Training for Standard Work – Use TWI Job Instruction to create a foundation for Standard Work

Sustaining Standard Work – Using Training Within Industry

Bring Standard Work (SW) into a lean discussion, ask what does it mean and inevitably one will hear all the key words and phrases:- demand based flow manufacturing, reduced cycle times, minimum levels of raw materials, reduced waste & rework, standard job sequencing, consistent quality, improved customer service/delivery times and continuous improvement. It involves calculating Takt times, implementing Kan-bans and introducing standard work practices with timings.

Steps involved in implementing Standard Work usually involves

  1. Identify and define best practice ( standard work) that delivers on quality, customer service and cost
  2. Document that best practice – usually with some visual content.
  3. Site the documents at the workplace where the process is being executed.
  4. Train everyone to the best practice as defined in the standard work.

Sounds straight forward and after-all it’s relatively easy to calculate Takt times, implement Kanbans and rollout standard work practices with timings. Yet in many cases the Standard Work implementation will be a cherry-picking of Lean Tools and Toyota Thinking. Things soon seem to falter and the expected continuous improvements never happen and no-one really knows why. Great effort goes into implementing all the Lean tools, frequent 5s audits, Takt time checks and systems, marking out floors and Kanbans, loads of visuals.

But how much focus is on developing that ‘best known method’ or Standard, for actually doing the steps/tasks in the job. How well is it documented and how well are people trained to it? Do they understand and are they only using the best known method or standard? Have they a suggestion for a change that might improve the standard and if so how is this captured?

If they are doing the job as per the standard or are not reaching Takt time, is the reaction to go to non-conformance or engage with employee and check is there a step missing from the procedure or perhaps there is a better way and the standard can be improved via a mini-kaizen.

Taiichi Ohno is often quoted as declaring: “Without a standard, there is no kaizen.”

Training Program to Establish & Sustain Standard Work

One of the key ingredients in making Standard Work stick is Training.The development of good standard work is a fundamental key to lean success... If you want to be successful with standard work, there is no alternative other than TWI job instruction.When TWI is correctly applied, standard work will not only sustain kaizen improvements, but also expose and eliminate previously unseen waste.

Training Within Industries, was introduced by the American War dept. in WWII. They needed an effective but simple training methodology to quickly train new workers hired to replace all the folks who had gone to the front. After WWII it was introduced into Japan to help rebuild its industrial base. It is a well-proven methodoloy that has long been a 'hidden part' of the Toyota Production System. Using TWI J-Programs, people skilled in describing work, instructing work, and sustaining worker relations can develop and hold standard work. Inability to hold standard work is one of the major reasons why lean initiatives stagnate instead of progressing on toward autonomous, daily improvement. This workshop focus’s on the TWI job instruction program.

Training Within Industry (TWI) – Job Instruction.

TWI Job Instruction is a way to get a person to quickly remember to do a job correctly, safely, and conscientiously. Participants learn to follow this 4-step method in actually instructing people in doing their jobs. There are three main elements to TWI Job Instruction.

  1. Define, Develop & document the best known method or ‘the standard’ for carrying out a task, using job breakdown sheets ( JBS),
  2. Train out the task from the Job Breakdown sheet using the TWI 4 step-method. Should always done on a one-to-one basis
  3. Follow up and sustain to ensure method becomes practice, with formal coaching & monitoring. This also identifies opportunities for continuous improvements & Kaizans.

Measuring training effectiveness is a further benefit of TWI-JI. The data gathered from the ongoing follow-up coaching sessions can be used to measure how well the method has become practice, by checking if each person is following all the steps all the time in the right sequence – ideally this should be one hundred percent.

