THE IMPROVEMENT KATA Deliberate Practice to Develop Scientific Minds Presented by Mike Rother at KataCon 2015

THE IMPROVEMENT KATA Deliberate Practice to Develop Scientific Minds The Improvement Kata is a process of deliberate practice to develop more scientific thinking in groups of people who work together

Scientific Thinking for Everyone By Mike Rother 3

(1) SCIENTIFIC THINKING AS A LIFE SKILL By Mike Rother 4

Our perception is a clear lens. Reasoning is mostly under our conscious control. ASSUMPTIONS WE NATURALLY MAKE When the brain receives sensory inputs the unconscious mind interprets them and builds an explanation; quickly filling in gaps without us realizing it. We wouldn't survive without this unconscious mechanism (too much information & too slow). But... it also causes us to make errors. Our predispositions, natural mental shortcuts and narratives influence how we see, think and react. WHAT REALLY HAPPENS: BRAIN ILLUSIONS By Mike Rother 5

Ca y u rea t is? Please read aloud what you see By Mike Rother 6

Ca y u rea t is? Helpful! Our brain fills in the blanks. By Mike Rother 7

IUMRING TQ GQNGIUSIQNS Please read aloud what you see By Mike Rother 8

IUMRING TQ GQNGIUSIQNS Our brain fills in blanks here too, but it's a brain error. We feel pretty sure, but we're wrong. By Mike Rother 9

IUMRING TQ GQNGIUSIQNS Please read aloud what you see By Mike Rother 10

A COUNTERMEASURE TO EVERYONE'S NATURAL BIAS SCIENTIFIC THINKING Scientific thinking is a routine of intentional coordination between what we think will happen (theory), what actually happens (evidence), and learning from the difference. What we expect to happen What actually happened Learning "Let's try it and see" By Mike Rother 11

A PREMISE OF THE KATA SUMMIT It's a skill for every day, at work & at home Scientific Thinking is not just for professional scientists, but an essential & widely-applicable skill for everyone. It's a "Meta Skill" – a universal way of thinking that can be used to avoid cognitive bias anytime we try to solve problems and achieve goals. By Mike Rother 12

A PREMISE OF THE KATA SUMMIT It's a skill for every day, at work & at home By Mike Rother 13 What we expect to happen What actually happened Learning

A PREMISE OF THE KATA SUMMIT It's a skill for every day, at work & at home Scientific Thinking is not just for professional scientists, but an essential & widely-applicable skill for everyone. It's a "Meta Skill" – a universal way of thinking that can be used to avoid cognitive bias anytime we try to solve problems and achieve goals. By Mike Rother 14

(2) WE HAVEN'T BEEN TEACHING IT IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT A SKILL FOR EVERY DAY By Mike Rother 15

WE GET INTRODUCED TO THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN SCHOOL A systematic process to investigate and shed light on something that exists This is the scientific approach used by professional scientists By Mike Rother 16

EXAMPLE By Mike Rother 17 Steps of the Scientific Method

By Mike Rother 18

BUT THERE'S SOME MISMATCH By Mike Rother 19 Why? Rather than investigating and trying to understand – like professional scientists do – our work and personal lives involve pursuing complicated goals. This classic way of teaching scientific thinking is a good start, but it doesn't transfer so well into everyday life

THE IMPROVEMENT KATA PATTERN Teaches scientific thinking for daily life A systematic process for trying to achieve something The Classic Scientific Method – A good start A systematic process to investigate and shed light on something that exists The Improvement Kata Pattern – Widely applicable By Mike Rother 20

THE IMPROVEMENT KATA PATTERN Experiments Toward the TC At the current Knowledge Threshold Challenge Threshold of Knowledge Current Condition Next Target Condition (date) Experiment your way forward, instead of trying to decide your way forward By Mike Rother 21

Born Scientific Thinking Learned OK... HOW? It's not our default mode. We have those natural, unconscious mental mechanisms, especially as adults. (3) SCIENTIFIC THINKING IS LEARNED SKILL By Mike Rother 22

ACQUIRING NEW SKILL, MINDSET & HABITS TAKES SOME PRACTICING COACHING Corrective feedback MASTERY Sense of progress Knowing is not enough This is how you do it By Mike Rother 23 KATA Structured routines for beginners PRACTICE Frequent / Daily

It means that we can't just drop the Improvement Kata pattern (or any new pattern of thinking) by itself into an organization and expect people to now use it to solve problems. THIS HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS By Mike Rother 24 There's a process of developing the necessary scientific mindset in individuals via coached practice, while Learners work on real goals & problems. "It takes conditioning to make behavioral routines become second nature, and consequently a lot of Toyota’s managerial activities involve having people practice the Improvement Kata with their guidance." - Toyota Kata, page 186 This defines the manager's job

SO WHAT'S NEW HERE??

Scientific Thinking is not new. Deliberate Practice is not new. However, combining them is unique! You have an opportunity... to maybe change the world a bit! By Mike Rother 26

Kata Summit 2015!