A presentation about Toyota Kata for the ITSM.fi TOP 10 Conference. The presentation covers: * What is a learning organization * Introduction to Toyota Kata and mapping it to the learning organization model. * Introduction and example of Improvement Kata * Introduction to Coaching Kata * Introduction to A3 - templates

1. Toyota Kata
The Truth Behind the Myth of the Learning Organization
Teemu Toivonen
Tomi Lamminsalo

2. Tomi Lamminsalo works as
a developement manager in
Aalto University IT.
Tomi has used Toyota Kata
methods and tools
succesfully in a large
program.
Professional Interests:
Agile, Lean, coaching,
systems thinking and service
management.
Teemu Toivonen works as
manager of application
services in Aalto University
IT. Strong background in
Agile and Lean. Three years
of experience in Toyota Kata
problem solving and
coaching
Professional Interests:
Agile, Lean, coaching ja
systems thinking.

3. • Customers
– Students: 19 993
– Staff: 5 330
– 6 schools
– Stakeholders (mm. alumni, open uni
students): > 80 000
• Resources
– Budget
• Centralized IT: 17,4 M € / 425,3 M €
• Total costs of all IT in Aalto University
30,1 M €
– IT-staff
• 138,7 Centralized IT FTE
• 210,9 Total IT FTE
Photograph: Aino Huovio
ARTS alumni
Aalto University in numbers

4. What is a learning organization?
Discuss briefly with your partner, what you
think is a learning organization.

5. Manage by
developing
these
capabilities
Capability-1:
Systems design
and operation
Capability-2:
Problem solving
Capability-3:
Knowledge
sharing
http://troikka.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/what-is-a-learning-organization-part-13/

6. The Role of Toyota Kata
Toyota Kata

7. Goal for the event
You will have a basic understanding of the philosophy of Toyota Kata and how
it works. This will be achieved by a combination of:
• Short lectures
• Discussion
• Exercises
Engaging conversation is more important than quiet
listening so when you have a question or comment please
share it!

8. What is a Kata?
Kata is a routine or repeating pattern for doing
something

9. Why are habits and routines
important?
• Can someone describe shortly the difference
between driving a car:
– The first time they drove
– After several years of experience
Routines and habits are the bases for effective
and efficient action!

10. “We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
- Aristoteles
Toyota Kata is about creating habits that
create excellence.

11. The Philosophy Behind Toyota Kata
1. The second law of thermodynamics:
everything deteriorates over time
– There is no stable condition that can
be maintained
– The only solution is to improve
constantly
2. Grow people and maximize human
potential by engaging people to
continually improve as part of their
everyday work

12. Mentee
Improvement Kata Coaching Kata
Mentor
Toyota Kata
Philosophy:
• Continually improve as part of everyday work to get
better and fight entropy
• Grow people and maximize human potential by
engaging them in the improvement through Toyota Kata
Questions or
comments about the
overview?
Toyota Kata is two behavioral routines to realize these goals

13. Improvement Kata
Long term vision
”North Star”
1. Understand the direction
2. Understand the current
condition
3. Define the Next target condition
4. Experiment your way to the
target
5. Start over
Next target
condition
A good target
condition is abouth a
month away
PDCA-experiment
1. Hypothesis
2. Experiment
3. Result
4. Learning
PDCA experiment
your way to the target
Current condition
Understand deeply

14. 1. Long term vision
• Also known as “True North” or “North Star”
• Sets the direction for short term plans
• Is brief and describes the outcome and the
process
• Toyota manufacturing example paraphrased:
– “One piece flow, zero defects and 100% value
adding steps (no waste)”
• Does not need to be realistically achievable
• Choose wisely 

15. == TASK
This seems
important!
This seems
interesting
There is always too
much to do and by
random choices you get
nowhere
A team without a North Star

16. North Star
Things you
must do!
Things you
can do
Things you
can do
A team with a North Star

17. 2. Understand the current condition
• Understanding the current condition is the bases for going
forward and means going deeper than the superficial lever
– Involves Systems Thinking and a process viewpoint
• “Go and see”
It’s a lot harder to
really see than you’d
guess

