The Toyota Template: The Plan for Just-In-Time and Culture Change Beyond Lean Tools

Many current companies are in a similar position to Toyota prior to development of the Toyota Production System regarding efficiency and culture. Many are attempting to implement a Lean system, but the failure rate is very high. The primary reasons are lack of will, lack of skill, or some combination of the two. Toyota is the benchmark for any Lean implementation -- therefore, adopting and adapting the "Toyota template" is the only way to have a real and sustainable Lean implementation. In the development of the Toyota Production System, Taiichi Ohno left a "template" of important and critical concepts/methods. The Toyota Template explains and develops this template in an orderly and easy-to-understand fashion. The template orders the activities/concepts/methods for a successful implementation. Fujio Cho, the first President at Toyota in Georgetown, said, "Many good companies have respect for individuals, and practice kaizen and other TPS tools ... but what is important is having all the elements together as a system. It must be practiced every day in a very consistent manner, not in spurts." The tools individually aren't a system that is consistently practiced. Ohno's primary goal was not to form a "Lean culture"--His objective was rise to the level of US auto makers in three years and to fulfill Kiichiro Toyota's idea that parts should arrive "just-in-time." In so doing, the Lean, problem-solving culture became a byproduct. The template explains the cultural value and how it occurs. Implementation of the Toyota template will develop an efficient, Lean culture in any organization