3.10.

5 Shop Floor (Gemba)

Examples of Walk Around and
Dialogue Activities
Rev. New
29SEP2016

The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association

(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Shop Floor (Gemba) Examples

Examples of Walk Around & Dialogue Activities

The intent of this material is to support the SCMH 3.10.2
Collecting and Using Shop Floor (Gemba) Input and
Feedback and can be implemented in your company.
The examples include a few activities and various points to
consider during the implementation of the guidance. These
include both;

Walk Around Activities & Dialogue Activities

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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Quality Activities
Shop Floor Walked by Managers

Managers and Shop Floor (Gemba) leaders conduct Walk

Arounds to check quality.
The team consists of a few members who look at their own work
areas and other work areas as appropriate.
Not only are findings noted but actions are decided on the spot.

Things to Check
Do the workers have any problems?
Is the Shop Floor in a situation in which it is not possible to comply
with in-house rules and/or work instructions?

Points to consider
If there are any problems, call for the related departments and decide
the countermeasures while on the shop.
Consider if there are any activities in other work areas that could
serve as a reference or example?

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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Quality Activities
Shop Floor Walked by Workers

Shop Floor (Gemba) workers conduct Walk Arounds to

check quality in other work areas.
Members primarily consist of workers from the Shop Floor (Gemba)
walk each workplace.
The workers themselves aim to raise their own quality awareness by
looking at other workplaces.
Things to Check
Note: It is a good idea to specify themes and provide prepared checklists
Control of tools;
Has calibration been done and found in date?
Are all tools accounted for, no tools lost or missing, no tools damaged, are tool
areas tidy and well-ordered (2S condition [Sorting / Setting-in-order]) etc.?
Control of issued documents;
Are they consistent with document control logs?
Is the work being performed using the current version etc. ?
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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Quality Activities
Shop Floor Walked by Workers -continued

Questions to ask when on Walk Arounds -continued

Production records;
Are there any omissions in the records?
Are qualified people doing the work?
Is the work being done in accordance with the process
sequence? etc.

Points to consider
If there are any problems, ensure they are handled as required by
internal procedures.
Consider if there are any activities in other work areas that could serve
as a reference or example?

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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Quality Activities
Walk Arounds by Quality Management Dept.

Quality Management implements walk arounds on specific

days set in advance.
Note: The Japanese for example, may select days with a 9 [pronounced kyu in
Japanese like Q for quality] such as the 9th, the 19th, and the 29th).
The aim is to raise quality awareness in each work area through these patrols.

Things to check
Confirm (ask) if the work is being implemented in accordance with established
rules.
Confirm (ask) if the work is being implemented normally.
Check if actions launched for former feedback from Gemba have delivered as
expected or if some issues remain, act accordingly

Points to consider
Raise and establish quality awareness in each work area by notifying them about
the patrols in advance.
It is a good idea to implement the walks in conjunction with events such as quality
month or other quality event you may already have established, etc.

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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Dialogue Activities
Everyones Voice

Solicit Proposals
Regularly solicit corrections and improvement proposals from
managers, workers, and related departments belonging to the
organization through suggestion boxes and e-mail.
Disclose the answers, and share the solutions to problems /
status of measures.
Refer to SCMH 3.10.2 for Guidance for the Collection and Use
of Shop Floor (Gemba) Input and Feedback.
Points to consider at time of implementation
Respond to all of the presented proposal
Even in the case that information is insufficient and a
detailed investigation is difficult, disclose such situation
as an answer.
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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Dialogue Activities
Quality Examination Meeting

Establish Forums for to discuss Quality

The quality management department establishes forums for each
factory and work area to discuss quality.
They report the quality status and report the lessons learned
from instances of nonconformity.
Points to consider during implementation
Ensure not only the quality management department but the
managers and workers from related departments belonging to
the organization participate.
It is easier to increase motivation if awards are given to
departments with outstanding quality statuses.
It is easier to increase awareness of quality if the representatives
of the Shop Floor also participate.
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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Dialogue Activities
Round Table Conferences on Quality

Establish Round Table Discussions

The organizations executives hold luncheons or other types of
gatherings appropriate to the culture with workers and get them
to present problems, dissatisfactions, and improvement
proposals, and immediately decide the policies.
The organizations executives give instructions for
improvements directly to the work areas and aim for early
solutions to the problems.

Points to consider during implementation

Be careful not to put any workers at a disadvantage.
Do not blame originator for bad news or ideas, address the
issue, do not attack the person, encourage them to speak
again next time whatever the conclusion of the discussion.
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 Dialogue Activities
Engineering and Designer Interviews

Establish meetings with Engineers and

Designers on the shop floor
Establish opportunities for open discussion on the Shop Floor
(Gemba) with design engineers, manufacturing engineers, and
process designers
The design engineers, manufacturing engineers and process
designers visit the Shop Floor and directly receive proposal from
workers.

Points to consider during implementation

Produce improvements in the their activities by directly asking
about the workers evaluations on the blueprints, drawings and
processes being planned.
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(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Dialogue Activities
Independent Person -Input

Establish independent person interviews with

workers
Set up interviews on the Shop Floor (Gemba) with independent
persons, unrelated to the office organization.
The independent person, visits the Shop Floor (Gemba) and
interviews the workers.
The "independent person" could be assigned by management or
top management, and report items back to top management or
coordinate with the related sections.
This "independent person" could be
consultants,
sub-contractors,
the person who is directly ordered by top management.

Points to consider during implementation

Continue to talk to the Shop Floor workers and ask them what the
problems are on the Shop Floor, and what they want or need from
other departments
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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region
 Comments and Suggestions

Comments about the

Collecting and Using Shop Floor (Gemba)
Input and Feedback Guidance?

You may provide feedback via the SCMH,

go to www.iaqg.org/scmh accept the terms and conditions
then click on Contact Us or Take Survey.

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The IAQG is a legally incorporated international not for profit association
(INPA) with membership from the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific Region