FREE TOOL · NO SIGNUP
TOYOTA PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING
The Toyota Way's 8-step problem-solving framework, in a worksheet you can finish in one sitting. Clarify, break down, set the target, analyze root cause, develop countermeasures, see them through, evaluate, then standardize and yokoten (spread the lesson). Flags training-only countermeasures and blame-language root causes. Print or share when you sign it off.
FAQ
QUESTIONS PLANT MANAGERS ASK
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IMMEDIATE CAUSE AND A ROOT CAUSE?
The immediate cause is the mechanical or process failure. The root cause is why the system allowed it: the lubrication schedule was missing, the offset check was not in the standard work, the cleanliness procedure had not been audited. Most failed RCAs stop at the immediate cause and call it the root. The corrective action then fixes the symptom, and the failure recurs.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTION?
Corrective action fixes the specific instance permanently. Preventive action reads across to other lines, products, shifts, or plants where the same root cause could produce a similar failure. If your scrap problem on line 2 traced to a missing offset check, the corrective is to add that check on line 2. The preventive is to audit lines 1, 3, and 4 for the same gap.
WHEN DO I NEED A FULL RCA VERSUS JUST A 5 WHY?
Use a full RCA when the problem is high-severity, customer-facing, recurring, or has safety implications, and the corrective action needs documented sign-off. Use a 5 Why for everyday floor problems where the team can investigate, fix, and move on without formal review. The full RCA adds containment, preventive read-across, and 30/60/90 verification.
WHY DOES THE TEMPLATE WARN ABOUT TRAINING-ONLY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS?
Because retraining is the most common failed corrective action. It does not change the system; it just relies harder on the same operator who already failed. Real corrective action changes the process, the standard, the equipment, the visual signal, or the supervision routine. Retraining is fine as a step within a corrective action, but it is never the only step.
HOW LONG SHOULD CONTAINMENT LAST?
Containment is temporary by definition. It runs from the moment you discover the problem until the corrective action is verified, typically 30 to 90 days. If you find yourself doing 100 percent inspection on a containment basis for six months, the corrective action did not actually solve the problem and the RCA needs to be re-opened.
BUILT BY OPERATORS, NOT CONSULTANTS