Kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking - The Scientific Thinking Mechanism
Book DescriptionOnce again Dr. Shigeo Shingo will amaze you. Along with Taiichi Ohno, Dr. Shingo co-developed TPS (LEAN) with his deep understanding of how to improve the overall process of production. Dr. Shingo reveals how he taught Toyota and other Japanese companies the art of identifying and solving problems.Many companies in the West are trying to emulate Lean but few can do it. Why not? Possibly, because we in the West do not recognize, develop and support the creative potential of every worker in solving problems. Toyota makes all employees problem solvers. Dr. Shingo gives you the tools to do it.It is an easy to read brilliant book!Dr. Shingo presents six unique models, the sum of which he calls theScientific Thinking Mechanism.These frameworks allow groups to deconstruct problems and rebuild them into powerful improvement ideas. This concept is central to Toyota Production System (TPS) and provides the necessary foundation for any Lean Initiative to be built upon.Praise for the Book“Dr. Shingo was a master of Kaizen, he had the scientific training and innovative genius to deeply understand processes and the humility to realize that he needed the operators to take ownership. We are fortunate to have this new opportunity to gaze deeply into the thinking of one of the true geniuses behind TPS —Dr. Shigeo Shingo.”From the foreword by Jeffrey K. Liker, Ph. D.,New York Times best–selling author, The Toyota Way“This book contains a myriad of case studies taken from office examples as well as the shop floor. It is a gold mine of improvement ideas that cumulatively must have saved millions, and could still do so today!”Don Dewar, President & Founder, Quality Digest Magazine“Kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking is a revealing book and is the genesis manuscript to the Lean Manufacturing mindset. It captures the fundamental thought process to structure problem solving activities and is the foundation to all essential aspects of the Kaizen philosophy. Truly a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and frameworks to embolden you to change existing practices!”Michel Mestre, Ph.D. Professor, Northwest University“For those of us who have revered the work of Dr. Shingo, this is an exciting work. More so than any other of his books.”Bill Kluck, President, Northwest Lean Network“Practicing Kaizen (the habit of making small improvements) eludes many people. Dr. Shingo’s Scientific Thinking Mechanism replaces the hope for a flash of creativity with a reliable and learnable habit-building approach. Thanks for making this Rosetta Stone for Kaizen available to the world.”Hal Macomber, Principal, Lean Project Consulting, Inc.What you will learn from Shigeo Shingo?Dr. Shingo explains the ethos of Toyota’s production system, with examples of how other companies benefited and struggled with these principles.Kaizen and The Art of Creative Thinkingis the genesis guide to the foundations of the Toyota Production System.How to create an innovative company and cultureHow to manage a creative environmentHow to focus your resources for successful growthHow to create an internal engine of idea generationHow to harness the true value of improvement, andHow to unlock human potentialDr. Shingo’sScientific Thinking Mechanismwas born in the 1950’s and has never been fully revealed to the West. This is Toyota’s secret weapon. From this day forward you will now have the power and knowledge to start the process of implementing your own Lean system.--From the Publisher