Experimentation is a significant part of TPS and is one of the ways in which Toyota achieves the rather impressive targets it sets for itself. Organizations are encourage to test, learn from the results and out of the groups comfort zone.
Using an iterative design and test philosophy it allows the company to meet the significant goals that Toyota sets itself through a series of small steps in a very straightforward and pragmatic way. With in Toyota this is known as Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) and is the cornerstone of the development cycle.
One very well documented product development cycle was the Prius hybrid model.
The goal set was to design a production ready environmentally friendly car that increased efficiency 100% over the benchmark.
The team went off tested, researched, modelled and tested some more. They researched advanced petrol, direct injection diesel, turbocharged small engines technology even cutting edge fuel cell technology and nothing could deliver much more than a 50% efficiency improvement.
The team was sent back to do some more work. They ended up going to another division and looking at hybrid technology that was largely theoretical and a long way from production ready.
The first experimental drive train did not work. Then second started, but was not enough. With each round of testing something new was leaned and these results were used to modify the engineering test articles for the next round of testing.
The same series of small steps and testing was being repeated in battery design, again in chassis development and once more in production processes.
There were significant issues that were over come. Batteries would not hold a charge if they were too hot or cold. The stressed small engines failed prematurely. The constanly variable gearbox drained too much power. The first running prototype broke after 120 meters on it’s first run.
One by one these were over come, sep by step the team had created a production ready hybrid in less than 3 years from concept to production ready.
One of the aspects of the TPS that allows the experimentation to carry on at a comparatively frenetic pace is the open communication (it keeps coming back to the open communication). Mistakes are acknowledged, problems are re-examined all ideas are considered and a decision is made using all date and considering all viewpoints. This means the system is tolerant of failures, the open communications makes it a learning experience for all involved.