TWI Summit 2009

There is still time to sign up for the 2009 TWI Summit! Looks like TWI is spreading into many diverse industries: apparrel, healthcare, construction, shipbuilding, semiconductor are just a start!

Darcy Montgomery and Stacy Kerkhof will present a Reebok case study. Mark Graban, author of Lean Hospitals, will discuss TWI in healthcare. Intel and IBM will present their case studies, by James Hyder and Jeff Maling, respectively. Jeff has been at the frontlines of repatriating TWI thinking back into U.S. industry, for several years now and is a member of SME Chapter #204. Jeff and I have spent way too much time pouring through the "new" concepts presented in books he has dug out of the past, even as far back as 1915 where the first "pull vs. push" system was described in detail.

And there are more breakout sessions than ever. Don Dinero will conduct a Job Methods breakout session and David Meyer is back with Tracey Richardson to demonstrate Problem Solving as a companion to TWI. Hal Macomber will also hold a breakout session on "Quick N' Easy" kaizen, where Hal has adapted J-session thinking to daily continuous improvement. I think this will be one of the most intriguing as Quick N' Easy is the logical conclusion of Job Methods training. One problem with Job Methods training is that it doesn't reach down far enough in to the organization, nor does it often go high enough. This is a common problem with Lean programs in the U.S. and Quick N' Easy kaizen is a way to get EVERYONE involved.

As important as the summit is to me, I won't be attending this year. My wife and I had other plans - our fourth son is due on May 21! So, wish us luck and have a great summit. I will see you next year!