Succeeding with Work Method Standardisation: Using the Power of TWI Job Instruction
Training Within Industry (TWI) is often referred to as the forerunner of contemporary lean thinking, being developed in the US over 70 years ago to support the war effort. It is still practised by Toyota and in recent years there has been a renewed interest and a resurgence in the application of TWI methods, led notably by the TWI Institute. TWI originally aimed to rapidly train and develop new staff in order to increase in productivity, quality and occupational safety. It included the development of three managerial skills, considered necessary for leaders and workers. This article focuses on the Job Instruction element of TWI, which helps connect the written work standard with the actual practice on the shop floor and teaches the technique of delivering effective on-the-job training that ensures people reliably perform a task exactly the way it should be done to get consistently good results.
