Job Methods (JM)

Introduction: JM

Job Methods is a core module of Training Within Industry. It teaches supervisors and team leaders how to improve the way work is done. The aim is to make jobs safer, faster, and easier without extra cost. JM delivers practical improvements by questioning each detail of a task.

Background

Developed in the United States during the 1940s, TWI helped factories increase output with new workers. Job Methods focused on method improvement rather than worker speed. After the war, the approach spread to Japan and influenced the Toyota Production System. Today JM underpins Lean by promoting simple, local changes that remove waste and stabilise work.

Key Elements / Features

• Break down the job. Map the work into steps and details such as hand motions, tool use, checks, and moves.
• Question every detail. Ask why, what, where, when, who, and how. Challenge purpose, place, sequence, person, and means.
• Improve with ECRS. Eliminate, Combine, Rearrange, Simplify. Choose changes that protect safety and quality.
• Develop the new method. Define the best sequence, tools, aids, and checks. Document standards and visuals.
• Apply and follow up. Gain approval, train operators, try the change, measure results, and hold the gain.
• Evidence first. Use time study, simple counts, and defect checks to compare before and after.

Applications / Examples

• Manufacturing. Reduce reaching, walking, and changeover time. Improve fixture use and layout.
• Healthcare. Streamline medication preparation and room turnaround while keeping patients safe.
• Service and admin. Simplify forms, batch sizes, and handoffs in back office processes.
• Logistics. Improve pick paths, container sizes, and staging areas.

Relevance / Impact

Job Methods helps organisations increase throughput without large spend. Teams cut motion and delay, reduce errors, and make work safer. The method builds problem solving skill in front line leaders and supports standard work, which is the base for continuous improvement.

See also

• Training Within Industry (TWI)
• Job Instruction (JI)
• Job Relation (JR)
• Standard Work