This is an introductory presentation about Toyota Kata and its approach to deliberately developing skills for consistently and sustainably achieving challenging target conditions, in the contrast of usual lean implementation projects.

1. Toyota Kata
精益套路
from “Lean Implementation” to “a lasting
Lean Transformation”
Dario Spinola
戴睿

2. About this Material
Presentation prepared by:
Dario Spinola (戴睿)
Marcus Chao (赵克强)
Zhang Dong (张冬)
Ken Liu (刘健)
Adapted from Toyota Kata material (University of Michigan) and Slideshare
from Mike Rother (TK Handbook).
Thanks to BILL CONSTANTINO and MIKE ROTHER for continued
encouraging, coaching and support.

3. Content
1. Introduction – background of what we’ve learned so far with Lean
2. Deliberate practices for learning new skills
3. Improvement and Coaching Kata
Kata is about practice new skill to develop new behavior pattern
4. How to deploy Improvement Kata
5. Q & A
3

4. What We All Have Learned So Far
TPM
Kanban Manufacturing Cells
SMED
5S
Standard Work for Visual Systems
Leaders
Kamishibai
Poka Yoke
Operational Standardized Work
Management
Heijunka VSM
Our Lean Solution Tool Kit Box
4

5. Let’s See Some Visible Examples Of What We Know
And What To Countermeasure In Some Apparent
Problems (Wastes)
5

6. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM:
Transferring of
parts from
process A to
process B.
6

7. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM: POSSIBLE
COUNTER-
Transferring of MEASURE:
parts from
process A to Flow: arrange
process B. layout to put
process A and B
together.
7

8. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM:
Operators
waiting to
work.
8

9. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM: POSSIBLE
COUNTER-
Operators MEASURES:
waiting to
work. •Supermarket
kanban;
•Assembly cells
9

10. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM:
Space used is
too high.
10

11. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM: POSSIBLE
COUNTER-
Space used is MEASURE:
too high.
•U-cell layout
arrangement
Cell Area
47,4 m2
11

12. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM:
Oil leakage,
dirty,
equipment
flaws.
12

13. How Can We Address This?
PROBLEM: POSSIBLE
COUNTER-
Oil leakage, MEASURES:
dirty,
equipment •5S
flaws. •TPM
13

14. How Can We Address This?
Production
Planning
PROBLEM: Supplier
High WIP and
not meeting
customers’ I Injection Assembly I
needs.
Several Part Numbers
14

15. How Can We Address This?
Production
Planning
PROBLEM: Supplier POSSIBLE
COUNTER-
High WIP and MEASURES:
not meeting
customers’ I Injection Assembly I •Pull System
needs. through kanban
Several Part Numbers
supermarket
and Heijunka
Production
Planning
Injection Assembly
15

16. How We Usually See Those Problems
We quickly (usually unconsciously) use our past experience (knowledge) to
address solutions for visible problems.
… but in most of those cases the “achievements” are done as periodic
improvement and usually designed by small group of people.
… and we commonly see failing on the programs, back to old way.
Reference for reading: Why Lean Programs Fail (by Jeffrey Liker and Mike Rother)
16

17. Two Key Questions
1. How can we get the people to deeply learn and develop those
countermeasures?
2. How can we develop the people to sustain what’s achieved and truly
keep improving it through continuous and small improvements?
17

18. Here’s the Systematic Approach
18

19. Back to the Two Key Questions
1. How can we get the people to deeply learn and develop those
countermeasures?
2. How can we develop the people to sustain what’s achieved and truly
keep improving it through continuous and small improvements?
Here’s the main context where we are more interested to apply
deliberately new behavior.
The learning for question 1 will come naturally as effect.
19

20. “KATA”“套路”
方 The suffix kata means way of doing.
套路 就是做事的方式
It refers to a pattern of behavior, which can
be practiced to become second nature.
它是一种行为模式，可以通过练习而成为本
能。
Next slide contains a video of a
conversation between Mike Rother and
Marcus Chao, and Mike explains the
definition of kata.
20

21. BEHAVIOR = UNCOUNSCIOUS HABITS
Quick Experiment
Usual way = unconscious, quick, feel normal and comfortable
Other way = deliberate, slow, feel strange
21

22. Kata Develops New Mindset
With kata a new set of behavior (pattern) can be
steadily developed and ultimately a new mindset
is reached.
As the new pattern of practice is
incorporated into individuals,
groups and, ultimately, covering the
entire organization, a kata culture
can then be established.
22

