What is Eliminating Dependency on Individuals | Why Education Doesn't Solve It

The praise on the front lines of "we have no choice but to rely on that person" may actually be a sign of operational collapse.

■ "Why does work that only that person can do remain?"

Even though it was handed over, the work isn't getting done.
Even though training was provided, the quality isn't stable.

Yet, in the end, it always comes to this. "We have no choice but to rely on that person after all"

Have you ever felt that something was wrong with this situation?

■ Dependency on individuals is not a "people problem"

Many workplaces think the cause of dependency on individuals is as follows.

• Lack of training

• Lack of experience

• The individual's lack of skills

So they "teach more," "increase staff," or "organize manuals."
While this may seem correct at first glance, it does not solve the root cause.

This is because the problem lies in the "structure," not the people.

■ The true nature of dependency on individuals

What is dependency on individuals? I define it as follows.

What is happening on the front lines is simple.

• It is not decided in the design

• It is not absorbed in the estimate

• No standards for processes

Because work flows in this "undefined" state, someone is forced to make "judgments."
"People are filling in the undefined parts". This is the true nature of dependency on individuals.

■ Why education doesn't solve it

What education does is "teach how to make judgments." In other words, "judgment itself" remains on the front lines
.

Even if you strengthen education, the number of "capable people" will increase, but the "total number of judgments" will also increase. As a result, the structure does not change at all.

■ The "vicious cycle" created by dependency on individuals

People who can make judgments are burdened with heavy work, such as handling irregularities and filling in design gaps.
Judgment carries costs in terms of "time, responsibility, and risk."

However, in many cases, the evaluation is the same as other workers.
As a result, a structure is created where "the more capable you are, the more burden you bear and the more you lose."

■ The trap of "that person will handle it"

At first glance, they look like a reliable presence, but the reality is different.
It is just solving structural problems through individual overexertion.

If the front line keeps running this way, you will mistakenly believe that "the structure is correct."
This is the beginning of the collapse.
The moment that person is gone, quality and deadlines will all fall apart.

■ The real reason young people don't grow

"Young people these days don't think and act."
Before you lament that, look at the work on the front lines.

• Conditions are ambiguous

• Too many judgments required

• Yet the responsibility is heavy

Work without reproducibility cannot be learned with reproducibility.
The reason they don't grow or stay is not due to individual aptitude, but
due to this "impossible game" structure.

■ The real solution: Convert judgments into "conditions"

There is only one thing to do: "Eliminate judgment."

The standard to aim for is
"clarifying standards to a level where even robots or PCs can make judgments."
This is not about automation;
it is about creating a state where "work proceeds without people having to make judgments."

1. Quantify(Specify in mm, ± tolerance)

2. Standardize(Clarify the definition of OK/NG)

3. Proceduralize(Ensure the same sequence regardless of who performs it)

4. Tooling(Ensure the same movement regardless of who performs it)

■ Conclusion

Dependency on individuals is not a matter of ability.
It is a structural problem created by "leaving things undefined."

Furthermore, eliminating dependency on individuals is not about increasing headcount.
It is about "eliminating judgment and replacing it with a system."

As long as you rely on the excellence of the staff on-site, the same problems will repeat.