What is Gemba Kaizen?
Gemba Kaizen is a philosophy and method of continuous improvement that encourages teams to identify, analyze, and solve problems directly on the factory floor. Rather than theorizing from a distance, it invites leaders and employees to observe actual processes, detect waste and inefficiencies, and then propose simple, concrete, and immediate improvements.
Origins of the concept
Gemba refers to the "real place" in Japanese, that is the place where value is created. It can be the workplace as a whole or, more precisely, the production environment of a manufacturing company. Derived from this concept, the Gemba Walk is a management practice that involves going to the factory floor to observe processes and activities, ask questions, and get feedback from operators with the goal of proactively identifying and solving potential problems.
Kaizen means "change for the better" in Japanese. This continuous improvement philosophy was introduced in the 1980s by Masaaki Imai, founder of the Kaizen Institute.
However, the roots of Kaizen go back further, to Japan's economic reconstruction period after World War II. At that time, institutions such as the Japanese Productivity Center in Tokyo played a key role in disseminating new management methods and encouraging companies to focus on productivity and continuous improvement.
By combining these two concepts, Gemba Kaizen becomes a comprehensive Lean Management approach that leverages the best of both worlds – the philosophy of continuous improvement and the practice of direct workplace observation.
Classic Kaizen and Gemba Kaizen
While Kaizen is seen as a general principle of incremental improvement across the entire organization, Gemba Kaizen is distinguished by its focus on the factory floor:
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Classic Kaizen includes strategic or organizational initiatives.
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Gemba Kaizen focuses on concrete, local actions that are as close as possible to daily operations and rely on employees' direct contributions.
The 10 golden rules of Gemba Kaizen
In his seminal book Gemba Kaizen, Masaaki Imai outlines ten fundamental rules that provide a framework for daily behaviors and decisions. Intentionally practical and straightforward, these rules guide action on the production floor.
1. Say no to the status quo
Gemba Kaizen begins with being open-minded. Rigid thinking, established methods, or expressions like "we've always done it this way" must be challenged. This rule encourages the adoption of a critical stance toward current practices to unlock new perspectives for improvement.
2. Focus on solutions
It's natural to identify what isn't working, but Gemba Kaizen emphasizes the active search for solutions. Energy must be focused on "how to improve" rather than "why it's not working." This approach encourages action and avoids getting bogged down in endless analyses.
3. Accept no excuses
Excuses and pretexts block progress. Every employee must take ownership and act within their means, building a culture of accountability instead of blame.
4. Aim for progress, not perfection
Waiting for the perfect solution can slow down progress. Gemba Kaizen advocates acting quickly, even if the initial solution only achieves 50% of the objective. What’s important is to progress step by step, continuously perfecting processes.
5. Be proactive
Detected anomalies must be corrected without delay. Temporary countermeasures are better than letting a source of waste or risk persist. This rule fosters responsiveness and prevents problems from piling up.
6. Implement Kaizen without cost
Continuous improvement does not always require significant investments. In fact, the most effective ideas are often inexpensive and straightforward. Gemba Kaizen values practical solutions stemming from the creativity of frontline employees.
7. Learn from challenges
Obstacles are opportunities to learn and grow. Every problem encountered offers the chance to discover flaws in processes and move forward. This rule turns failures into improvement drivers.
8. Look beyond the obvious
A well-known Lean method, 5 Whys consists of repeatedly asking "why?" to get to the true source of a problem. This rule allows for rigorous analysis to avoid ineffective solutions.
9. Empower everyone
Gemba Kaizen values the strength of collective expertise. Ten minds working together is better than one: great improvement ideas often emerge from diverse perspectives, especially when operators and managers collaborate.
10. Never stop improving
There is no end to continuous improvement. Even an optimized process can constantly be revised. This rule reminds us that Kaizen is not a one-off project, but a mindset of constant progress.
Benefits of Gemba Kaizen for manufacturers
Cost reduction
Gemba Kaizen’s goal is primarily to eliminate waste (waiting times, overproduction, excess inventory, ineffective movement, defects, etc.). By reducing these inefficiencies, a company improves its margins without heavily investing in machinery or technology. This "doing better with what we have" approach is particularly relevant in markets where competition and production costs are high.
Improved product quality
By closely observing processes, anomalies (defective parts, assembly errors, etc.) can be quickly identified. Immediate resolution of non-conformities is part of a thorough quality-assurance process, as it prevents defects from spreading downstream in production or reaching customers. This systematic vigilance fosters continuous quality improvement, leading to fewer returns, better customer satisfaction, and a stronger reputation for reliability.
Increased productivity
Eliminating bottlenecks, reorganizing workstations, and reducing wait times make operations more seamless. Throughput increases without additional resources, improving efficiency of critical business processes. As a result, productivity is higher, not due to pressure on employees but through better process design.
Employee engagement
Deeply human, Gemba Kaizen involves employees at all levels. Because they execute processes on a daily basis, operators possess valuable expertise that deserves to be sought out and valued by implementing solutions based on their experience. This recognition boosts pride and engagement, leading to greater motivation and efficiency at work.
Improved safety
With regular floor observation via Gemba Walks, potential risks (cluttered areas, incorrectly stored tools, defective machines, dangerous behaviors, etc.) can be easily identified. Gemba Kaizen fosters immediate action to address these hazards, reducing workplace accidents and protecting employees’ health.
Greater safety also means lower costs related to sick leave, compensation, and lost productivity.
