Hansei(Self reflection)- A tool for self improvement

We all know that Toyota is know for it's quality products and we also aware of TPS(Toyota Production System), an unique production methods keeping quality as a motive and to deliver at-most value to the customer.

In TPS, we are all aware of 5s and lean technique which made a TPS a powerful tool for a manufacturing industry.One important thing which we didn't know about its powerful tool is:

Hansei, a Japanese word which means Self Reflection.

Toyota always looks for continuous improvements in its products, in this regard Toyota  learns from its past .

Toyota strictly follows this Hansei, by which they understand 

• why a product failed?
• How it failed?
• Reasons for failure.
• Expected and real outcomes of taking that project.
• What would be the possible steps to be taken to overcome this type of failure in future projects.

One example to showcase that Toyota learnt from incidents(Hansei in practice):-

Toyopet Crown, a 1950's Sedan had been a hit in  Japan, so Toyota was eager to grab an opportunity in the United States and shipped off the Toyopet Crown  to United States and debuted in California in 1956 but it failed to impress Americans and ultimately Crown was a flop and it was a major blow to Toyota.

From this incident, Toyota did not return for 8 year and during this period Toyota learnt:-

• About American customers.
• Customers lifestyle, culture.
• They also understood unmet demands for the cars. 

After a gap of 8 years, Toyota launched Corona in 1965, which boosted the sales and showcased their ability in automobile industry in USA. 

So in everyone's life we should learn from our past and should analyze 

• why it happened? 
• how it happened? 
• what made to happen this event and in future 
• what precautions to be taken for overcoming this?