Toyota Kata Learning Workshop

Toyota Kata is the practice of daily continuous improvement that has been at the heart of the Toyota Production System for decades. Revealed by the research and writing of Mike Rother, Toyota Kata helps groups make great strides toward developing systematic problem-solving for all employees, building coaching and development skills, enabling self-direction, and creating a culture of daily continuous improvement.

This three-day hands-on course provides the best way to learn the Improvement Kata (IK) and the Coaching Kata (CK): working with both classroom and real-world processes in an actual work environment. The course includes an introduction to IK/CK, and hands-on classroom practice. Participants then work in groups of 4-6, with each group focused on a specific process at the host facility.

The IK/CK routines you will practice are:

1. Understand the Direction. Practicing should be related to real business needs and organizational objectives. Improvement is not a theoretical exercise, and IK/CK practice is more effective when it involves meeting actual challenges and goals. 

2. Grasp the Current Condition. Understanding the Current Condition relative to the overarching Direction is done through the systematic steps of Process Analysis (PA). PA is a routine that enables anyone to quickly define the process capability and pattern of work.

3. Establish the Next Target Condition. Developing a Target Condition, with an achieve-by date, is an objective that will stretch you and require experimentation, discovery and new learning in order to be achieved.

4. Iterate Toward the Target Condition. In this step, you conduct experiments against obstacles to gain further knowledge and improve the process in the direction of the Target Condition.

5. Regular Coaching Cycles. These cycles are where the Learner works iteratively toward the Target Condition. It is a systematic routine for structured dialogue between the Coach and Learner.  The Coach uses the Coaching Kata to provide procedural guidance and adjust the Learner's practice, as necessary.

Facilitator for the course:

Jeff Fuchs has over 20 years of lean experience. Since 2008, Jeff has served as Executive Director of the Maryland World Class Consortia, helping member organizations understand lean methods. He is the past chairman of the oversight committee managing the SME/AME/Shingo Institute/ASQ Lean Certification and is the primary instructor of a Lean Leader Certification course designed to meet the requirements of the Lean Bronze Certification standard. Jeff is an active advocate and coach for groups seeking to understand and apply the Toyota Kata method.

Breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon refreshment will be provided on each day.

Close-toed shoes are required in Stulz-ATS production area.  Other PPE will be provided, as necessary.