How to do effective Gemba walk in 5 step

Effective Gemba walk, are key aspect to build lean cultural transformations, Researcher said. However, in the long run Gemba walk effectiveness are being hard to sustain. The key were the top leader are harder to commit in lean Gemba walk in the long run which led the team enthusiasm and also led to the team avoidance to the lean overall program.

Based on Research Gemba walk able to increase Operation KPI Such as Preventive maintenance. This data shown how great Gemba walk help lean transformation program. However, based on another research Gemba walk program sustainability are quickly diminished. The Gemba walk effectiveness and frequency are the key roadblock.

Based on our decade experience in Gemba walk, Read our blog for 5 step developing metric for effective Gemba walk.

Metric & step for effective Gemba walk

Lean Manufacturing tools were wide known for transforming business to cut cost and adding competitive advantage. One tools first introduced during lean transformations. But along the way, as the lean transformation increase little known how to do Gemba walk effectively. This article explains about How to do effective Gemba walk. The first thing we separate in 5 steps:

1. Resource Planning
2. Gemba Walk Metrics
3. Deploy Gemba walk checklist.
4. Close the loop!
5. Reward & recognitions

Step 1. Resource Planning

Why we should mention it since it pretty obvious things in the first place.

Well, it was obvious but yet often neglected without the right resource the activity of Gemba walks will be degraded along the way.

That Gemba main ideas were to confirm the actual fact what is happening and also sliding paradigm. Why sliding paradigm important? in aspects of continual improvement sometime new fresh eyes are good to catch up some abnormalities rather than the people work in the area daily.

Gemba walk topic

The topics in Gemba walks is important key element and bridge what are the program all about. Whether it regarding safety habit and workplace environment, or quality defect identification or you just want go through the line with senior leadership team.

This are essentials since the differ the topics the item focused might change. Thus, element supporting the Gemba also different. When we say about the gemba element are the essentials tools that support Gemba program such as visual control, Kamishia Boards, Blue tag & red tag etc.

Define Area and Gemba Time allocations.

According to research the lower limb musculo-articular functions, there are three phase which is impact, accelerations and decelerations. There are two energies depleted during walking which is potential and kinetic, During walk the potential energy used are no remarkable increase however with increase speed the kinetic energy needed are remarkable increase. According to the Cavagna. Normal Human intermediate walk 4 Kilometer per hour or equal to 1.1 Meter per second. Thus, we We need to keep the pace of walk at 1.1 M per second to keep the member still comfortable and less fatigue.

The second aspect need to consider were area, The area needed

Crew member & frequency

To calculate time spent, we need to know how wide the area of the Gemba program objectives are. let say line of machineries in FMCG industries manufacturing are 75-meter square, or 85-yard square. while 60% of the area consist of machine the remaining Aisle and work area it means only 45-meter square and if we calculate it will become 53 minutes time to complete the Gemba for 45 Square meters. in which quite long time for Gemba only not yet with team introduction Q&A and also executive summary feedback. An effective Gemba walks shall between 30 min until 45 minutes.

Gemba Supporting tools.

There are Several tools that help you to do Gamba walk more effective.  the tools most common used were:

1. Gemba walk Check list.

2. Visual Control

3. Kamishibai board

4. Kanban Board

But please be aware those tools are not like magic wand that  enable your Gemba walk activity, effective in Instant. Practice made perfect as long as the Gomba wa Ik

Step 2. Gemba Walk Metrics 

Gemba walk metrics were key element to sustain Gemba walk program. Even tough along the way the metric may be adjusted I will inform you 3 key metrics which are essentials for Gemba walk activities.

Gemba walk attendance Ratio

As described in our post regarding Gemba walk definition one of key aspect of Gemba were collaborations. It means Gemba should be attended by several member and that are the barrier often reviewed on Gemba program.

In the article Gemba walk frequency are key barrier to do Gemba by management level. It means they want the program and somehow not committed to do it. Gemba walk attendance ratio are good metrics to keep the collaborations and commitment of Gemba walk.

Gemba walk Finding closure ratio.

