Planning & Preparation
- Define the purpose and focus area of the Gemba Walk
- Review previous walk notes and outstanding actions
- Notify involved team members ahead of time
- Prepare questions aligned with safety, quality, or productivity
Execution on the Floor
- Engage directly with operators and frontline staff
- Observe standard operating procedures in action
- Note bottlenecks, unsafe behaviors, or wasteful steps
- Capture data with photos or notes as needed
Follow-Up and Documentation
- Summarize findings and insights post-walk
- Assign corrective actions and due dates
- Share feedback with teams transparently
- Track trends across multiple Gemba Walks
Continuous Improvement Integration
- Align observations with Kaizen or lean projects
- Use metrics to identify recurring inefficiencies
- Update SOPs and training if necessary
- Celebrate improvements and recognize contributors