18. 3. Set the target condition
• A target condition describes both the outcome and process
and can be achieved in 1-3 months
– In the beginning shorter is better for learning
• A good target condition is challenging
– Just right, not too easy and not too difficult
• You can start with skeleton target (challenge) and fill in the
details as you learn more (target condition)
A good target
condition is just
beyond where you can
see clearly

19. What are the obstacles?
• As part of understanding the current condition
and setting the target condition you gain
insights into the obstacles that are in your way
• Pick one (which one seems most important)
and start finding your way toward your target
condition one step at a time with PDCA
experiments

20. 4. PDCA experiments
What is your hypothesis?
Design a quick experiment
What is the expected outcome?
Run the experiment
“quick and light”
What was the actual outcome?
Was it what you expected?
What did you learn?
Time for a new plan!
or
How do I sustain the results?
Points of emphasis
Short iteration cycles Go and see Focus on learning

21. 4. Navigate towards the target with experiments
Find the route to the target by
learning from experiments and
focusing on the next step forward
based on that learning

22. Example: Weight lose
• I will be using weight lose as an simple
example of the concepts I’ll be talking about

23. Weight lose: North Star
• Enough exercise to stay on
good shape and relax
• Eat healthy and good food
• Spend quality time with
family and friends with
good energy
• Get enough rest and
downtime

24. Current condition: Weight lose
• Quality of food is poor and the
amount of calories is too big
– Especially too much carbohydrates
and fat
• Not enough exercise
– Running every 2 weeks
– Floorball every 2 weeks
• Weight 93 kilograms

25. Target condition: Weight lose
• Regular meal and snack
schedule
• Less calories per meal by
healthy composition of meals
• Exercise
– Running 2-3 times a week
– Floorball 1 time per week
• Lose 5 kilograms of weight in
3 months

26. Obstacles: Weight lose
• Meal sizes are too big – food is good and I like to eat
• Too busy and tired to get exercise.
– Mostly a feeling rather than a fact.

27. Experiment Expected outcome Actual outcome Learning
Eat smaller meals
• Lunch
• Dinner
Less food consumption
during the day
More unhealthy snacks
in the afternoon and
evening
Eating smaller
meals makes me
eat more snacks.
Lunch: Eat half
meat/protein and half
salad
Less calories during the
day and protein will
keep hunger away
Works out pretty much
as planned, except
when there is good
desert
Eating salad and
protein is good
diet choice and
makes it easy to
eat less.
Increase floorball and
running training by
making commitment to
friends to play once a
week and go running
twice
Social pressure will help
me get more exercise
At the beginning
difficult, but as it
became a habit it got
easier. Also exercise
feels more bursty than
steady running.
Social
commitment is a
good motivator.
New habits are
difficult in the
beginning.
Experiments: Weight lose

28. Improvement Kata
Long term vision
”North Star”
1. Understand the direction
2. Understand the current condition
3. Define the Next target condition
4. Experiment your way to the target
5. Start over
Next target
condition
A good target condition
is abouth a month
away. Describes both
outcome and process
PDCA-experiment
1. Hypothesis
2. Experiment
3. Result
4. Learning
Remember quick
experiment cycles!
PDCA experiment
your way to the target
Points of emphasis
Current condition
Understand deeply
Short iteration cycles
Go and see
Focus on learning
Questions before the
exercise?

29. Improvement Kata exercise

30. Improvement Kata exercise
• Make sure you have required tools to make notes:
Written guide / sheets to write on.
• Think of a problem and long term goal (2 min)
• Describe briefly what the current situation is (1 min)
• Choose the target condition (2 min)
• Choose first experiment:
– Experiment (1 min)
– Hypothesis (1 min)
– Actual Outcome (1 min)
– What did you learn? (2 min)
• What’s your next experiment? (1 min)

31. The Coaching Kata
The purpose of the Coaching Kata is to teach
and coach the Improvement Kata using real
world problems as practice.
Mentee
Improvement Kata Coaching Kata
Mentor

32. When do you need a mentor/coach?
The need never goes a way. You can spend a
lifetime learning the Improvement Kata and
still have need for improvement. The role of
the coach is to help you learn.
No one questions why world class athlete’s
need coaches. Why should work be different?

