Lean Book Discussion Group --The Toyota Kata Practice Guide

WHAT ARE WE READING?

The Toyota Kata Practice Guide: Practicing Scientific Thinking Skills for Superior Results in 20 Minutes a Day, 2nd edition published October 19, 2022 by Mike Rother.

Please look closely at the publication date; this edition appears to be currently available only in paperback format.

With special guest, Mike Rother!

DATE AND PRE-WORK 

May 25, 2023, 4-5pm. We'll focus on Part 1 and Part 3 in the book.

HOW TO USE THE BOOK!

The goal is to make the patterns embedded in the Starter Kata a habit in your team, through daily practice. Together, the Starter Kata convey a practical scientific thinking way.

Read parts I and III as a traditional book, to get an overview.

This is sometimes done in a discussion group, one chapter at a time. Part I provides background information about what you are practicing and why. Then, read Part III (the Coaching Kata) to get a picture of what daily Improvement Kata practice looks like.

Start using the TKPG.

Revisit Chapter 4 to help you set up your practice. Now reference Parts II and III one chapter at a time as you practice the corresponding Starter Kata and conduct daily coaching cycles. You may be in the Practice Guide every day, sometimes more than once a day, going back and referencing it.

Make it your own.

Once you've practiced the full set of Starter Kata their patterns should start becoming second nature. At this point you should be coaching some learners, using the Practice Guide as a coach's reference. Fill you copy of the book with annotations and notes about what works for you!

DISCUSSION LEADER

Ruth Archer is the Director of Continuous Improvement at Michigan Technological University, where she manages the continuous improvement activities for the university. At Michigan Tech, Ruth is responsible for training people on Lean thinking and integrating continuous improvement into the day-to-day activities of students, faculty, and staff. In addition, she teaches courses on Lean principles, teamwork, and communication. Ruth is also the president of the Superior Leadership Institute, where she coaches others for leadership excellence and creates and delivers training on Lean and continuous improvement, leadership development, and managerial skills. Ruth has a BS in Electrical Engineering, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in business administration with a specialization in organizational psychology. Before working at Michigan Tech, she served in the United States Air Force. She held multiple positions, including aircraft mechanic, test equipment designer, aircraft electromagnetic signature collector, radar modeler, and current and future radar engineer. Ruth is the chairperson for the Americas Division of the Lean Higher Education Global Steering Committee and an examiner for Michigan Performance Excellence (MIPEx).

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