The Twi Workbook: Essential Skills for Supervisors (with CD) by Patrick Graupp

by Patrick Graupp

Winner Of The 2007 Shingo Prize For Excellence In Manufacturing Research! "What can we do to make more people productively useful?" Striving to answer that question more than 60 years ago sparked the development of the most powerful training methodology that has impacted U.S. industry -- Training Within Industry (TWI). During World War II, major production increases were demanded by the U.S. military - TWI, which trains supervisors, was developed comprising three separate Job Instruction -- how to instruct employees so they can quickly remember to do a job, correctly, safely, and conscientiously Job Methods -- how to improve methods for producing greater quantities of quality products in less time by effectively using available workforce, machines, and materials Job relations -- how to lead employees so that problems are prevented and analytical methods are used to effectively resolve problems Toyota was the earliest company to adopt TWI after World War II, and this methodology planted the seeds for the development of the Toyota Production System -- the gold standard of manufacturing excellence.In The TWI Essential Skills for Supervisors, Patrick Graupp and Robert Wrona teach supervisors how to apply a four-step method for each of the three respective programs with numerous examples and exercises. In these exercises, supervisors will participate in hands-on application of the four-step method to actual jobs and employee problems from their own worksites. In addition, a CD companion includes blank forms needed to complete the exercises and implementation case studies.

Mass Market Paperback

First published February 13, 2006

Reviews

[Bob Wallner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is TWI and how can it be successfully implemented? That is the over all theme of this book. I am passionate about lean and when I hear authors like Liker and Graban discussing this topic...It peaks my interest.

For a short book (under 200 pages) it took me a long time to read. I thought this book was really well written, but it is not a "sit down and read" type book. TWI is an action based methodology ... This book comes with several activities which made it tough sometimes to read. I love the methodolgies and I understand why successful companies like Toyota and Honda have adopeded much of these practices...or maybe they are successful because they adopted these practices.

My favorite section was on Job Relations. In my past life I was in charge of people, many people. I had never been trained on any of the JR. I had learned from listening to my father (a long time supervisor on the railroad and a high respected one) and trial by fire. I think we assume that if we put supervisors in the position they will "figure it out" from past experience I know that is not the best way.

I would definitely recommend this book and I think a copy with the JR pages flagged might get slipped into the Operations Manager's office.

[Mike Thelen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't know what TWI is, you'd better start reading. It was one of the foundations of the TPS.