Definition
Automation with human intelligence: the machine can autonomously detect an abnormality or defect and stop itself, which is the basis for separating human work from machine work. Note: two official Danaher materials use the term differently — the Flow course ( p96) calls all seven levels "Jidoka"; the 3P Leader's Guide (3P p102) and the 2020 glossary instead label levels 2 and 4 as "Automation." See [[seven-levels-of-jidoka]].
In detail
Jidoka is automation with human intelligence, meaning machines can autonomously detect abnormalities or defects and stop automatically, thereby separating human and machine work, so that "people do not act as machine watchers." In the lean system, it resolves the conflict between quality and efficiency: stopping immediately when abnormalities occur prevents defective products from flowing to the next process, while allowing one operator to oversee multiple machines. It differs from automation, which emphasizes machines replacing humans, whereas Jidoka emphasizes machines possessing human judgment. However, all levels are called Jidoka, with no distinction such as "lower levels are automation, higher levels are Jidoka." Typical outputs include abnormality detection and stop mechanisms, andon systems, mistake-proofing devices, and work processes that separate human and machine.
Example in practice
On an electronics assembly line, an automatic screwdriving machine occasionally missed screws, but operators were busy at other workstations and didn't notice in time, allowing defective products to flow to the testing process before being caught. At this point, Jidoka was applied: torque sensors and automatic stop devices were added to the machine. Once torque didn't meet standards, the machine immediately stopped and an andon light illuminated, and the operator came to handle it. After implementation, defective products were intercepted at the point of occurrence, operators no longer needed to constantly watch the machine, could attend to multiple machines simultaneously, and the production process became more stable.