Shusa
主査·shusa·"chief investigator, lead examiner"
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Shusa is the Toyota term for chief engineer—the heavyweight project leader accountable for a vehicle program's total success.
Definition
Shusa (literally "chief investigator" or "lead examiner") is Toyota's term for the chief engineer role—the single person accountable for a vehicle program's success from concept through production and market performance. The shusa is not merely a coordinator but the product's champion, responsible for understanding customer needs deeply, making trade-off decisions that balance competing demands, and ensuring the final product achieves its targets. Shusa typically have 15-20 years of engineering experience and have led subsystem development before taking on a full vehicle program.
Examples
Key Points
- Not just a title—represents a specific accountability and authority structure
- Combines technical credibility with customer understanding
- Has authority to make decisions, not just coordinate specialists
- Developed through a deliberate career progression at Toyota
Common Misconceptions
Shusa is just the Japanese word for project manager. Project managers focus on schedule and resource coordination. Shusa own product decisions and market outcomes—a fundamentally different scope.
Any company can just create shusa roles. The role requires the supporting system: engineering career paths that develop the capability, authority structures that enable decisions, and organizational culture that respects the role.