Learn to discover the talents in your organization, the right key workers - who will be able to fill a desired function. Both relative to your TWI trip and in conjunction with other change projects.
Our Approach with TWI
There are a few good things to be done in order to get a good start. One thing we always recommend is to visit one of our current customers who have started working with TWI. Please contact us to get in touch with companies that fit your situation.
In addition to this, we have develop a T3 Enabling Process, that will enable you to develop your organisation so it becomes a natural part of your culture.
This TWI T3 Enabling Process is divided into 3 main phases, build on the 40-20-40 model, that illustrates how the outcome of a development activity, should not just be seen as a event - with a narrow focus on the training itself, this model was develop by Robert O. Brinkerhoff.
Based on our learnings working with TWI for many years and change and learning management theory. We work after the thinking around these 4 questions, when you need to change you culture:
- What is the desired culture?
- What organisation structure, roles and responsibilities is needed to support this culture?
- What abilities does this pull, to fill out the roles and responsibilities?
- What is the current stage compared to the desired future stage?
The 7 starting steps
1. The formation of a Steering Group
The first step you need to undertake is to design the framework for managing your TWI launch, including determining sponsors, steering group members, and a TWI champion.
Once you have chosen your TWI steering group, it is wise to study and make sense of TWI and - so that you have the knowledge required to support the launch and the subsequent journey. This can be done by reading books and articles, participating in TWI introduction workshops, attending TWI and Toyota Kata conferences or summits, or possibly by making company visits.
Afterwards, the steering group may favorably write down the first thoughts about a start-up plan, extent and resources, and not least why TWI is chosen. This is an important part as proper preparation is a necessity to ensure sustainable implementation. It is important to understand which problem the company wants to solve with the introduction of the TWI programs. Some companies use A3 tools to clarify these parts.
You can find additional inspiration and information in the form of articles, books, videos and activities in the form of workshops and conferences on in our Our News and Cases
We also strongly recommend that you focus on how you will handle the change process, here we have develop a process that
2. Identify Pilot Project and Team Members
To ensure the best start to a TWI process, we recommend that you begin with testing in a minor area. You start on a small scale and then build the structure according to a sequential method. When selecting these pilot areas, you may keep in mind that it must be a current problem that you need to solve.
Here it may be beneficial to continue working with the above-mentioned A3, which we recommend that everyone from the steering group sign with a pen, to ensure proper commitment (like a contract). Here there can also in some cases, be a need for a mother and daughter A3´s.
Once you know your pilot areas, the next step is to select you supervisors.
We provide a training in selecting the right Supervisors. This may be used with advantage when selecting the pilot area. (for more information click on the picture below). The importance of putting together the right team may be crucial to your success in the pilot project.
By clicking on the picture below, you can read more about our Spot the Talent program.
3. Basic training and practice period in TWI
In this step, we recommend three minor steps where we as an officially certified TWI Institute partner can assist you with the right TWI courses, coaching and certification. That is, 10% training, 20% coaching and 70% practice to master a skill. This will help increasing your success in the pilot project. It's important that team members feel that they are qualified before they go "live". During this period, the group members will prepare themselves to go live in the pilot area. The length of this period will vary relative to the organization and the maturity of the process.
4. Carry out pilot project
In the pilot project itself, the team will now use the method in the pilot area.
During the pilot project, it is important to support, coach and continuously guide the pilot project team. In this way, the risk of failure will be reduced. The focus here should be on the improvement process and on creating and maintaining good relations with workers.
An important part of the implementation of the pilot project is that executives perform a confirmatory process with their employees to ensure that the pilot team has practiced effectively. That is, the worker is sufficiently qualified and motivated to follow what has been learned. This is a difficult process to carry out and requires good leadership skills and training - so you don't create guilt and shame among the workers.
NOTE: Be sure to have valid data before starting the pilot project and make measurements during and after the pilot project - so that there is valid data to demonstrate the impact of the pilot project.
5. Publication of the results of the pilot project
For a wider expansion of TWI, the results of the pilot project are of crucial importance. Therefore, it is important before, during and immediately after the actual pilot project to make measurements of the effect. When this is done, the next step is to clarify the reactionary results and not the rational results in order to make an impression on the rest of the organization.
This makes the work of spreading TWI and/or Kata to the rest of the organization a lot easier. Talk speaks well for itself and is a good catalyst for opening the "doors" of those who have not been part of the pilot project.
6. Develop internal TWI trainers
Choose your future TWI 10-hour course trainers from the pilot project group. Then let them participate in a TWI Institute-certified 40-hour "train-the-trainer" course. After this they will be ready to train their own TWI 10-hour courses and coach new supervisors in TWI.
7. Roll out TWI on a larger scale
When you undertake the expansion of TWI on a larger scale in your organization, we strongly recommend using the same model as the one used above. Each time you start a new area, it means repeating steps 1-5 again - and maybe step 6 as well.
Be careful to:
- Spread TWI slowly but steadily
- Not all areas at the same time
- Make sure you have the management's commitment
- Continue coaching your supervisors
Keep in mind that these 7 pillars should only be seen as inspiration for your launch plan. Feel free to contact us when you're about to get started with this important planning process.