How Shuhari Focuses Teams on What Matters:
Creating a detailed project schedule using tools like Microsoft Project is essential. However, a schedule with over 1,000 lines may be useful for a few individuals, such as the project manager, but it’s often too complex for others to fully review or understand. How can we ensure the team comprehends and follows the schedule?
Do you often find yourself struggling to find project data in the maze of folders that are scattered across your team’s shared drive? Are you wasting valuable time searching for critical information in disorganized files? If so, you’re not alone. Inefficient data management not only impedes productivity but also violates the principles of lean manufacturing, echoing Toyota’s notion of Seven Muda – the waste of time, resources, and energy.
The use of a checklist for a project or APQP tasks is considered a good practice. However, ensuring the accuracy of these checks and verifying that the checker has indeed assessed each item’s actual result can be challenging, especially when checklists are large, such as over 1000 items. Moreover, it’s often unclear whether the checker possesses expertise across all functions, leading to the checklist merely becoming a document of checked boxes.
Continue reading “Beyond task checkmarks, “Trust but Verify” Approach”
Imagine a construction project where the initial plan was to build a small cabin, but it gradually morphed into a mansion. Sound familiar? This is the essence of ‘scope creep,’ a common project management nightmare. Uncontrolled changes to the project scope can lead to significant delays, budget overruns, and even jeopardize the project’s success.
“Shuhari” (守破離) is a Japanese word that describes the three stages of learning and mastery. The three stages are:
Shu (守 – “follow”): In this stage, the student diligently follows the teachings of a master or a specific set of rules. The focus is on learning and mastering the basics. The student learns by imitating and absorbing the knowledge and techniques passed on by the teacher.
The Shuhari Process and System serves as a robust framework for standardizing recurring processes and projects, providing a streamlined approach in just four simple steps:
1. Define Phases: Establish clear phases to delineate the progress of your project and ensure everyone is on the same page.
2. Define Deliverables: Specify the key deliverables expected at each phase, providing a roadmap for success and clarity on project goals.
Continue reading “Standardization for any recurring process/project”
Shuhari Process and System helps to organize knowledge and information about your project. The knowledge can give your team a significant advantage and influence the success of the project.
Empowerment: Knowledge empowers your team by giving them the tools to make informed choices and take effective actions. It enables your team to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and influence outcomes.
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is known for its principles of efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement principles. At its core is the foundation of Standardized Work, with pillars of Just-In-Time (JIT) production and Jidoka (autonomation: detect abnormalities and respond), all under the roof of achieving the highest quality, the shortest lead time, and the lowest cost.
In New Product Development (NPD), TPS and NPD share similar goals: both strive for excellence in quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. So how can we apply TPS principles to NPD?
Continue reading “Apply Toyota Way Principles to New Product Development”
A strong project leader is essential to the success of any new product development effort. Such a leader must possess both the experience and the comprehensive skill set to effectively guide his or her team toward the ultimate goal. At Toyota, there’s a concept known as ” Genba,” a Japanese term that refers to the place where the real work is done. Embracing Genba means going to the source and seeing firsthand what’s happening on the ground. I had the privilege of experiencing this firsthand when Toyota’s managing director visited the plant where I was leading a project.
New product development is a complex endeavor that involves hundreds or even thousands of tasks, each contributing to the transformation of a concept into a tangible product. In such a dynamic environment, it’s critical to provide young engineers with opportunities to expand their experience, skills, and knowledge. This is where the Shuhari Process shines.
Continue reading “Cultivating Talent in New Product Development”