This are The most Vital KPI for Gemba Program. The stakeholder of the program  usually measure The Gemba walk Success through  this metric. However  as the  Program Leader we might find this Metric aro the hardest

Why?

Since there are repeating Issues, the reoccurrenee Issue are killer for this Program. Because it wasn’t Just metric it made the team which doing Gemba Walk feel Vulnerable md little bit disappointing.

then how  to prevent that?

1. Assure there are Clear communications from beginning of program Kick off.

2. Clearly Communicate What are  the program Outcome & Expectations.

3. Be a good listener, found the real Rootcauses  and fact during Gemba.

Those 3 Tips wasn’t a bullet proof based on my experience. But it will Shows you there are Changes happens.

Employee engagement

In the research Increasing Work Efficiency in a Manufacturing Setting Using Gemba Walk, informed that it is important that employee expect there are Gemba walk happens. Not in surprised manner rather than they know management will came and mentally prepared.

By doing so it is increasing employee engagement with Gemba walk program, rather than have negative image of audit people will be more engaged with management team.

The way we measure it may be on survey on semester basis or quarter basis in a way to better understand that Gemba walks were not an audit rather than lean tools transformation tools.

Step 3. Deploy Gemba walk checklist Gemba walk template

Checklist were one of tools often used in industry to prevent mistake in the process sequence, item shall be checked even to assure attendance of the event. while checklist was commonly used it is having several main weaknesses which is below:

Gemba walk Checklist Template – Ready to use Downloadable file

a. Checklist content:

     What you write inside the checklist items, sometimes skipped the key element of process or procedure. It may happen since usually we deploy general checklist. Meanwhile each step of process contains different aspects of key element.

b. Member Understanding

These are common mistakes that happens everywhere. When the auditee or gemba member did not understand clearly what the checklist questions means. They think the checklist questions out of their own subjective judgement which led to Ambiguous result. To avoid this kind of situation better to get some brief training regarding gemba checklist & it item means.

c. Entry check list items

The entry process from the paperwork to digital sheet are critical. Since sometimes miss typing an input can led to some data not valid or cause some huge noise. To avoid this situation, it is better to scan the paper result and save it in directory file. While it is simple sometimes this condition related to data integrity may cause some loss integrity from your gemba program stakeholder. While checklist was famous there is daunting job to collect and assess each checklist let say in timely basis. We would like to advise using practical yet easy technology such as google form or microsoft form since the result can be easily tabulated and processed.

d. Gemba walk checklist scoring

We already prepared ready to use Gemba walk checklist excel template.

Gemba walk Checklists

Step 4. Close the loop

The review process of Gemba walks often people do it after finishing the sessions and go back at obeya room or meeting room. While this practice is common, sometimes item observed are not easy to recall the name of component the name of area might not well informed to the team member. We prefer to do review findings on site to give the team better understanding what the insight are and thought process or key element of machineries concern.

Step 5. Reward & Recognitions.

This is final step and also important part to ascertains sustainability of Gemba walks program. To get the realistic commitment and to be open mind regarding the feedback were the only way to do this step effectively. sometimes there are certain Gemba member that put so much feedback in which not quite related to the program intended.

Those situations sign of ineffective Gemba walks, we need to full review what are the Gemba member are missing in the steps above and how they view the program need to be calibrated.

Those are 5 easy steps regarding how to do effective gemba walks, intended people from shopfloor level. It will be different the stories , when the one to do the gemba walks are senior or top leadership Management.

Whe we did gemba factory works from the senior leadership member we not expected to have some technical feedbacks or advice instead we need to enhance our visual management system so they can easily understand how the workflow and also hot the process going on.

Overall Summary

To Summarize here some key element to do effective gemba walks:

• Member of gemba walks whether it is technical team or senior leadership team
• Assure scope of area to define gemba program timing not too long
• Checklist as a tools for gemba member to focus on key item inside checklist query
• Review findings & follow up plan using clear transparent communications with realistic time frame for issue closure.
• Enhance shoplfoor standard using 5S, Visual management & Kamishibai boards to assure gemba identify abnormal conditions.

those are article about how to do effective Gemba walk to get other information related lean manufacturing tools and methodology best practice implementation from lean subscribe by email below.

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