Comments on: Ten (Mostly) Common Misconceptions About Toyota & Lean http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tim McMahon http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/#comment-5683 Tim McMahon Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:16:34 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about-toyota-lean/#comment-5683 Thanks for sharing this Mark. As the author debunks these common misconceptions about Toyota he offers a definition of a Lean Enterprise. One in which defines Toyota. Thanks for sharing this Mark. As the author debunks these common misconceptions about Toyota he offers a definition of a Lean Enterprise. One in which defines Toyota.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Bruce Baker http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/#comment-5680 Bruce Baker Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:01:55 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about-toyota-lean/#comment-5680 Good post / article.<br />I have found misconception #1 (knowledge of muda but not muri and mura) to be pretty common. Looking at it another way though, aren't muri and mura just causes (not root cause but items in the causal chain) of muda and 'problems.' That is the way that I began to look at them after finding them in the wild (I don't know - comments would be appreciated on that.) Kind of like I think that the 8th waste of intellect is really not a waste but a cause of the 7 classical ones. The difference is largely academic in practice but an interesting philosphical point.<br />I question Misconception #5. I haven't run into two many people who think that Toyota is run by a 'powerful IT system'. <br />I would suggest an 11th misconception. I have run into a fair number of people who have done light reading about Toyota and TPS who have read autoNOmation (jidoka)as automation. I think this these are typically people who have read an article or two and walk away thinking that Toyota hedges on a lot of robots. Kindo of sad that something close to being diametrically opposed is probably true. The whole point is to mantain the'human touch' or intelligence and to reduce the capital load on the financials. Has anybody else run into this misconception about one of the TPS pillars being automation? Good post / article.
I have found misconception #1 (knowledge of muda but not muri and mura) to be pretty common. Looking at it another way though, aren't muri and mura just causes (not root cause but items in the causal chain) of muda and 'problems.' That is the way that I began to look at them after finding them in the wild (I don't know – comments would be appreciated on that.) Kind of like I think that the 8th waste of intellect is really not a waste but a cause of the 7 classical ones. The difference is largely academic in practice but an interesting philosphical point.
I question Misconception #5. I haven't run into two many people who think that Toyota is run by a 'powerful IT system'.
I would suggest an 11th misconception. I have run into a fair number of people who have done light reading about Toyota and TPS who have read autoNOmation (jidoka)as automation. I think this these are typically people who have read an article or two and walk away thinking that Toyota hedges on a lot of robots. Kindo of sad that something close to being diametrically opposed is probably true. The whole point is to mantain the'human touch' or intelligence and to reduce the capital load on the financials. Has anybody else run into this misconception about one of the TPS pillars being automation?

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Mark Welch http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/#comment-5677 Mark Welch Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:55:16 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about-toyota-lean/#comment-5677 Neutron Jerk, glad to see you back! Since I formerly worked for a company that was run by his "offspring" your moniker alone speaks volumes to me.<br /><br />Mark, interesting post, and the point about Toyota using only technology that serves their customers/people/processes instead of having "monuments to technology" (immovable, inflexible, etc.) rings true with all I've learned. I've been told at Toyota at one time that to tell their production crew what models they were imminently going to make, a colored ball would roll down a chute. This was their "scheduling." I'm sure it's different now and they do what serves their purposes - highly technical or not - but the point remains - does this technology serve enhance our process? Where I work we seem to think technology is most always the answer. We still need to get to the point of "does this technology serve our processes to deliver value to our patients or are we subserviant to the technology." Neutron Jerk, glad to see you back! Since I formerly worked for a company that was run by his "offspring" your moniker alone speaks volumes to me.

Mark, interesting post, and the point about Toyota using only technology that serves their customers/people/processes instead of having "monuments to technology" (immovable, inflexible, etc.) rings true with all I've learned. I've been told at Toyota at one time that to tell their production crew what models they were imminently going to make, a colored ball would roll down a chute. This was their "scheduling." I'm sure it's different now and they do what serves their purposes – highly technical or not – but the point remains – does this technology serve enhance our process? Where I work we seem to think technology is most always the answer. We still need to get to the point of "does this technology serve our processes to deliver value to our patients or are we subserviant to the technology."

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Neutron Jerk http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/#comment-5676 Neutron Jerk Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:56:57 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about-toyota-lean/#comment-5676 There are some worthwhile aspects of that article, so thanks for sharing, Mark.<br /><br />In his intro, he said something like how he didn't intend his article to supplant the work of Liker and Spear... wow, was he really afraid of that? That struck me as sort of an arrogant tone to start a piece with. Who is this guy anyway? There are some worthwhile aspects of that article, so thanks for sharing, Mark.

In his intro, he said something like how he didn't intend his article to supplant the work of Liker and Spear… wow, was he really afraid of that? That struck me as sort of an arrogant tone to start a piece with. Who is this guy anyway?

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: rearden215 http://www.leanblog.org/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about/#comment-5675 rearden215 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:47:46 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/10/ten-mostly-common-misconceptions-about-toyota-lean/#comment-5675 Toyota brings out the best, and some say the only, qualities of a modern IT implementation: a glorified filing cabinet system.<br /><br />The wetware still makes the decision, regardless of how many Larry Eillisons one throws at the problem. (My apologies to Fred Brooks for robbing his line.) Toyota brings out the best, and some say the only, qualities of a modern IT implementation: a glorified filing cabinet system.

The wetware still makes the decision, regardless of how many Larry Eillisons one throws at the problem. (My apologies to Fred Brooks for robbing his line.)

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>