WHAT IS A GEMBA WALK
- From the Japanese term gembutsu which means “real thing” or “real place”
- A personal observation of work
- Observation occurs where the work is happening
- Interaction with the people doing the work where the work is happening
- It’s often an actual walk
- Comes from Lean Six Sigma
WHEN IS IT NOT?
- Not an opportunity for finding fault with others
- Not a time to solve problems or make changes
- Not an opportunity to enforce policy requirements
- Note complaints but do not act… yet
STEPS TO TAKE
- Consider the Four Ws Where?
- Where shall I walk?
- Who?
- To whom shall I talk?
- When?
- When will I go?
- What?
- What do I want to know?
EVALUATION SHEET: TAKING NOTES
- Possible prompts for you
- Process being examined
- Description of process
- Team and individuals responsible
- Average time to completion (if applicable
- Average time to whatever comes next
- Quality of process or product that comes out of process
- Value added by process
- Individual feedback and frustrations
LOOK FOR MUDA
- Japanese term for ”waste”
- Extra steps
- Duplicative work
- Obstacles to producing product
- Think broadly about “product”
- Obstacles to an uncomplicated work environment
- Operationally
- Socially
CONCLUSION
- Talk with your mentors
- Go with the flow
- Use this outside the course
- Looking forward to your findings