Just-in-Time training is the practice of having the necessary tools and guidance to complete a task when and where it takes place. SuperDoc is a Just-in-Time training platform and worker productivity tool that leverages hands-on, on-the-job training to upskill frontline workers.
“Just In Time” (JIT) is the first stop here, because the term emerged in Japan in the 70s when Toyota Motor Corporation adjusted their production model to reduce in-house inventory and order raw materials from suppliers only as needed. This can be called a Just-in-Time inventory system, which synchronizes raw material orders from suppliers directly with a production schedule.
The benefit of using a similar “made to order” approach that can be seen in restaurants, is increasing efficiency and decreasing waste on production processes. This enables a manufacturer to reduce inventory costs and deliver only what is needed without backlogging additional materials. That is actually a separate term altogether, preparing for spikes in demand with a larger in-house order of inventory, called Just-in-Case manufacturing.
The main point of “Just-in-Time” is that when an order is placed, only the parts needed to complete the order are requested from the supplier, and then when the parts arrive production can begin and move the order along.
Now that we understand Just-in-Time manufacturing, let’s consider how it applies to learning in the world, with Just-in-Time teaching and learning being used in the late 90s. Put simply as on-demand learning, or learning when it’s needed. Rather than executing an entire curriculum before the eyes of a new hire, the term embraces applying – only – the necessary information to solve a problem, where and when the problem occurs. Isolating information that will be used in small sized content pieces on a learning platform creates memorable learning experiences that workers retain more efficiently.
Additionally, with Just In Time learning the information accessibility is a large factor. Workers will need to know only what they need to get the job done, and that means information becomes easier to reference and is more accessible to the worker. Understandable and applicable information is the best for a lean manufacturer (and other organizations) because it is quickly actionable by their employees. See how our technology, SuperDoc, embraces JIT training on our product page.
Just-in-Time training is the term used to describe having the necessary tools and guidance to complete a task when and where it takes place. The term sits alongside JIT manufacturing and JIT learning and is the immediate retrieval of necessary materials for an application of a process.