Operational flexibility
Because Gemba Kaizen simplifies processes and makes them more flexible, organizations can quickly adapt to demand and market fluctuations. This agility becomes a strategic asset to respond to variability without sacrificing performance.
Implementing Gemba Kaizen through 5S
Gemba Kaizen depends on direct observation and rapid, on-the-floor problem-solving, but it can only be effective in a disciplined environment built on good housekeeping and strong workplace organization. Hence the importance of implementing the 5S method to lay the groundwork in five easy steps:
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Sort (Seiri): Eliminating unnecessary items and keeping only what’s truly useful makes it easier to identify waste.
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Set in order (Seiton): A well-organized workshop or workstation ensures that relevant objects are easy to find, deviations are visible, and processes are streamlined.
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Shine (Seiso): In addition to the hygienic aspect, cleaning machines and the workspace becomes a form of visual assessment that helps detect potential problems.
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Standardize (Seiketsu): Standardizing best practices ensures their sustainability. Without it, Kaizen's progress would quickly be lost, making it harder to consistently improve quality over time.
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Sustain (Shitsuke): Rigor and collective discipline help continuous improvement become a daily habit.
Tips for successful implementation (and examples)
Start small
Rather than launching a vast improvement program, it’s better to target a specific workshop, production line, or process where problems are visible. This approach allows to quickly achieve gains and confirm the effectiveness of Gemba Kaizen to foster global implementation in the manufacturing environment.
Example: A factory can begin by reducing tool change times on a single critical machine and demonstrate immediate gains in availability.
Train managers on Gemba Walks
The goal of Gemba Walks isn’t to control and punish; they provide moments to observe and listen to understand the actual work and support employees. Since these routines require “managing with commonsense,” as Masaaki Imai puts it, training and coaching on the best management practices are essential to enable leaders to carry them out properly.
Example: Instead of asking "Why isn't it working?", a supervisor can try "What's making your job difficult today?". The answer might provide valuable insights on potential root causes of problems.
Ensure alignment with the strategy
Local initiatives must always be aligned with the company's overall vision. Otherwise, they risk failing due to a lack of support or consistency. Frontline managers help connect daily improvements to overarching SQCDPE goals.
Example: A scrap reduction initiative on a pilot line can be linked to a global objective of reducing material losses by 20%.
Create a simple suggestion system
Employees can quickly become discouraged if providing feedback and sharing ideas requires too many steps (complex forms, long validation process, etc.). To encourage them to share their opinions or solutions, you need to offer a fast, simple, and accessible system.
Example: Make a whiteboard or application available so anyone can provide ideas, with clear tracking of chosen initiatives.
Promote visual communication
Visual management tools such as charts, signs, etc. help all employees involved in operations understand processes, procedures, and the status of key performance indicators (KPIs). It's a common and simple visual language that’s directly guiding Gemba Walks and collective engagement.
Example: A Kanban board or graph displayed near the line allows each operator to instantly see if the pace is being met or if there are potential bottlenecks.
Recognize quick wins
Kaizen is primarily based on motivation. As soon as an improvement bears fruit, even modest, sharing and recognizing those who initiated it is crucial. Meaningful and timely recognition accelerates adoption across teams and foster sustainable results.
Example: Organize a team huddle to congratulate operators who reduced travel times by reorganizing a workstation.
Measure and track results
Without KPIs, Kaizen becomes a series of tasks with no goals or visibility. Choose relevant continuous improvement indicators that show whether improvements are actually producing results.
Example: Display the daily progression in the scrap rate at the workstation so that teams can make adjustments if necessary.
Build a strong improvement culture through structured Gemba Kaizen with UTrakk
The digital era in manufacturing is transforming the way organizations implement Gemba Kaizen. In complex industrial environments, with multiple production lines, many teams across three shifts, and countless performance data to track, it can be difficult to maintain a clear vision and keep up the pace of continuous improvement. For these companies, digital tools offer real added value.
Designed to help leaders conduct successful Gemba Walks, anticipate and solve problems on the production floor, and support a culture of continuous improvement, UTrakk DMS offers features that facilitate the implementation of Gemba Kaizen:
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Ritualized Gemba Walks: The solution lets leaders plan regular Gemba Walks mapping out a clear route, and integrating comprehensive and consistent tour checklists.
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Centralized information: All observations, variances, and other valuable insights are recorded in a single tool, making it easier to identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
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Action management: Each corrective action is assigned to an owner, with a specific timeline, and can be viewed in a centralized list. This enables close tracking, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
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Interactive dashboards: With UTrakk dashboards, teams gain a real-time view of performance indicators linked to improvement measures, enabling quick adjustments and boosting motivation.
A commonsense approach to continuous improvement for a more agile and sustainable industry
Continuous improvement, yes. But much more than that, Gemba Kaizen is a way of rethinking the relationship between the factory floor and management. By shifting the center of gravity of leadership to the workshop, it encourages managers to observe, listen, and act directly in the production environment. This approach transforms the role of the manager, who becomes a guide and coach rather than just a supervisor.
But the power of Gemba Kaizen doesn’t stop there. In the face of today’s challenges – digitalization, ecological transition, new skill requirements, etc. – its true potential lies in its ability to connect the pragmatism of the floor with broader strategic objectives. It’s in this alignment between production and strategy that the future of manufacturing organizations will be defined.
Gemba Kaizen thus becomes a way of embedding performance into everyday practice, while paving the way for a more agile industry – one that’s focused on people and the future.
