Innovation is a big part of staying competitive in business. There is a point in time, though, when innovation may get slowed down with a multitude of obstacles. This is where Gemba Walks come in. This precious tool is rooted in the lean methodologies, and helps to guide you in problem identification and problem-solving in your innovation process.
The Definition of Gemba Walks
The Gemba Walk is a walk across the workplace, observing employees and inquiring from them regarding their activities, while trying to find out how more productivity can be attained. "Gemba" means "the real place" in Japanese, referring to the place where actual work happens. This could mean a design studio, a software development laboratory, or even the workspace of a remote team in the context of innovation. Now, it gives the appropriate first-hand insights into challenges and opportunities in your innovation process.
Tools and Techniques for Gemba Walks
There are a few tools or techniques which you can use during the Gemba Walk in your organization to get valuable insights. These include the following:
Visual Maps: Charts, whiteboards, project boards can help you identify bottlenecks and areas of improvement.
Process Mapping: Mapping out the process of innovation in order to identify inefficiencies.
Team Discussion: Discussion with team members to bring hidden issues to light.
How to Conduct a Gemba Walk
To ensure effectiveness in the execution of a Gemba Walk, there are steps that need to be undertaken, which include the following:
Set Clear Objectives: Clearly define what you want to attain.
Engage Leadership: Engage key leaders in the process.
Train Participants: Educate your team on necessary skills.
Correct Timing: Conduct walks at times which reduce inconvenience.
Document and Analyze: Record findings and analyze data for trends.
Apply Changes: Apply insights to improve and track how well improvements work.
Example of Gemba Walks: Improving The Employee Efficiency At A Coffee Shop
Suppose a coffee shop wants to improve its employee efficiency using the Gemba Walk.
Objective:
The Gemba Walk is intended to find areas of inefficiency in the flow of employee work and to find ways in which productivity can be improved.
Preparation:
Inform the staff about the Gemba Walk.
Schedule the walk during peak hours to observe the busiest times.
Prepare a checklist of areas to observe, such as order taking, drink preparation, and customer wait times.
Observation:
Observe ordering and drink preparation techniques of the baristas.
Note delay, bottleneck, or other extra steps in the workflow.
Notice how staff working in the process relate to and help each other in accomplishing their work during peak hours.
Perform the Gemba Walk:
Observe the Service Process:
Watch how baristas take orders and prepare drinks.
Note any delays or bottlenecks in the process.
Observe customer interactions and wait times.
Engage with Employees:
Ask baristas about the challenges they face during peak hours.
Encourage them to share their ideas for improving efficiency.
Listen to their feedback on current processes.
Take Notes:
Document observations, such as slow points in drink preparation or frequent customer complaints.
Record suggestions and insights from employees.
Analyze Findings:
Review the notes and identify common themes or issues.
Determine the root causes of inefficiencies, such as a lack of equipment or unclear procedures.
Action Plan:
Identify solutions for these problems.
For example, to make things easier, simplify tasks in order to get rid of extra steps in a process.
Establish well-defined communication processes between the staff.
Further training should be offered to team workers in the interest of developing teamwork and efficiency.
Implementation:
Make the changes and measure their effectiveness over a predefined period.
Further engage with employees to check that new processes are working well.
Follow-up:
Do follow-up Gemba Walks to see whether the changes have indeed brought about change.
Keep the conversation open with employees for continuous feedback and improvement.
Once the coffee shop performs a Gemba Walk, they can gain valuable insights into its customer service process, address inefficiencies, and improve overall service quality. This example shows the meaning of Gemba Walks and how they help businesses understand and enhance their operations by directly observing and engaging with the actual work being done.
Benefits of Gemba Walks to Innovation
There are a number of benefits in using Gemba Walks in any organization that’s seeking to improve its innovation process, which includes the following:
Real-time Insights: Leaders are able to have a first-hand view of the real innovation landscape which helps them understand the challenges and chances of betterment.
Greater Collaboration: Gemba Walks encourage open communication within the teams. This leads to a collaborative environment where ideas are shared and problems are taken head-on together.
Continual Improvement: The identification of inefficiencies and issues during the walk will provide quick, incremental improvements to the innovation process in the organization.
Informed Decisions: Insights from Gemba Walks enable one to make effective decisions on the use of resources, timelines of projects, and overall strategy for innovation.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Although Gemba Walks are a great tool, there are some things you should be careful about when utilizing them.
Shallow observation: Make sure to deep dive into the cause of challenges and opportunities, instead of looking from the periphery.
Lack of Action Plans: Identifying issues is just the beginning. Provide action plans for how to overcome the obstacles and bring in improvements.
Resistance to Participation: Some team members may show resistance to Gemba Walks. Be very open in explaining what it is all about and focus on continuous improvement, not placing any blame.
Ready to implement Gemba Walks in your business?
Gemba Walks are an extremely practical tool for innovation and improvement. They provide for understanding the challenges and improving collaboration along with providing the base for effective decisions.
First Loop provides you with tools, techniques, and training workshops corresponding to your needs. Visit www.firstloop.se/contact and start your innovation journey right now.
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