8.17 The Gemba Walk

"Gemba" means "The Real Place." Engineers and managers must leave the office and walk the process to observe reality vs. theory.

• The Protocol: Go see, ask why, show respect.
• The Checklist:

1. Safety: Are paths clear? PPE worn?
2. Standard Work: Is the operator following the WI? Is the WI accurate?
3. Flow: Is WIP piling up? (Indicates a bottleneck).
4. Abnormality: Are there red tags? Are scrap bins full?

Final Checklist