MES Software: Vendors, Features & Costs Compared 2026
MES software compared: vendors, functions per VDI 5600, costs (cloud vs. on-premise) and implementation. Honest market overview 2026.
By Christian Fieg · Last updated: April 2026
What is Shojinka?
Shojinka (少人化) is the Toyota Production System concept of adjusting the number of workers on a line to match the current takt time. The Japanese characters translate literally as "fewer people" (少人) and "transformation" (化). The goal is not to cut headcount permanently, but to flex it up or down as customer demand changes, so that every operator on the line has a full workload at all times.
Consider a U-shaped cell with 5 stations. At full demand (takt time = 30 seconds), 5 operators run the cell, each responsible for one station. When demand drops by 20 % (takt time stretches to 37.5 seconds), each cycle has 7.5 extra seconds. Instead of 5 operators each working below capacity, Shojinka removes one operator and redistributes the work across 4. The freed operator moves to a cell that needs more capacity.
This only works if three prerequisites are in place: multi-skilled workers (each operator can perform multiple operations), U-shaped cell layouts (operators can physically reach adjacent stations), and standardised work (every operation is documented so redistribution is systematic, not chaotic). Without all three, Shojinka is just a nice word on a slide.
What are the 3 prerequisites for Shojinka?
| Prerequisite | What it means | Without it | MES data that supports it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-skilled workers | Each operator is trained on multiple stations within the cell. A skill matrix documents who can run which operations. Toyota calls this "multi-process handling" (takotei-mochi): one worker, multiple sequential processes. | Workers cannot be reassigned. When demand drops, operators stand idle at their fixed stations. When demand rises, the bottleneck station has no backup. | MES tracks operator-to-station assignments and can display the skill matrix. When the MES shows which operators are logged in at which stations, the shift leader sees the actual manning pattern, not the planned one. |
| U-shaped cell layout | Machines are arranged in a U or horseshoe shape so that the first and last operations are physically close. An operator standing inside the U can walk between stations without crossing the cell. This makes it possible for one person to handle 2 or 3 adjacent stations. | In a straight-line layout, walking distance between stations is too long for one operator to handle multiple processes within takt time. The layout makes Shojinka physically impossible. | Not directly an MES topic. But MES cycle time data per station reveals whether the walking time between stations is feasible. If an operator handles stations 1 and 2 and the combined cycle time plus walking exceeds takt, the MES will show it as a performance loss. |
| Standardised work | Every operation has a documented standard: sequence, timing, quality checkpoints. When an operator takes over an additional station, they follow the standard. No improvisation, no tribal knowledge. | Reassigning workers creates chaos. Each operator has their own method. Quality drops. The shift leader spends more time firefighting than managing. Shojinka collapses within days. | MES enforces routing and sequence through production control. Digital work instructions ensure the operator follows the standard at the new station. The MES does not create the standard, but it enforces it. |
How does Shojinka connect to takt time and OEE?
Shojinka is the labour-side response to takt time changes. Takt time = Available production time ÷ Customer demand. When demand changes, takt time changes. And when takt time changes, the number of operators required changes.
The formula: Required operators = Total manual work content ÷ Takt time.
If the total manual work content for one product is 150 seconds and the takt time is 30 seconds, you need 150 ÷ 30 = 5 operators. If takt time stretches to 37.5 seconds (demand drops 20 %), you need 150 ÷ 37.5 = 4 operators. If you keep 5, each one is utilised at only 80 %. That 20 % is waste (muda). Shojinka eliminates it.
The connection to OEE: OEE measures machine effectiveness, not labour effectiveness. A line can run at 85 % OEE and still have 20 % labour waste if the manning is not adjusted to the actual takt. Shojinka addresses the dimension that OEE does not capture. An MES that tracks both OEE (machine side) and headcount per line (labour side) gives the production manager the full picture.
