embrace Scientific Thinking – Experimentation, observation and a systematic exploration of ideas enables organizations to constantly improve and refine “our understanding of reality.”
- Focus on Process – Every outcome is a function of a process. Understanding current processes and improving them leads to better outcomes. Problems usually involve processes, not people.
- Assure Quality at the Source – Improved quality can only happen when every aspect of a process is done right the first time. Errors should be detected and corrected at the point of creation.
- Flow & Pull Value – Organizations create value for customers when they respond to real demand and create a continuous and uninterrupted flow. Anything that disrupts continuous flow of value is a waste.
- Think Systemically – Only understanding every part of a process and how they interconnect can lead to better decision-making and improvements.
- Create Constancy of Purpose – An organization’s purpose and goals should be clearly communicated and understood by all. There needs to be “an unwavering clarity” on why the organization exists, where it is going and how it will get there.
- Create Value for the Customer – This is the foundation of everything. All value in an organization must be created by defining what a customer wants and what they are willing to pay for. Not doing so makes a company unsustainable.
Memorable Shingo Quotes
- “There are four purposes of improvement: easier, better, faster and cheaper. These four goals appear in the order of priority.”
- “The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize.”
- “A relentless barrage of ‘whys’ is the best way to prepare your mind to pierce the clouded veil of thinking caused by the status quo. Use it often.”
- “Even the greatest idea can become meaningless in the rush to judgement. To gauge an idea as feasible we must cut our ties to the status quo and find the balance between constructive criticism and judgment. Within that balance we will uncover crucial input for making our ideas a reality.”