I’m really excited to share the initial artwork for my upcoming book “Super Lean.”
Big thanks to the wonderful cover artist Maja Kopunovic, whose portfolio you can view on Instagram.
Stay tuned for release and launch details. Very best wishes, Simon.
Life has a wonderful quality that brings you down with a gentle bump when you think you know about something.
Every so often, along comes a timely reminder that thankfully restores one’s sense of humility and draws you back into the “shu” stage of “shu-ha-ri,” and that blissful state of learning.
I used to think that I was relatively well versed in TWI (Training Within Industry.) It was a delight to find out that I was not.
A work colleague clued me in on “The TWI Facilitators Guide” by Donald A. Dinero, and I immediately sought to buy a copy. I am so delighted that I did.
TWI, or Training Within Industry, has its origins in the war economy of 1940’s USA. Companies needed to find solutions to boost productivity, and required to do so with an influx of new and inexperienced staff.
As Dinero explains, four men stepped forward to help from US industry. Their names were C.R. Dooley, Walter Dietz, M.J. Kane and William Conover. They may not be as celebrated as Sakichi Toyoda, Taiichi Ohno, Daniel Jones, or Mike Rother, but their legacy lives on, and this book is a celebration of that.
It is clear that Dinero believes deeply in, and is passionate about the TWI “J” programs. It is this passion and belief that permeates every word in this work. I do not doubt that this project was a labour of love.
The outcome is probably one of the most definitive tomes on the subject of Training Within Industry. Dinero’s attention to detail is simply stunning, as is his faith in the original training content. No point, however small, is left unchecked or unexplored, and it is clear that the book is one giant set of cascading Job Breakdown Sheets.
To apply TWI to write about TWI is simply masterful.
The book covers all three of the TWI programs, namely Job Instruction, Job Methods and Job Relations. Admittedly, the bulk of the material is on the Job Instruction Four-Step Program, but this is to be expected.
That is not to say that Job Methods or Job Relations are treated lightly. They are not. Even after a decade in Continuous Improvement (I am still learning), I found much that was refreshing in Dinero’s explanations on Job Methods and ECRS Logic.
What I also saw was Dinero’s rigid belief in the primary tenets of lean. Have respect for people and take responsibility for creating a supportive, learning environment. He touches on the psychology of lean, concerning the way that people interact with this body of knowledge. I am convinced that this is where the future of lean lies, and I suspect Dinero believes this too.
Excitingly, Dinero does not narrow the scope of the book to talk merely of the programs.
The author also supplies a roadmap to lead you from the original concept, through to selling the idea, onwards to initial delivery and forwards into a sustainable training system. This level of information is a fantastic addition. It makes the TWI topic something that is actionable, and this, after all, is the only reason that you should read this book – with the intention of application.
This book is a very welcome addition to my lean library, and one I would urge all interested lean practitioners to read. It is rewarding in so many ways, and the supplementary materials provided are fantastic.
An easy five stars.
Simon D. Gary is the author of the new book “Super Lean – Unlocking Your Company’s Million Dollar Edge.” Stay tuned to this blog for further details.
