Using the Scientific Model in Product Development, Part 2: Scientific Thinking with Toyota Kata

Toyota Kata, as developed by Mike Rother, is a practical routine for embedding scientific thinking into daily work. At its core is the Improvement Kata, a four-step pattern:

• Understand the direction or challenge (set a target condition)

• Grasp the current condition

• Establish the next target condition

• Experiment toward the target condition iteratively, learning from each step

This approach mirrors the scientific method: observe, hypothesize, experiment, analyze, and iterate. The Coaching Kata complements this by guiding teams through deliberate practice, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and scientific inquiry.

Visualizing the Process: The Javelin Board

The Javelin Experiment Board is a visual tool designed to map, test, and validate ideas through experimentation. It helps teams:

• Define hypotheses (about customers, problems, and solutions)

• Identify and prioritize the riskiest assumptions

• Plan and execute experiments (e.g., interviews, pre-sell tests)

• Set clear success criteria

• Collect and analyze data

• Decide whether to pivot (change direction) or persevere (continue testing new assumptions)

The board provides a clear visual workflow, tracking each hypothesis, experiment, and learning in real time. It keeps teams focused on evidence-based decision-making and accountability.

Integrating Toyota Kata and the Javelin Board

By combining Toyota Kata’s scientific routines with the Javelin Board’s visualization:

• Set a Challenge: Start on the Javelin Board by defining your target condition or challenge, aligning with the first step of the Improvement Kata.

• Current State: Use the board to capture your understanding of the current market, customer needs, and problem landscape.

• Hypothesize and Experiment: Identify riskiest assumptions and design experiments—mirroring the iterative experiments of the Kata.

• Visualize and Reflect: Track pivots, validated/invalidated assumptions, and learning cycles on the board, making the process transparent and actionable for the whole team.

• Iterate: Use insights from each experiment to adjust your next target condition, continuing the Improvement Kata’s cycle of learning and adaptation.

Why This Approach Works

• Structured Scientific Thinking: Toyota Kata instills habits of hypothesis-driven action and reflection, turning improvement into a daily routine.

• Clarity and Focus: The Javelin Board keeps the team aligned on priorities, experiments, and progress, reducing waste and accelerating learning.

• Culture of Learning: Together, they foster a mindset where failure is data, and every experiment is a step toward better products and processes.

• Managerial Support & Coaching: The five Coaching Kata questions remain fully applicable, providing a familiar framework for managers to guide teams through change. This structure makes it easier for leaders to embrace and support the shift to scientific thinking and continuous improvement.

In summary: Using Toyota Kata as your scientific model and the Javelin Board as your visualization tool transforms product development into a disciplined, transparent, and continuously improving process—where every step is grounded in evidence and every team member is engaged in learning and innovation.