Definition
The pooling of resources to improve the way one region is best achieved and quickly replicated in other regions through horizontal roll-out (Yokoten).
In detail
Model production groups are a method of concentrating improvement resources to make one area the best, then rapidly replicating it to other areas through horizontal deployment (Yokoten). They address the problem of scattered improvement activities that are difficult to scale, by creating a benchmark to validate methods, develop talent, and build confidence. Unlike the continuous improvement of Daily Management (DM), they focus more on breakthrough improvements and model demonstration. Typically, the output is a replicable standard cell, improvement cases, and training materials.
Example in practice
An electronics plant had multiple similar production lines. Management used line-selection criteria to pick a line that was strategically important, had a high sales share, repetitive production, stable demand, a process that was not too complex, and sufficient space as the model cell — rather than the line with the most serious problems and the hardest to tackle — to ensure it could be done successfully first. The team invested expert resources in a one-week Kaizen, including 5S, Standard Work, Single Minute Exchange of Die, and more. After the Kaizen, the line's efficiency and quality improved significantly, and a Standard Work instruction sheet was created. Then, through Yokoten, the experience was replicated to other lines, raising the overall level.