GEMBA WALK

Gemba is Japanese for 'site' or 'scene', which is the place where the action is happening.
The Gemba Walk is an opportunity for staff to stand back from their day-to-day tasks to walk the
floor of their workplace to identify wasteful activities.
The objective of Gemba Walk is to understand the value stream and its problems rather than review
results or make superficial comments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
It’s a common issue when a complex project is underway, the people involved lose sight of the
detailed work that goes into the very process they are trying to improve.
A real-world problem that impacts the company’s profits and customers’ experience can become
more of a theoretical abstraction, reduced to data reports and endless talk about the issue around a
conference table.
Recognizing this problem, process improvement leaders at Toyota developed what they call a
Gemba Walk. The translation of the term from the root Japanese word is “the real place.” It also is
known as “the place where value is created.”
In the practice of Lean and Six Sigma, it means taking the time to watch how a process is done and
talking with those who do the job.

WORKING PRINCIPLE:
The Toyota Production System and its focus on eliminating all waste from an operation is required
learning for anyone serious about implementing consistent process change.
As with all smart companies, Toyota understands that the commitment and actions of leaders
influence an entire operation. Rather than work in a vacuum, the company developed the Gemba
Walk to give managers and executives the chance to visit the production floor and see how a specific
operation is done.
This in-person observation allows leaders to see the difference between what they assumed is
happening and what is actually happening. It also gives them a chance to interact with the people
doing the job and see exactly where it is done, as opposed to imagining it from a far-away
conference room.
But it’s important to remember what a Gemba Walk is not. A Gemba Walk is a way to gather
information through observation and interaction with workers. It is not a time:
 To find fault and call out employees on it
 To try to quickly implement a change on the spot
 To disregard employee input. Getting that input is one of the main goals of a Gemba Walk

By focusing on the operation, listening to employees and taking the time after a Gemba Walk to
reflect on what action is needed, leaders foster a cooperative atmosphere in their business. They
also avoid creating the fear that Gemba Walks are set up for punitive action against individual
employees, a sure way to decrease morale and make employees reluctant to share information.

ADAPTATION OF THE GEMBA WALK:

While it started in manufacturing, the Gemba Walk has been implemented in many industries. That’s
because no matter what kind of work is being done, a Gemba Walk can help managers and project
team members reconcile the vertical and horizontal nature of all organizations.
In short, organizations are structured vertically, which fosters the idea of people “below” looking to
those “above” for leadership. However, the actual product or service an organization offers moves
horizontally through an organization and eventually reaches customers – which is what process
leaders should care more about than business structure.
Some leaders get it. Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, used a type of Gemba Walk by having all managers
work for a time in customer service. This gives them better perspective on how the company
interacts directly with the public.
It also has been adopted by some in the service industry. Time spent with workers who interact with
the public gives’ leaders a fresh perspective into customer wants and can lead to developing new
services and products to meet projected demands.
To understand the power of a Gemba Walk, simply watch an episode of the television series
“Undercover Boss.” The show involves having CEOs work anonymously with front line workers. Two
things typically happen: the CEO is surprised at the details of how the work is done and by the end of
the show, changes are made to make the process better for both employees and customers.

GETTING EMPLOYEE BUY-IN:

A key component of a Gemba Walk is to get input from employees on what is going right and what is
going wrong in a specific operation. A way of getting employee buy-in is to explain how the benefits
of a Gemba Walk go beyond improving a product or the company’s bottom line.
Many projects result in a much safer work environment. Process improvement projects uncover
areas where simple changes in a process can result in far fewer safety concerns. That’s good for
workers as well as a company – the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
estimates businesses spend $170 billion a year on costs associated with workplace injuries and
illness.
Done properly, a Gemba Walk can have a dramatic impact on an organization. By closely observing
“the place where value is created” and listening to employees, project leaders and business
managers give themselves a fresh perspective on the business and new insight into how changes can
make products and services better for customers.

7 STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU GO TO GEMBA

Pick a theme
When you go to Gemba, you have to choose a theme. This will help you focus all your efforts and be
effective. There are different themes you may want to explore, such as productivity, cost efficiency,
safety and etc. In order to be as precise as possible, you will also need to prepare a list of questions
you are going to ask.
Prepare your team
The team that will be observed should be prepared for what is going to happen. All team members
need to have a clear understanding that the Gemba walk is a common process where the final
destination is continuous improvement. This way, workers will feel much more comfortable and
willing to collaborate.
Focus on the process, not on people
You need to remember that a Gemba walk is not the right time to evaluate your team's
performance. The main purpose is to observe, understand, and improve the process. If you focus on
people’s personal abilities, you will only face resistance.
Be where the value stream is
Following the value chain will give you the best opportunities to identify areas with a high potential
for waste activities. Eliminating those activities will help you improve your overall performance.
Record your observations. Don’t make suggestions during the walk
Write down everything that grabs your attention or even record it with your smartphone. In some
cases, you will probably be tempted to offer a solution immediately, but this would be wrong. Leave
the analysis for later. You will be much more precise after you have all the facts available.
Furthermore, the broad overview can offer you opportunities to use effective problem-solving tools
such as the PDCA cycle. Much better than an instant gut feeling.
An extra pair of eyes
It may be a good idea to invite a colleague from another department. Someone with totally different
daily tasks. People who are less familiar with the processes usually have a fresh perspective and ask
different questions that you may never ask.
Follow-up
Even if you don’t find anything significant during your Gemba walk, you need to share with the team
what you have learned or seen. Otherwise, the team will only have the feeling of being watched. If
you are going to take action after the walk, inform the team about the upcoming changes and why
they are necessary.

GEMBA WALK CHECKLIST

Every time when you perform a Gemba walk, you need to prepare a checklist in advance. This list
will help you focus and target your efforts.
The checklist has to include questions that will help you understand the process you are going to
observe in a better way. Your questions may vary depending on the theme of your Gemba walk.
Here are some basic Gemba walk checklist questions:
These questions will defer when exploring different areas such as problem-solving, innovation,
resources, tools and etc. So, before you go, Gemba, prepare your checklist carefully based on the
area you want to investigate.

POST-GEMBA WALK
Before you take any actions based on your Gemba walk observations, you will need some time to
organize your thoughts and notes.
Feedback is important, but early feedback may be devastating. Here is why you need to sit down
with the leadership team and carefully analyze the situation.
You can even invite some of the workers who you’ve observed. For example, the ones who gave you
the most insightful information.
Use all the data that you collected as part of your continuous improvement process, also known as a
Gemba Kaizen circle.
It is a meeting held after each Gemba walk that may include a few participants from different
departments.
The main purpose is to have as many different points of view as possible to make the best decision.
A decision that will actually bring improvement.
It is important to go around the shop floor and collect insightful information about what needs
improvement. However, what matters most is to go back to where you started.
A post-Gemba walk closes the loop and shows respect to the people that have been observed. This
will make it much easier to lead a successful Gemba walk in the future.

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