23. Brain: How We Learn New Things
Learning something new  Rearranging the way our brain works.
Over repeated practices the neurons pathways are created and strengthened:
FAST THINKING, HABIT (NEW BEHAVIOR), COMFORTABLE.
Next slide contains a video illustrating how our brain works in terms of
learning new things.
23

24. Learning by Deliberate Practice
Deliberate daily practice Learn new SKILLS to deal
of IMPROVEMENT KATA with any change and
and COACHING KATA adaptiveness.
toward Goals (Target
Conditions).
Two powerful “PRACTICES” to make it
happens
24

25. Why to adopt Kata approach?
(Benefits)
Kata is about Management and Leadership for:
• Meet company’s goals
• Define the “know- how” that people need to develop
solutions and constantly adapt (not learn the Solutions,
because the conditions are constantly changing)
• Solve problems
• Generate continuous improvement
25

26. IMPROVEMENT KATA 改善套路
1 In consideration of a vision or direction…考虑愿景或者方向
2 Grasp the current condition. 掌握现状
3 Define the next Target condition. 确定下一个目标状态
4 Move toward that target condition with PDCA, which uncovers
obstacles that need to be worked on. 实施PDCA朝目标迈进，
在这个过程中会发现许多需要克服的障碍。
2 4 3 1
Current Target Vision
Obstacles for
Condition Condition Customer
现状 障碍 目标状态 愿景
26

27. DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS 解决方案
Obstacles 障碍
We are Plan is We want
made here
Here Unclear Territory to be here
在这里
我们在这里 制定计划 next
不确定的区域
我们想要
This is a grey zone! 这是一个灰色区域 到达这里
27

28. In most processes there are many problems,
wastes and opportunities to improve
绝大多数的流程中有许多的问题和浪费，
因此也存在大量改进的机会
Problems / wastes / opportunities
问题、浪费、机会
Current
Condition
现状
28

29. We tend to ask, “What can we do to improve?” hunt for wastes or
respond to problems, and work to eliminate them
在解决问题的过程中，我们会问:“能改善什么？”
Current
Condition
现状
Random Improvements!
Don’t learn much!
29

30. The improvement kata is a different approach，we ask:
”What do we need to do?”
“改善套路”采用一种不同的方式，当我们向下一个目标迈进
时，我们会问：“需要做什么？”
Target
Current Condition
Condition 目标状态
现状
PDCA cycles toward the next target condition
通过PDCA循环向下一个目标迈进
30

31. Note the difference!
注意两者之间的不同点！
Current
Condition
现状
Target
Current
Condition Condition
现状 目标状态
31

32. A LINEAR VIEW OF THE IMPROVEMENT KATA
改善套路的步骤
Setup for good PDCA
为PDCA做准备
Understand Grasp the Establish the PDCA Toward to
the Current Target Target Condition
Direction Condition Condition
理解企业的愿景 掌握现状 确定 通过实践PDCA向
目标状态 目标迈进
32

33. INGREDIENTS FOR LEARNING A NEW SKILL
学习新技能的要素
PRACTICE METHOD
练习 方法
The pattern or routine to
Learner repeatedly
be practiced 练习的模式
applies a pattern,
following guidelines for The Improvement Kata
effective practice 改善套路
学员根据教练的指导
持续地练习 COACHING
辅导
Learner receives guidance in
practicing the pattern
每日Daily 学员在练习过程中，会有教练
来辅导
33

34. Coaching Kata
Coaching Kata is the way to develop the leaders as
coaches who have the responsibility for teaching the
improvement kata every day.
With the Coaching Kata the coach
(teacher) guides the learner to
move forward with the learning of
the new way of thinking and acting
(kata) as well as doing
improvements by achieving target
conditions.
34

35. THE FIVE QUESTIONS 5个问题
1) What is the target condition?目标状态是什么？
目标状态
2) What is the actual condition now?现状是什么？
Target
3) What obstacles are now preventing you from Condition
reaching the target condition? Which one are
you addressing now? 障碍是什么？正在解决
哪个问题？
4) What is your next step? 下一步做什么？
5) When can we go and see what we have
learned from taking that step? 何时我们可以去
实地观察并看看结果，我们从中学到了什么？
35

36. EACH STEP IS A PDCA CYCLE TOWARD THE TARGET
CONDITION
Next
Target
Condition
Target
Next Step
Condition
Next Step
Next Step
Use the five questions
at each step
Current 每步都问5个问题
Condition
36

37. WHEN TO USE THE FIVE TK QUESTIONS
Understand Grasp the Establish the PDCA Toward to
the Current Target Target Condition
Direction Condition Condition
理解企业的愿景 掌握现状 确定目标状态 通过实践PDCA向
目标迈进
Coach Learner Coach Learner Coach Learner Coach Learner
教练 学员 教练 学员 教练 学员 教练 学员
37

