What is a Gemba Walk ?
The Japanese word "Gemba" (or "Genba") means “the actual place” or “the real place.” In a manufacturing context, this place refers to the workshop, the production floor, or the production line – that is, the heart of the value stream. Originating from the Toyota Production System (TPS), the concept then spread worldwide with the adoption of Lean Management.
In the Lean spirit, leaders shouldn’t be locked away in their offices but should go on the floor (to Gemba). The idea is simple: to truly solve problems, managers must go where they occur, observe what’s really happening, and interact with employees who operate processes.
Gemba Walks are an integral part of this philosophy. The manager walks through the work environment, observes ongoing processes, identifies gaps, interacts with frontline teams, asks questions, and spots process improvement opportunities. The goal is to gather information to gain a better understanding of production workflows, uncover inefficiencies, and launch continuous improvement initiatives.
Gemba Walks are deeply rooted in Lean, which aims to improve production efficiency by eliminating waste and maximizing customer value. However, to achieve such operational excellence, the organization must show a strong Kaizen culture. And this is precisely what Gemba Walk makes possible – it transforms floor observations into structured management routines that drive continuous improvement, all while fostering collective thinking and promoting problem-solving.
The limits of traditional Gemba Walks
Gemba Walks conducted through manual, paper-based processes are no longer suited to the realities of modern industrial environments.
Traditional floor tours often result in:
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Disorganized information: Notes are scattered, not consolidated, and difficult to compare from one Gemba Walk to another.
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Incomplete data collection: Missed fields, illegible handwriting, or the inability to attach supporting documents (such as photos or videos) can compromise gap identification.
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Delayed action: The time between observation and action can be significant due to fragmented information that is easily lost or overlooked.
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Lack of consistency: Each manager may focus on different priorities, leading to non-standardized practices and inconsistent follow-up.
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Complex and time-consuming analysis: Identifying recurring issues or trends from manual notes is often slow and labor-intensive.
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Challenging multi-site management: For organizations operating across multiple locations, centralizing and consolidating paper-based data quickly becomes a major challenge.
As a result, traditional Gemba Walks relying on manual processes limit the sharing of reliable information and hinder proactive management. Gemba Walk software represents a natural and essential evolution, enabling more agile, structured, and effective observation and follow-up in the work environment.
What is a Gemba Walk software?
A Gemba Walk app is designed to assist managers throughout their shop floor tours. It transforms what was once a manual process into an automated, organized, and traceable digital process, promoting collaboration between teams and departments, strategic decision-making, and continuous improvement of operations.
It helps manager to:
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Plan floor tours based on frequency, areas, and SQCDPE performance axes.
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Create standard, custom Gemba Walk checklists.
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Enter findings and attach documents on the spot.
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Set action plans and improvement opportunities, and track progress.
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Centralize data in production dashboards.
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Integrate data from external sources, such as ERP, MES, PIM, and other systems.
Types of Gemba Walk app
There are two categories of Gemba Walk solutions on the market:
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Dedicated tools: These applications focus almost exclusively on Gemba Walks. Often easy to configure and deploy, they are ideal for organizations that want to quickly digitalize their floor tours without disrupting their existing system. However, they may lack synergy with other management workflows.
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Integrated management platforms: These comprehensive Daily Management Systems (DMS) support all leaders’ activities on the floor. Combining features for floor tour, meeting, action, and project management, as well as SQCDPE data tracking, they offer a global and clear view of operational performance. These solutions often require a more structured deployment.
Benefits of a digital Gemba Walk process
For leaders
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Responsiveness: Systematic escalation of findings allows for faster action. No more waiting for records to be manually entered.
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Accuracy and discipline: Standardized Gemba Walk checklists ensure that no critical points are overlooked. During floor tours, managers know exactly what needs to be monitored and what questions to ask.
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Increased consistency: All leaders use the same standard checklist, facilitating comparison and analysis across production lines or sites.
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Global visibility: Dynamic dashboards provide an overview of completed floor tours, root causes of issues, open actions, safety hazards, etc.
For employees
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Better team support: A manager’s presence on the factory floor creates opportunities to engage with team members, better understand their day-to-day realities, and actively support them in implementing solutions.
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Greater recognition: Listening to and acting on solutions proposed by operators fosters a strong sense of recognition, boosting both confidence and job satisfaction.
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Easier communication: By capturing observations in a visible and factual way – through photos, annotations, and data – digitalized Gemba Walks reduce misunderstandings and enable clearer, more effective communication.
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Regular feedback: Each floor tour allows workers to share progress and potential issues while receiving timely, constructive feedback from their manager.
For the organization
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Standardization of practices: In companies with multiple plants or supply chains, digitalized Gemba Walks ensure consistent practices and facilitate comprehensive analysis of data.
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Strategic and operational alignment: Performance axes monitored during Gemba Walks can be aligned with strategic priorities, so that the process directly contributes to overall objectives.
