Challenge
The UT Center for Industrial Services trains manufacturers on how to effectively practice “Kata”, a Japanese form of continuous improvement. CIS needed a better way to help those manufacturers maintain a Kata state of mind, and know they are correctly practicing the principle.
Approach
CIS teaches manufacturing firms Kata in their innovative workshops. Kata requires diligent practice to be effective, but unfortunately, most facilities forget how to practice Kata and fall back into their old ways. So we created a web-based app that walks the user through the Kata steps and records their result to the cloud so everyone can view their progress. This allows for a repeatable process with trackable results.
Results
CIS has been able to give manufacturing facilities access to the Kata app after their workshop. The app empowers the facilities to continually improve their processes without the need for a CIS facilitator. The facilities use the app to instill a lasting change on their workforce culture and thinking.
