Innovative Thinking Outside the Office Cubicle--Inspiring Ideas at Workplaces
In the bustling world of Toyota, creativity isn't confined to the assembly line. Employees from various divisions are finding innovative ways to organise their workspaces, with two standout solutions making waves: the tape-holder tower and the binder clip boot.
Noriko Atarashi, from the MS Vehicle Development Division No. 2, is the brains behind the binder clip boot storage system. Inspired by a Santa boot filled with sweets during Christmas time, Atarashi designed a practical and aesthetically pleasing organiser for binder clips. The binder clip boot allows clips to be replenished from the top and taken from below, ensuring that older ones are kept in circulation.
Atarashi also came up with the idea for the tape-holder tower during office reorganization. Made from scrap wood from excess office equipment, the tape-holder tower addresses the issue of half-used craft tapes and masking tapes being used first, by stacking them with the newest ones at the bottom. The tower was well-received by admin staff in other departments and was featured in an internal newsletter.
For those looking to replicate these creative solutions, here's how:
**Tape-Holder Tower**
Materials Needed: - Cardboard or sturdy paper tubes (from paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls). - Duct tape or strong adhesive tape. - Scissors or a craft knife. - Tape (masking, packing, or electrical).
Instructions: 1. Cut the cardboard tubes to varying heights. 2. Wrap each tube with duct tape to create a stable base. 3. Place the tubes on a flat surface and secure them to each other using more tape, creating a tower structure. 4. Wrap tape around the upper end of each tube to hold different types of tape in place.
**Binder Clip Boot (or Organizer)**
Materials Needed: - Binder clips (various sizes). - Cardboard or cardstock (for backing). - Glue or hot glue gun. - Scissors.
Instructions: 1. Cut the cardboard to a size that fits your workspace. 2. Arrange binder clips of different sizes on the cardboard to create compartments. 3. Use glue to secure each clip in place, ensuring they are spaced evenly and can hold small items like paper clips, pushpins, or even small office supplies. 4. Allow the glue to dry completely before use.
Atarashi's solutions are just two examples of the Creative Idea Suggestion System in action. Small ideas, if useful in the workplace, are recognised and rewarded. Oyaji Kawai, who appeared in a previous article, is another Toyota employee who appreciates this system, having reused short pencils on the production floor by stapling the stubs together and taping them up.
Atarashi finds the practice of kaizen, or continuous improvement, to be cathartic and relieving. She continues to find colleagues to help with hands-on work for her creative solutions, encouraging a culture of innovation within Toyota. The company's search results do not provide specific information on replicating the tape-holder tower and binder clip boot, but these DIY solutions can help organise your workspace creatively and efficiently. If you have specific dimensions or configurations in mind for your tower or organiser, adjust the materials and instructions accordingly.
In the spirit of continuous improvement (kaizen) and promoting a culture of innovation, Noriko Atarashi's creative solutions for workspace organization—the tape-holder tower and binder clip boot—offer practicality, aesthetics, and a boon for education-and-self-development, as they foster personal-growth and increase productivity within Toyota's workforce. With these DIY projects, you too can apply technology to your own workspace for effective and efficient organization.
