Gemba Walk Concept In Kaizen Training Ppt

Slide 2

This slide provides an introduction to Gemba Walk, a Kaizen tool. It highlights that the Gemba walk is the practice of observing the place where real work is being performed to get first-hand experience of the work-related processes and identify improvement opportunities. It also lists the rules of the Gemba walk, such as visit and observe, ask why, and demonstrate respect.

Slide 3

This slide list the advantages of the Gemba walk, such as continuous optimization, process standardization, improved communication, chance to demonstrate leadership skills, and strengthening of reputation.

Instructor’s Notes:

Businesses can derive following benefits from the Gemba Walk tool of Kaizen:

• Continuous Optimization: The Gemba Walk helps organizations analyze and improve business processes to foster a culture of continuous improvement
• Process Standardization: It also helps standardize processes that result in resource-saving (financial and human), streamlining business operations
• Improved Communication: Businesses use this technique to improve communication at all organizational levels and helps bring teams closer to find solutions to their problems
• Demonstrate Leadership Skills: It helps cement the manager's leadership qualities by showcasing their manager's effort to visit and observe staff on the production floor
• Strengthen Reputation: It helps to strengthen the company's reputation; the underlying message that goes out is that the company cares about employees' well-being and safety, thus boosting employee morale

Slide 4

This slide showcase a multistep process to conduct the Gemba Walk, a Kaizen tool for continuous improvement.

Slide 5

This slide provides information on tips to increase the efficiency of Gemba walk, such as preparing a team, having an agenda, following the value stream, asking questions, focusing on process, not on people, not offering solutions, recording observations, and follow-up.

Instructor’s Notes:

Tips to improve the efficiency of Gemba Walk are as follows:

• Prepare Team: Always brief the team about the Gemba walk's objectives in advance, so they know what to observe. This will ensure employees feel more involved, comfortable, and willing to share observations. If possible, make the interdepartmental teams to ensure varied perspectives can interact
• Have an Agenda: Always draft an agenda for the Gemba walk, such as productivity improvement, cost efficiency, safety enhancement, etc. Then prepare a list of questions in context with the prepared agenda to be asked during the Gemba walk
• Follow Value Stream: During the Gemba walk, always follow the flow of value in the business process; observe areas with a high scope for optimization of non-value-added activities
• Ask Questions: Ask questions (who, what, where, when, and why) to understand business operations better and identify improvement opportunities
• Focus on Process, Not on People: Keep the focus on observing, understanding, and improving the business process. Do not judge and compare team members on efficiency or any other parameter. Note that Gemba walk is not an employee performance evaluation tool
• Don't Offer Solutions: Gemba walk is for observation of business processes only. Avoid offering on-the-spot suggestions
• Record Observations: During the Gemba walk, record everything that grabs attention and analyze collected data later, with complete facts 
• Follow-up: Share findings of the Gemba walk with the department under observation. Otherwise, they will feel that they are being scrutinized. If any improvement action is to be taken after the walk, inform the team about the mandated changes and why they are necessary