Kata Ambassador and master coach Bill Costantino at work.

Kata Ambassador and master coach Beth Carrington at work.

Interior today.

(LtoR) Bill Costantino, Mike, Sandra Hines, Beth Carrington, Jay VanderZwaag, Jeff Kane

Teaching TK at Wittenborg University, Netherlands

From left to right: Master coach (2nd coach), Coach, Learner, and the process being improved.

Seattle... Spot the TK sticker.

Getting ready to practice a coaching cycle at Bainbridge Graduate Institute. Left = learner, Right = coach. The learner's bib has instructions for the coach, and the coach's bib has instructions for the learner. (A tip of the hat to Bill Costantino; Bainbridge course instructor and creator of the bibs.)

University of Michigan Toyota Kata 3-day Course. Host site = Sunrise Windows, Ltd.

Andreas Ritzenhoff (CEO of Seidel GmbH) and Gerd Aulinger are Kata practitioners of the first order. I learn from them every time.

Once you've established a target condition, relax and concentrate on the next step. Be in the moment, and apply PDCA. You'll only see the full path in hindsight.

A Toyota Kata study group.

Go fast, land smoothly.

Presenting with Gerd Aulinger at the 'Production Systems 2011' conference in Stuttgart. (Gerd's thought cloud reads: "Um, you about finished?!")

Toyota Kata process analysis being conducted by members of WILO SE in Dortmund, Germany

Four Toyota Kata routines to practice.

Bernd Mittelhuber finds 'Learning to See' at the Toyota Museum of Industry & Technology, Nagoya.

University of Michigan Toyota Kata 3-day Course. Host site = Sunrise Windows, Ltd.

The five questions that comprise a coaching cycle.

October 2009.

Mark Graban, Steve Bell, Mike, Mike Orzen

From L to R: Clark Reynolds, Meryl Runion, Lesa Nichols, Mike, Mike Mulholland

Kata Ambassador Gerd Aulinger leading the Kata Practitioner Day in Frankfurt on November 18, 2011.

Shopping cart race, Ann Arbor.

A 'target' is an outcome, whereas a 'target condition' describes how we want a process to operate... so that the outcome will be achieved.

Nice one from Prof. Mareike Heinzen at the Koblenz University of Applied Sciences

Image by Alex Salkin

The newest TK icon... 'Oops, bad target condition'.

Jeff is Director of the Maryland World Class Consortia. Photo taken at the 2011 AME conference in Dallas.

Levels of skill development at Modine Manufactuing Company.

The five questions that comprise a coaching cycle.

With apologies to Willy Wonka

EN:

Day #027 In Lithuania's past you can find interesting moments. For example

in electronics, an old prototype of a "modern microwave oven". The inside is

made of white foam (usually used in house construction or packing TV's in

the boxes). :D

LT:

Day #027 Lietuviškos elektronikos kuriozai: šiuolaikinės mikrobangės senas

prototipas. Dėmesio! Vidus iš putplasčio :D Visgi yra Lietuvoje genialių

protų ir darbščių rankelių.

Lenzr with an online photo contest with the chance to win a $250 dollar photo licensing for your great technology contrast photos thanks to a mrp software company with the specialty in continous improvement.

Thank you to Alex Salkin

My friend and co-author tries on a Tesla.

Group One - Process Maps. Current State and Future State

cmsprod.uis.kent.edu/about/yourtrainingpartner/programs/l...

1989... Kio gets us started on the Toyota path. Photo taken at the Industrial Technology Institute in Ann Arbor. Rick Fleming is second from right. Mentor Jack Cragen in the suspenders.

Exterior, 1915. Manchester Street, Detroit.

The mentee (learner) applies the improvement kata to a work process. The mentor (coach) teaches the improvement kata by coaching the learner's practice.

If the learner is not learning the improvement kata or the target condition is not being reached, examine the coaching.

Win an Apple iPad2 with this online photo contest that is free and easy showing good dental habits with photo images that show our appreciation for the Toronto dentist who help us care for our teeth.

Plans, circa 1913.