Page 400 - The Toyota Way Fieldbook

Chapter 17. Plan-Do-Check-Act 373

This is the phase most people can’t wait to get to. It can also be a frustrating time
if change happens but the desired results do not follow! It’s likely you will have
to train yourself and others to develop the patience and skill necessary to thor-
oughly evaluate the problem and carefully analyze to find the root causes. This
temporary postponement of implementation gratification (don’t jump to solu-
tions) will provide greater returns in the long run. Some key points to remember
during the Plan-Do-Check-Act phase are:
◆ Always consider short-term temporary countermeasures for immediate
benefits.
◆ Divide larger tasks into smaller segments, with assigned completion dates
and measurements for each portion.
◆ Responsibility for an action item does not mean that the responsible person
has to do the task. They are responsible for the outcome and for ensuring
progress.
◆ The only way to verify results is to ensure that an effective measurement
process is in place prior to implementation so that a before and after com-
parison can be made.
◆ Once your solutions become a reality, it will probably be necessary to make
adjustments. Follow genchi genbutsu, and carefully observe the new process
to verify that it is free from major problems.
◆ Always conclude your process with a look to the future. Continuous
improvement means forever! Set the expectation that the process of improve-
ment is never complete.

Reflection Activities
Many people mistakenly place a high importance on the “action”
phase of problem solving. It is thought that “making things hap-
pen” is the most important step in getting results. In fact, the
most important step in getting exceptional results is in effective-
ly identifying the root causes. If you have identified the root
causes, the necessary corrective actions should be clear, and
when implemented will produce the desired result. Take your
time to ensure that the correct root causes have been identified
prior to beginning the corrective actions.
1. Evaluate performance results in your organization. Do they
show the desired improvement resulting from your problem
solving activities?
2. Evaluate recent problem-solving or continuous improve-
ment activities to determine the overall effectiveness.