33. The responsibilities of the mentor
• Teach the basics of the Improvement Kata to
the mentee
• Develop the mentees abilities by coaching him
in the use of the Improvement Kata through
real problems/challenges
• The mentor can not give solutions to the
mentee, but is responsible for the results

34. Requirements for the mentor
The mentor must have first hand
knowledge and experience of
using the Improvement Kata.
The mentor must be involved in
the Improvement Kata in order to
coach properly. Don’t coach blind.

35. Focus on understanding
the long term direction
and current condition in
order to set a good and
challenging next target
condition.
Keep the target condition
clear in the mind while
focusing on the next step
towards that target
condition. A mindset of
experimenting and
learning is crucial.
Coaching Kata
Before the target
condition is set
After the target
condition is set

36. Coaching before the target condition is set
• Is there a clear and shared vision for the long
term goal to set the direction?
• Does the mentee understand the current
condition deeply?
• Does he know what is the next target
condition? Do you need to give him a
challenge that he can turn into the target
condition?

37. Coaching after the target condition is set
The five questions:
1. What is the target condition?
2. What is the actual condition now?
3. What obstacles are now preventing you from
reaching the target condition? Which one are
you addressing now?
4. What is your next step (PDCA experiment)
5. When can we go and see what we have learned
form taking that step?
From Toyota Kata by Mike Rother

38. The next step
The most important thing is
making sure that the next
step is clear for the mentee.
It is better for the mentee to
figure out the next step, but
if necessary the mentor can
decide it. Go and see XYZ!

39. Remember routines are powerful…
… even in coaching!

40. Coaching questions
1. What is the North Star?
2. What is the Current Condition?
3. What is the next Target Condition?
4. What is the first step?
1. What is the Target Condition?
2. What is the Actual Condition?
3. Which Obstacle are you working on?
4. What is your Next Step
5. When can we Go and See?
The purpose of the Coaching Kata is to
teach and coach the Improvement Kata
using real world problems as practice.
Coaching Kata
Before the target condition is set After the target condition is set
Key points
• Focus on guiding the Improvement Kata pattern
• Ask question, don’t give answers
• In unclear situations suggest: go and see
• Remind the mentee about the key aspects of
the Improvement Kata
• Short and frequent coaching discussions
• Is the next step clear?

41. Coaching Kata exercise

42. Coaching Kata exercise
• Take the pair you talked with earlier. Make sure you have required tools to
make notes: Written guide, pens, post it notes if needed.
• Choose roles: Problem Solver (Mentee), Coach (Mentor).
• Discussion 1, mentor asks (4 min):
– Long term goal?
– What is the current condition?
– What is the target condition?
– What is the next step (first experiment)
• Imagine you did the experiment.
• Discussion 2, mentor asks (6 min):
– What is the target condition?
– What is the new current condition?
– Which obstacle are you working on? What did you learn?
– What is your next step?
– When can we go and see the results?

43. A3 - template
A3-
document
Mentee Mentor
A3 is a single page document to support the
Improvement and Coaching Katas.
A3 – documents help to…
Create shared
understanding
Learn the Kata
Create structure
(thinking and coaching)
The A3 is not a form to fill! It is a living document that is updated
and revised throughout the Kata.

44. A3 and organizational learning
Solutions are documented
together with their context
The why behind the solutions
is also documented
A3 documents also reveal the
thinking process that lead to
finding the solution
Share the failures.
Worst practice is as valuable
as best practice

45. SUMMARY
• Remember it’s not about tools, it’s about creating
habits that create excellence and continual
improvement:
– Improvement Kata
– Coaching Kata
• If you want to study more you should definitely read
this book.
• Any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us:
– Teemu.toivonen@gmail.com, @number_9_
– Tomi.lamminsalo@gmail.com, @thelamminsalo
– http://troikka.wordpress.com
• Q & A