Training Within Industry (TWI) program is a program which supports the development of management skills of experienced operational employees and low and middle management superiors.
The origin of the program dates back to the early 40s of the last century, when after the Nazi invasion of France in June 1940, the US realized that a world war was inevitable. A report prepared on the request of the US Army showed that there were 8 million unemployed people in the United States in 1940. A big danger was that the involvement of US troops in the war meant that the majority of American men of working age, and working mainly in industry, would be recruited into the army. The activities of the program aimed to include people, who had never before worked in production, to work in industry. They were mainly women, men who were too young to be recruited into the army and administrative staff.
The objective of the Training Within Industry program was the rapid development ,of new talented staff in order to achieve an increase in productivity, quality, and occupational safety. This program includes the development of three managerial skills, which are necessary in the work of leaders and experienced employees:
The Training Within Industry program was designed for experienced employees, not new ones. The assumption of the program was that every experienced employee (leader, manager) possesses knowledge about the work and scope of responsibilities, which is gained through practice over the years. In contrast, the three key management skills must be developed. This program provides ready-made tools that support the management of employees by their superiors.
The implementation of the Training Within Industry program in American industry brought tremendous benefits and contributed to the victory over Hitler’s armies. Out of the 600 manufacturing companies that participated in this program during World War II:
The success of the Training Within Industry program resulted from the fact that each of its methods was built based on a cycle of Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), which was developed by William Edwards Deming.
After World War II, the Training Within Industry program was submitted, inter alia, to Japan, where companies such as Toyota and Sanyo used it to build the foundations to develop their efficient production methods.
It was absorbed by Toyota and became an integral part of the Toyota Production System (TPS). It was also the basis of the creation of a management culture at Toyota, which was based on continuous improvement and a process of constant learning. Training Within Industry is the starting point in the implementation of Lean Management philosophy.
In the Training Within Industry program, the biggest emphasis was put on the development of its employees, especially foremen, masters and managers. Their professionally conducted on-the-job training and involvement in the process of continuous improvement (kaizen) was an expression of respect for their subordinates. It was soon noticed in Toyota that the development of employees and training of genuine leaders is essential for the success of the implementation of methods and tools of Lean Management. Without the awareness of employees, the implementation of Lean Management is a difficult and, in practice, an impossible challenge. Based on the fundamental principles of the TWI program, Toyota formulated the concept of employee development management, which is now called Lean HR. Its main objective is to eliminate the eighth type of waste: the lost creativity of employees. This type of waste is considered to be the worst because it indirectly affects the presence of the remaining 7 types of waste. Lean HR helps to manage the competencies of employees with the use of tools such as, among other things, the Skill Matrix. The TWI program provides leaders with methods on how to extract the best features from people. Lean HR and the TWI program are both focused on the stimulation of employee creativity – eliminating the eighth type of waste.
Currently, the TWI program is identified with the philosophy of Lean Management. It should be treated as one fully complementary philosophy oriented towards the improvement of the efficiency of company processes.
Without the Training Within Industry program there would not be the Toyota Production System (TPS), and thus Lean Management. This program should be the foundation of every management system in any enterprise!
The TWI program is universal. It can be used in any company where there are people and processes. The program was originally created for the production industry.
However, its versatility means that it works well in other industries, such as:
The TWI program was the basis of creating a management culture at Toyota, which was based on continuous improvement and the constant process of training employees.
This program became the foundation of Toyota, who took responsibility for the stabilizing and standardizing of processes such as:
The TWI program was the main tool in the process of standardizing work. Methods of this program are used in Toyota to this day in exactly the same form as when they were formulated during World War II.
Standardization of work is a process in which the current best ways of performing operations must be written down and improved. Operators should then be trained from them.
Standardization of work is not only a description of working methods on instructions. Instructions are of course important for standardization of work, however, they are only used to effectively lead on-the-job training or undergo the operation of the process of improvement.
Therefore, instructions are only an indirect measure to achieve the objective, which is the standardization of a process. Instructions themselves are not an aim.
At the current time, work instructions can be prepared in SOP Software.