38. THEREʼS AN OVERLAP OF RESPONSIBILITY
BETWEEN COACH AND LEARNER
教练和学员的职责相互连贯
学员负责实践
The learner is responsible for the DOING.
教练的职责是保证结果，但又不能直接给学员解决方案
The coach is responsible for the RESULTS, but
cannot give content solutions to the learner.
这种相互依赖的关系促成了教练和学员之间的合作，像
图中两个人跑步。学员思考达到目标状态的步骤，教练
思考如何教导学员达成目标状态
This overlap creates a dependency bond between
the coach and learner, like two runners in a three-
legged race. The learner is thinking about the steps
to the target condition, while the coach is thinking
about how the learner is approaching it.
38

39. 教练要检查学员是否在“改善的轨道”上
The coach is checking that the learner
is using the improvement kata correctly
Is the learner here? Thinking & Acting
学员在正确的轨道上吗？ 思考并行动
Corridor of
Improvement Kata
改善套路的轨道
If not 1. Go & See when any doubt in mind. 有疑问时，到现场去观察
如果不在 2. Gather more facts or collect data. 收集更多的事实和数据
39

40. STEPS TO APPLY LEAN KATA
应用精益套路的步骤
READ 阅读
LEAN KATA
COURSE 参加
精益套路的课程
SKILL-BUILDING
PRACTICE
培养技能的训练
Focused practice
重点练习:
-Grasp CC 掌握现状
-Define TC 确定目标
状态
-PDCA cycles PDCA循环
Reference:
通过“精益套路”或者”Toyota Kata at UM”，亲身体
DAILY PRACTICE
验套路的实践。
每天练习
40

41. WHAT IMPROVEMENT KATA GIVES TO YOU
套路可以带来什么
 A way of practicing PDCA and continuous improvement
一个能够把PDCA持续下去的模式
 Makes people more capable of improving processes and meeting
challenges
克服挑战时必备的思想和做事的模式
 Generates better teamwork - because people focus on target condition
and share common method
更有效的团队合作 -因为员工都关注共同的目标，并使用相同的
方法
41

42. HOW TO START WITH LEAN KATA
如何启动精益套路
1. Start with a small group (3-5 people) 从小范围开始（3-5人）
2. Select one process to practice
选择一个流程进行练习
3. Apply disciplined daily practices
有规则的每天练习
4. Periodical external coaching
可以聘请外部顾问指导
5. Increase the number of people and other processes as you
evolve with the Kata skills.
当你掌握套路后，增加参加的人数，扩展到其他流程
42

43. Feedback from Lean Kata Workshop
精益套路学员反馈
 科学的改善实践 Kata is a scientific method to implement kaizen
 先做再想 take quick actions to check out before too much analysis
 好的习惯走向成功 this is a good habit to march toward success
 传统改善的点 VS 精益改善的面
The traditional point kaizen Vs lean Kata: broader scope of learning
 改善可以积少成多 you can accumulate many small Kaizens and then
make big achievement
43

44. Quick Reflection
•Think about your lean journey until now.
• Any reflection?
• What Kata can bring to you?

45. Thank you !
Dario Spinola
dspinola@taktica.com

46. BACK UP SLIDES

47. CURRENT CONDITION & TARGET CONDITION FORM
47

48. PDCA CYCLES RECORD
48

49. PDCA CYCLES RECORD
49

50. PROCESS INFORMATION
50

51. TYPICAL OPERATORS BALANCE CHART
51

52. PDCA Cycles / Coaching Cycles
52

53. EXAMPLE OUTPUT OF A PROCESS ANALYSIS
流程分析的例子—我们也会做同样的练习
Line Pace
生产节拍
Overview 概览
(first impressions)
Machine capacity
设备产能
Process stability
流程稳定性
Necessary # of
operators
操作者的数量
53

54. EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTATION ORIENTATION
Typical Action-List
Such lists and plans =
deciding in advance how we
will get there
Yet the situation changes
as we move forward!
So we are not experimenting
and learning.
This is not an effective way of stimulating our ingenuity!
54

55. YOU HAVE TO PERSONALLY & REPEATEDLY GO and SEE
必须亲身不断地到现场去观察
55

56. Depict from Mike Rother handbook material.
56

57. Hoshin Kanri, Toyota Kata & VSM
Hoshin Kanri
Improvement Kata
CC Obstacles TC TC Challenges Challenges Vision
Time Line
Coaching Kata
Ideal State
LEC / Taktica / LSSI