The Gemba walk generally involves getting out in the workplace. It gives the leaders of the company, managers as well as supervisors a simple, reliable, and easy way of giving support to an improved structure as well as encouraging process standardization.
As a manager, getting up and being out of the office a number of times a day will help improve your productivity as well as the relationship with your own team.
The influence of Gemba is based on:
Choosing a theme for every walk
Questioning the supervisors regarding observed conditions
Listening attentively
Sharing what one has learned in the Gemba walk
Publicly sharing what one has learned by writing and then posting a short memo
Following up in order to monitor the process
The major things to consider during the walk include:
1. General Housekeeping- This includes:
Workplace clutter
Unsafe conditions
Poor lighting
Adequate waste removal
Clearly marked aisles, exits, walkways, and all point-of-use areas.
2. High WIP concentrations
At the point-of-usage
Damaged product
Up-stream and down-stream
Old inventory tags
Non-standard containers
3. Information and measures display
Up-to-date information on the bulletin boards
Workplace activity boards with up-to-date information
4. Equipment appearance
Current visible maintenance records
Leaks of oil, fluid, air, lubrication
Main body is clean
Guarding in position
5. In-plant office space
Free of clutter
Well organized
To get started with the Gemba walk, you need to have a discussion with your lean champions in order to establish the main focus of the walk. You have to ensure that you understand the expectations of the walk, when it is correct and when it is incorrect.
Just like any other new process, at first, the Gemba walk can be confusing, difficult to perform, and time-consuming but one needs to be patient and also focused and the process will work for them and their company.