The TWI program provides the most effective tools for standardization of work:
Standardization of work effectively influences the reduction of human errors in processes as it is closely connected with the elimination of their root causes:
Human errors are indeed the direct cause of: accidents, quality deficiencies or reduced work efficiency. The TWI program eliminates the root causes of human errors which are associated with the way of managing an organization.
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In the TWI program a leader is a person who formally manages a group of people and he is also an experienced operator who e.g. takes responsibility for a trained employee during training.
Our experience shows that leaders in the best production companies are responsible for:
The TWI program supports leaders in these tasks.
Our book “Standardized Work with TWI” was published in the United States in 2015 and has become one of the key international resources on practical work standardization.
It focuses on how to implement standardization effectively, using the principles of the TWI Job Instruction (JI) method and Lean practices.
Readers will find detailed guidance on creating Standardized Work Instructions, designing Poka Yoke systems, developing Skill Matrices, and running Train-the-Trainers workshops to build competence within their own organizations.
This book reflects our hands-on experience from hundreds of implementations across industries — helping leaders understand not only what to standardize, but also how and why to do it.
Wienerberger – Implementing TPM through TWI. This article summarizes…
Training Within Industry (TWI) is a structured development program that builds the skills of leaders, supervisors, and experienced employees.
It was created during World War II in the United States to accelerate industrial training and productivity and later became the foundation of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
TWI teaches leaders how to train employees, improve processes, and build strong working relationships — forming the human side of Lean Management.
The TWI program consists of four complementary methods:
Job Instruction (JI) – how to train people effectively,
Job Methods (JM) – how to improve work processes,
Job Relations (JR) – how to lead and build cooperation,
Job Safety (JS) – how to identify and eliminate hazards at work.
Together, these methods create a complete system for developing competent, engaged, and safety-oriented teams.
TWI Job Instruction teaches supervisors how to train employees systematically using a four-step method: Prepare the worker, Present the operation, Try out performance, and Follow up.
It ensures that every employee performs their work safely, correctly, and consistently.
Learn more about our Certified TWI Job Instruction Program on the dedicated page.
TWI Job Methods focuses on process improvement. It teaches leaders to analyze jobs, question every detail, and develop better methods by eliminating waste, combining steps, or simplifying work.
This method is the practical foundation of Kaizen and continuous improvement.
More about the Certified Job Methods Practitioner Course can be found on the JM page.
TWI Job Relations develops leadership and communication skills. It helps supervisors build trust, solve conflicts fairly, and motivate employees through respect and cooperation.
It is the people-centered part of the TWI system and a key element of Lean Leadership.
Visit the TWI Job Relations page to explore how this method supports strong, engaged teams.
TWI Job Safety helps leaders identify potential hazards and take preventive action before incidents occur.
It uses a structured approach to analyzing unsafe conditions, unsafe acts, and risks in daily work.
Learn how TWI Job Safety can be integrated into your safety management system on the JS program page.
TWI is often called the foundation of Lean Management.
Toyota used the TWI methods after World War II to build the culture of Kaizen, Standard Work, and Respect for People.
Without TWI, Lean tools such as 5S, SMED, or TPM would not be sustainable — because TWI develops the people who apply them.
TWI is universal and can be applied anywhere people perform work — in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, administration, or services.
Originally developed for production, it now helps organizations in every sector improve training, safety, and efficiency through structured leadership development.
Organizations that implement TWI typically achieve:
25–50% faster employee training,
20–40% improvement in productivity,
Reduced errors and quality defects,
Lower turnover and absenteeism,
A stronger culture of engagement and accountability.
These outcomes are the result of developing leaders who know how to teach, improve, and lead effectively.
Leantrix has been developing and implementing TWI programs since 2007 — first in Europe, and later globally.
We combine certified trainers, digital tools (SOP Software, Skill Matrix, eTWI.io), and practical workshop methods proven in hundreds of companies, including Toyota, Bosch, and Cooper Standard.
Our mission is to help organizations build capability and sustain improvement through the power of TWI and Lean Leadership.
