The Toyota Way

Chapter 13Principle 7: Use Visual Control So No Problems Are Hidden

Mr. Ohno was passionate about TPS. He said you must clean up everything so you can see problems. He would complain if he could not look and see and tell if there is a problem.

—Fujio Cho, President, Toyota Motor Corporation

 

If you walked into most manufacturing plants outside Japan in the 1980s, you would see a mess. But it was what you would not see that was most important. You would not be able to see around the piles and piles of inventory that were stacked to the roof. You would not be able to tell whether items were in place or out of place. Certainly you could not see if there were problems with how work was being done, as Taiichi Ohno wanted. The accepted dysfunction ...