Other measures are training times, retraining times, Human error related Non conformances. If timing is added it could be used for work load balancing. Standard work is required before Continuous Improvement or Kaizen can be implemented successfully

Data Sources that feed into establishing & Sustaining Standard Work

From this training a company will need to know where and how do they start implementing SW. A sample of potential data sources might include

  • Pareto site issues
  • Customer complaints
  • Non-conformances
  • Site KPIS / Metrics
  • Resources required
  • Document structure

TWI –JI because it’s so simple and effective is applicable to any task regardless of industry or sector – examples of tasks or jobs are washing-hands effectively, gowning-up, changing a tire, starting a car and taking off, wiring a plug,

Pulling the perfect pint. Tying fishing / climbing/sailing knots.

Figure 1: Developing and Sustaining Standard Work -The role of TWI JI

TITLE:TWI Job Instruction

TWI Job Instruction is a way to get a person to quickly remember to do a job correctly, safely, and conscientiously. Participants learns to follow this 4-step method in actually instructing people in doing their jobs

Learning Outcomes

Participants will learn how to analyze tasks and develop job-break-down sheets.

Participants will be able to deliver on-the-job training using the TWI 4-step method.

Outline of Content

TWI Job Instruction is a 2-Day Workshop, consisting of 5 by 2hr classroom sessions, coupled with hands on experience and application time for each participant. Learning by doing is a key element of the workshop.

Day 1 Session 1:

  1. TWI Overview
  2. 4 Needs of an Organization
  3. Five Needs of Good Supervisors
  4. Job instruction.
  5. Demonstration of Faulty Instruction (Telling Alone, Showing Alone)
  6. Demonstration of Correct Instruction
  7. Four Steps for Job Instruction

Day 1 Session 2:

  1. Volunteer Instruction Demonstration – Job Breakdowns
  2. Breakdown of the Fire Underwriter’s Knot (simulation exercise)
  3. Breakdown of a Sample Job
  4. Get Everything Ready, Arrange the Worksite

Day 1 Session 3:

  1. Training Timetables – Example – Trainee Practice
  2. Two Practice Instruction Demonstrations and Comments/Feedback
  3. Breakdown Practice of Demonstration Jobs

Day 2 Session 4:

  1. Explanation of Training Timetable by Trainees
  2. Four Practice Instruction Demonstrations and Comments/Feedback
  3. Breakdown Practice of Demonstration Jobs
  4. Special Instruction Problems (and how to handle them)

Day 2 Session 5:

  1. Three Practice Instruction Demonstrations and Comments/Feedback
  2. Breakdown Practice of Demonstration Jobs
  3. Summary and Conclusions

TITLE:TWI Job Instruction

Job Instruction Training Benefits:

  • Standardize Development of Training Materials
  • Standardize Training delivery & Training Times.
  • Easier to understand instructional materials supplement bulky word documents.
  • Effective and consistent Job Instruction training of employees

Job Instruction Training - Performance Benefits:

  • Eliminate variations in how a job is carried out.
  • Improved job performance by the individual (Safety, productivity, quality, cost)
  • Improved capability of the workforce (skills, flexibility, attitudes)
  • Develops competence through Enhanced retention and re-use of learning

Job Instruction Training – Standard work / CI Benefits:

  • Assist in developing and sustaining Standard Work.
  • Follow up coaching and checks confirm process adherence
  • Identifies Opportunities for Continuous Improvements & problem solving.
  • Promotes daily worker/Supervisor engagement & conversation.
  • Allows effectiveness of training to be measured.

A graduate of Electronic Engineering from NIHE ,Noel Wilson has over25 years experience in the Manufacturing / Vision care industry; including 10 years with SOLA Lenses (Engineering), 12 years with Bausch 8 Lomb (Training) and with Vistakon (Training).His roles have included technical trainer, L&D specialist, TWI trainer, training specialist and training manager. In addition he has worked as a mobile phone software designer for Ericsson. He also attained the IITD Dip.in T&D. In his spare time he is a qualified coach tutor ( Sporting Ireland) with the National Camogie Association and delivers the level 1 & level 2 programmes to club coaches across the country.

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