How does an MES support Shojinka decisions?
| MES data point | How it supports Shojinka | Without MES |
|---|---|---|
| Actual takt time per line | The MES production metrics module shows the actual cycle time per station in real time. If the line is producing faster than takt (overproduction) or slower (undercapacity), the shift leader sees it immediately and can adjust manning. | The shift leader guesses demand from the daily schedule printout. Manning adjustments happen once per shift at best, not when demand changes. |
| Headcount per line per shift | The MES tracks how many operators are logged in per line, per shift. This enables the key Shojinka metric: output per headcount-hour. If line A has 5 operators producing 600 units/shift and line B has 5 operators producing 400 units/shift, the MES reveals that line B needs a Shojinka review. | Headcount is tracked on a whiteboard. Nobody calculates output per headcount-hour. Labour waste is invisible. |
| Station-level cycle time variation | When an operator takes over two stations (Shojinka reduction from 5 to 4), the combined cycle time must stay within takt. The MES shows whether this works: if the cycle time at the combined station increases beyond takt, the redistribution does not work and must be adjusted. | The shift leader tries the new manning, "feels" whether it works, and switches back if problems appear. No data to verify whether the change actually maintained output. |
| Downtime by line | When line C stops for 45 minutes (breakdown), the freed operators should be redeployed to lines A and B. The MES downtime alert triggers this redeployment decision in real time. At Brita, deviations are visible on the shopfloor monitor immediately, enabling exactly this kind of fast response. | The operators on line C wait at the machine for the technician. 45 minutes of labour capacity is wasted. Nobody thinks to redeploy them because the information does not reach the shift leader fast enough. |
How does Shojinka differ from other lean workforce concepts?
| Concept | Focus | Relationship to Shojinka |
|---|---|---|
| Shojinka | Adjusting the number of workers to match takt time. | The core concept. Answers: "How many people does this line need right now?" |
| Nagara | One operator performing multiple tasks simultaneously (e.g., monitoring two machines at once). | A technique used within Shojinka. Nagara is how one operator handles two stations. |
| Heijunka | Levelling the production schedule to smooth demand fluctuations. | Heijunka reduces the need for Shojinka by smoothing demand. If demand is perfectly levelled, takt time stays constant and manning stays constant. In reality, demand is never perfectly levelled, so both are needed. |
| Standardised work | Documenting the best-known method for each operation. | A prerequisite for Shojinka. Without standardised work, operator redistribution creates chaos. |
| Kaizen | Continuous improvement of processes. | Kaizen reduces the manual work content per unit. Less work content = fewer operators needed = Shojinka becomes easier. Kaizen and Shojinka reinforce each other. |
FAQ
Is Shojinka just a way to cut headcount?
No. Shojinka adjusts headcount to match demand. When demand rises, operators are added. When it falls, they are redeployed, not laid off. The Toyota model relies on multi-skilled workers who move between cells. Cutting headcount permanently is a restructuring decision. Shojinka is a daily operational decision: "How many people does this line need for today's takt time?" The distinction matters for worker trust. If employees believe Shojinka means job cuts, they will resist it. If they see it as a system that keeps every person productively engaged (and trained on multiple skills), it becomes a strength.
Can Shojinka work in highly automated lines?
Yes, but the impact is smaller. In a fully automated line with 1 operator monitoring 10 machines, the Shojinka question is: "Can this operator also monitor the adjacent cell?" The MES provides the data: if the operator's line runs at 95 % availability with no manual interventions needed, the operator can cover two cells. If availability is 70 % and the operator intervenes 15 times per shift, they cannot. Automation changes the Shojinka question from "how many operators per line?" to "how many lines per operator?"
How does Shojinka relate to the headcount module in an MES?
SYMESTIC's platform tracks headcount per line per shift. This is the data layer that makes Shojinka measurable. Without it, Shojinka is a philosophy. With it, Shojinka becomes a KPI: output per headcount-hour, tracked daily, by line, by shift. At Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg, the real-time transparency enabled faster decision-making across shifts. The same principle applies to manning decisions: when the shift leader can see actual output and actual headcount side by side, the Shojinka decision becomes obvious.
Related: Takt Time · Heijunka · Kaizen · Lean Production · Muda · Jidoka · OEE Explained · SYMESTIC Production Metrics · SYMESTIC Production Control · MES: Definition & Functions
About the author
Christian Fieg
Head of Sales at SYMESTIC. Six Sigma Black Belt. Managed global MES programmes at Johnson Controls across 30+ manufacturing processes. Has seen Shojinka work in U-cells in China and fail in straight-line layouts in Europe. The difference was never the concept. It was always the data: plants that could see their actual takt, actual headcount, and actual output per station could flex their manning. Plants that could not, kept people standing at idle machines. · LinkedIn
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