Training Within Industry: The Foundation of Lean [With CDROM] - Hardcover

by Donald Dinero (Author)

The Training Within Industry (TWI) program, developed by the US during World War II, has been used by Toyota for decades. Winner of a 2006 Shingo Prize for Excellent in Manufacturing Research, this book elucidates the history and application of the four modules that comprise TWI. The author explores a crucial piece of a Lean initiative that is often overlooked. He demonstrates how to train employees to perform their tasks as quickly as they are capable with minimal waste, improve their processes using existing resources, solve personnel problems in an analytical, non-emotional manner so that employees stay focused, and develop robust training plans to meet the particular needs of a specific plant.

Author Biography

Donald A. Dinero is a Lean consultant with MainStream Management, LLC. As such, he draws on over 30 years of industrial experience in engineering, manufacturing, and independent consulting. Don's first Lean project was actually done in 1985, before the term Lean was coined. His success with that project and subsequent experiences has led him to the realization that a company's culture is at least as important as its employees' technical knowledge. To this end, he chose to complement his engineering and MBA degrees with a degree in human relations, with a concentration in Organization Development. Consequently, Don considers himself fortunate to be a member of the MainStream team, which emphasizes organizational development activities in its lean implementations. During Don's first encounter with TWI, he immediately recognized it as a necessary link between mass production and Lean production that is often missed. After concentrated study, he now sees how TWI can also form the basis for developing a learning organization.

Don resides in Rochester NY with his wife Maureen and invites and welcomes your questions and comments. He can be reached through his web site, www.RoundPondConsulting.com.