Systems Design: Building Systems That Drive Ideal Behavior

The ground-breaking Shingo Model of 2008 introduced principles, systems, tools, and results. At that time, however, the systems element of the model did not receive the in-depth attention that other parts of the model did. As a result, organizations developed their own concept of systems. Some organizations have identified hundreds of systems and tools. In fact, the distinction between a system and a tool was not clearly defined until recently with the introduction of the Shingo SYSTEMS DESIGN workshop and the information discussed in this book.

With the development of the workshop, the Shingo Institute is now teaching the three essential systems--work, improvement, and management--as well as the five required communication tools that are necessary to improve an organization. You’ll find that when these systems are formalized, they work together to help create organizational excellence.

With Systems Design: Building Systems that Drive Ideal Behavior you’ll learn how to formalize the process of creating these three systems. In addition, a new tool, the Shingo system design map, is introduced. This book also details how you can improve the connections you’ve already made between the tools, systems, results, and principles of the Shingo Model.

Brent Allen recently retired after 38 years of service from Lifetime Products, a leading manufacturer in outdoor basketball equipment, folding tables and chairs, outdoor storage, playground equipment, kayaks, and coolers. Brent was hired in 1981 as the general manager of American Playworld, a sister company to Lifetime. At that time there were eleven employees. By the end of 2018, Lifetime had 3,000 employees. Brent was a special education teacher before working at Lifetime and American Playworld. He received a degree in psychology and education at Weber State University. Brent has been happily married for 45 years and enjoys all forms of outdoor activity such as hiking, kayaking, and riding ATVs. Brent worked closely with Shaun Barker to create the highly successful Shingo SYSTEM DESIGN workshop.

April Bosworth is a writer specializing in educational and informational topics. She has written about business, art history, yoga, nursing, software applications, and banking regulations. She currently teaches writing to adults learning English at the English Language Center of Cache Valley.