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Time savings: No more manual data entry means more time for strategic analysis and continuous improvement.
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Quick return on investment: By eliminating manual processes and centralizing information, digital solutions reduce wasted time, increase productivity, and support quality, accelerating return on investment.
How to choose the right Gemba Walk app
Choosing the right Gemba Walk solution depends on the specific needs of your work environment and the company’s Lean Management maturity. It’s important to select a tool that will help strengthen a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Determine organizational needs
A company new to the Lean approach will favor a simple and intuitive tool. Conversely, an organization already structured around sophisticated management processes and systems may select a more comprehensive platform, integrated with these systems.
Here are key elements to consider when assessing your needs:
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Lean maturity level (does the company already practice regular Gemba Walks?)
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Frequency, scope, and pace (daily, weekly, by line, by SQCDPE axes)
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Priority axes (workplace safety, quality, cost, people, etc.)
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Roles and responsibilities (who will perform the floor tour, who will analyze data, who will manage corrective actions?)
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Technical constraints (wifi coverage, offline accessibility, information security, third-party system integration)
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Adoption capacity (ease of use, training needs)
Choose ergonomics and ease-of-use
Ease of use is a major success factor. The software should be intuitive, require minimal configuration, and avoid complex or time-consuming navigation. Key aspects to evaluate include intuitive navigation, quick data entry, automatic synchronization, and mobile and offline compatibility.
Favor rigorous action tracking
A good software solution not only facilitates observation but also ensures continuity with set action plans and improvement opportunities. Each noted item must be easily turned into an initiative, assigned to an owner, and tracked until completion, without information losses or administrative burden.
Double-down on integration and analysis capabilities
The tool must connect with other company systems to prevent field data from remaining isolated. Gathering all manufacturing KPIs in a single platform makes it easy to measure and track progress, and support decision-making at all levels.
Consider support and scalability
Beyond functionality, the software must offer high-quality technical support to help team members get the most out of it. Responsive and competent assistance is essential to guarantee the reliability of the solution and ensure business continuity.
The Gemba Walk solution must adapt to the company's development phases, increasing or reducing capacity as needed, without interruption.
Digitalize your Gemba Walk process to drive efficiency
UTrakk is a complete Daily Management System designed to help leaders drive the performance of operations and teams on the factory floor. Through multiple powerful features, it allows you to structure management routines, anticipate and solve problems, and support employees – every day.
Plus, the solution offers robust software integrations – MES, PMS (OEE), CMMS, PIM, and more – enabling you to visualize your data in real time, on a single platform.
Digital Leader Standard Work
A digital agenda enables planning of managers’ typical responsibilities and activities. This Standard Leader Work structures regular Gemba Walk routines, as well as recurring tasks and meetings, establishing consistent management practices.
Gemba Walks
The Rituals module allows you to conduct floor tours methodically, promoting thorough supervision. With its associated Gemba Walk checklists, it ensures comprehensive coverage of crucial areas and close monitoring of floor data.
Gemba Walk checklists
Personalized and standardized Gemba Walk checklists can be easily created with UTrakk. Combined with your regular floor tours, these lists make it easier to gather data, detect problems requiring immediate attention, and track work progress, leading to improved operational performance.
Dashboards
In just a few clicks, the system allows you to configure interactive dashboards structured according to performance axes or key performance indicators of different departments, processes, and teams. A variety of diagrams, sophisticated filters, and intuitive color coding facilitate data visualization.
Meeting management
The solution also handles the planning of all types of management rituals (follow-up meetings, specific committees, production reviews, etc.). These rituals can be linked to Gemba Walks and resulting actions, speeding up the escalation of issues, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Coaching
UTrakk includes a Coaching module that supports managers in developing their leadership. The coach accompanies the manager during floor tours to observe their work, guide their practice, and identify areas for improvement.
Knowledge Center
A Knowledge Center including processes, SOPs, and work instructions is accessible from the platform. During floor tours, you can instantly consult this library of standardized resources to verify compliance with practices.
Make digital an ally of leadership and performance on the shop floor
Before being an application, Gemba is first and foremost a philosophy – going to the workplace, observing, and listening to what teams experience on a daily basis. By capturing observations, solutions, and opportunities for improvement directly from the floor, the software helps leaders ground their approach in operational reality. It doesn’t replace their presence; it structures it and makes it more relevant and effective.
Far from dehumanizing relationships, digital technology makes them more authentic. It amplifies workers’ voices, reinforces recognition, and brings greater transparency to improvement follow-ups. Supported by this solution, leaders gain consistency and credibility, allowing them to focus their energy on what matters most – supporting, listening, and developing their teams to achieve the highest levels of performance.
By combining the rigor of technology with the richness of human interaction, the digitalization of Gemba Walks transforms frontline management into a more structured, proactive, and deeply human practice.
