Toyota’s Takumis are typically the first individuals to be tasked with the hands-on development of anything new; whether it be product or process-related. And where they make an invaluable contribution to the efficiency and effectiveness of Toyota’s NPPD&I processes is in ensuring that the actual production process is capable of producing the desired product with minimal – if any – follow-on refinements being required. They are able to perform their function in real or near-real time and help in avoiding/minimizing the need for iteration. Overall, Toyota’s use of Takumis makes the company’s new product and process introduction times much shorter than that of the competition. It also lowers overall development and implementation costs, and helps ensure world class JOB ONE quality.

PS – wherever there is a high probability of encountering the “UNKNOWN” (typically as a result of doing something that never before been done or attempted or where new technologies are being leveraged in some capacity), the Takumis’ ability to make a very accurate and timely translation and transition from the present state to a desired/targeted future state-of-being is a major aspect of Toyota’s historical, present, and likely sustained future competitive advantage.

In addition, there is a very strong linkage/interplay/interdependence between building, sustaining, and evolving both individual and collective competencies and capabilities AND the manifestation of rapid/adaptive problem-solving AT ALL LEVELS (via a LEADER-LEADER MODUS OPERANDI vs a Leader-follower modus operandi) throughout any and every high-performance enterprise.

Note: By way of aproviding a compelling example of this critical relationship/interdependency, below is a link to a brief (10-minute) animated video regarding the transformation of a US nuclear attack submarine (i.e. its crew) from being the WORST performing sub in the fleet to being the BEST… EVER SEEN… in the entire history of the US Nuclear Navy.

Here’s the link:

https://youtu.be/pYKH2uSax8U