Shigeo Shingo's Association with the JMA Group

Shigeo Shingo joined the Japan Management Association (JMA) as a management consultant in 1945.  Regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of manufacturing for his contributions to improving manufacturing processes, he has been described as an “engineering genius.”  He has authored several books including, A Study of the Toyota Production System; A Revolution in Manufacturing: The SMED System; Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and the Poka-yoke System; The Sayings of Shigeo Shingo: Key Strategies for Plant Improvement; and Non-Stock Production: The Shingo System for Continuous Improvement.  While working for the JMA, Shingo supported Toyota in developing the Toyota Production System and SMED.

One of his first projects was at Hitachi Ltd.’s vehicle manufacturing plant in Kasado, Japan.  It is there that he dispelled the notion that processes and operations are separate, parallel entities, but instead they form a “network of processes and operations”.  He also explained that the objective of production was to improve the process, not the individual operations, and that any improvement to the operations must be measured by its contribution to the improvement of the process.

By 1948, Shingo had begun teaching classes on production technology at several companies throughout Japan.  He later became manager of the Education Department, and the Computing Department.  In 1950, while working at Toyo Kogyo, Shingo found that setup operation is composed of “internal setup” (IED) and “external setup” (OED).  Seven years later at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding’s Hiroshima shipyards he further developed SMED with the concept of shifting IED to OED.

In 1954, Morita Masanobu of Toyota Motor Co. attended one of Shingo’s courses.  When he returned to Toyota, he applied some of the concepts he had learned and achieved great results.  One year later, Shingo began industrial engineering and factory improvement training at Toyota for both its employees and parts suppliers.  At that point, at just short of 10 years with JMA, he had worked with over 300 companies to improve manufacturing process and had taught his innovative concepts to hundreds of manufacturing professionals in Japan.

Shingo began his association with Taichi Ohno of Toyota in 1956, a relationship that would last for over twenty years.  Shingo was regarded as a teacher who could solve problems and develop new techniques while Ohno was the passionate visionary.  Shingo created and wrote about many aspects of the revolutionary manufacturing practices which comprise the renowned Toyota Production System.  When asked whether it was he or Ohno that created the Toyota Production System, Shingo took full credit, saying, "I did, for I was Ohno's teacher."  Ohno successfully applied many of Shingo’s concepts such as SMED and Poka-yoke which led to great success for Toyota.

Shingeo Shingo left the Japan Management Association in 1959 to found the Institute of Management Improvement, but his contributions to both manufacturing and society have not been forgotten.  Utah State University recognized Dr. Shingo for his lifetime accomplishments with an Honorary Doctorate in Business in 1988 and began awarding the Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing to companies that demonstrate excellence in manufacturing practices which translate into excellent customer satisfaction and business results.