GEMBA
Use the gemba to collect information on how a process is currently being performed.
What is gemba?
An important part of improvement is taking the time to understand how a process is done by observing the process and connecting with the people who perform the process. By going to the Gemba, the improvement team is able to collect information about how the process is currently being performed.
By focusing on the process and listening to employees, the team can collect input from operators to help with mapping the process, get employee feedback, and increase buy-in. This in-person observation is an important step in improvement. The Gemba, which is translated as “the place where value is created”, helps to ground the team in the current state. It allows the team to compare what they assume is happening with what is actually happening.
The GEMBA is NOT:
- The time to solve problems or make changes.
- To find fault.
- To criticize the process.
- To make judgment on employee input and ideas.
To view our other available tools and templates, please visit our online resource page. All PDF versions of our tools are free to download.
Download the Free "gemba" Template (PDF)
Purchase the template to customize for your own organization
All of our tools and templates are available in Word or PowerPoint format to allow organizations to purchase and customize the templates to their brand standards.
By using the GEMBA, the team can obtain an understanding of how a process is currently being performed. This topic is a core concept of applying Lean Six Gigma through our Yellow Belt training program. To learn more about Lean Six Sigma, please visit our Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Training Course.
The Yellow Belt Training course teaches lean problem-solving that will give any professional an advantage in their industry or career.
- Designers or Product Development professionals that are motivated to bring innovative new products and services to their business and customers.
- Consultants who want to offer their clients a model for applying lean problem-solving to help address business challenges.
- Human Resource professionals seeking to develop more human-centered solutions to support workforce members while driving higher levels of employee engagement.
- Members of Leadership who are wishing to gain competitive advantage by differentiating their business’s products and services.
- Individuals or Teams that are searching for new ways to solve complex problems by placing the customer’s needs at the center of their solutions.
This course will help expose the learner to various Lean Six Sigma improvement tools and mental models – all with the emphasis on facilitating local-level improvement that targets reducing waste.
Our objective is to provide the learner with practical tools for applying a Lean Six Sigma thinking process within their organizations. Through this framework, the learner will be able to target waste and its impact on both customer and business. With this perspective in mind, the learner will drive improvements around the reduction of waste within a business using tools such as Problem Statement, SMART Aim Statement, Process Mapping, and others.
Need help introducing use of GEMA at your organization?
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