Isao Kato’s Standardized Work Goes Global Through TWI Institute

Agreement Between Isao Kato and TWI Institute Enables Improvement on a Global Scale

Syracuse, New York – The TWI Institute and the acclaimed Isao Kato, formerly Toyota’s “Master Trainer”, announce a strategic agreement which gives the Institute exclusive global rights to teach and advise on Mr. Kato’s authentic Standardized Work methods and practices. Based on Kato’s training materials, TWI Institute will develop coursework as a proprietary offering for the global market. The Standardized Work programming begins in July 2021.

Standardized Work defines a standard, or “the one best way”, for any given process. The standards become the common reference points for the way tasks are performed in manufacturing, healthcare, and most other industries. In fighting the negative effects of instability, such as variation and inconsistency, Standardized Work’s value also is in providing baselines for continuous improvement and Lean management initiatives.

Isao Kato’s contribution to the legendary Toyota Production System cannot be underestimated. He spent 35 years with Toyota Motor Corporation working in manufacturing, human resources, training, and supplier development. During this period, Mr. Kato worked under the direction of Toyota’s famed Taiichi Ohno developing training material for the burgeoning Toyota Production System (TPS). Mr. Kato was known at Toyota as “the father of standardized work and kaizen courses” and a master instructor of Training Within Industry (TWI).

TWI is a dynamic and proven method of hands-on training, learning, and coaching for supervisors, team leaders, and workers. TWI was introduced in 1940 by the United States Department of War and operated within the War Manpower Commission until 1945. It was originally developed to meet the high demand for wartime materials from a smaller and less-experienced workforce.

About this strategic agreement, Scott Curtis, president and CEO of the TWI Institute said, “Today, Training Within Industry remains relevant because of its unique methodology that empowers people on the frontline. TWI goes hand-in-glove with Standardized Work and prepares leaders and teams to build better skills, better relationships and better results.”

More information on Standardized Work programming is available here.