Learn about the meaning of Genchi Genbutsu and the differences with Gemba. Discover Genchi Genbutsu’s importance and use in manufacturing.
Genchi Genbutsu is a core principle in the Lean manufacturing that translates to “go and see for yourself.” The Japanese term “Genchi” means actual place, while “Genbutsu” means actual thing. Genchi Genbutsu is one of the thirteen pillars of the Toyota Production System and was established to empower people to solve problems by seeing issues for themselves.
The objective of the Genchi Genbutsu principle is to emphasize the importance of seeing problems firsthand. Usually, on the manufacturing site where production is happening to understand the processes fully, examine the working environment, and determine waste generation. It is a good practice because when problems arise, management can advise the best possible solution immediately.
The concept of Genchi Genbutsu focuses on facts about what really happened in the production area. It helps organizations to visualize the issue and pinpoint the root cause of the problem in an accurate manner. Performing Genchi Genbutsu can help organizations reap the following benefits:
have better visibility of the problem;
solutions can be provided immediately based on the on-site scenario;
operators have the opportunity to provide their input about the issue;
opens the communication between management and operators; and
raise awareness to report issues immediately if it reoccurs in the future.
Genchi Genbutsu vs Gemba | Mitti (by SafetyCulture)
Genchi Genbutsu is commonly associated with Gemba Walk as they have the same concept to promote continuous improvement. Like Genchi Genbusu, Gemba is also a Japanese term that means “the real place” which is defined as the act of seeing where the actual work happens.
Even though Gemba and Genchi Genbutsu have similar concepts, they differ in their process and implementation. Gemba walk aims to observe certain areas of a facility to look for improvement opportunities and there are no specific issues that the organization was trying to solve. It emphasizes continuous improvement by watching the required actions to complete daily tasks and identify circumstances to implement safety in the workplace.
On the other hand, Genchi Genbutsu is performed when there is an occurrence of an issue that the organization is trying to solve. The exact area on the production floor where the issue happened is where the investigation begins to solve the problem. It helps identify the root cause of the problem by asking relevant questions to operators and walking around the area to investigate.
The key to Genchi Genbutsu is the area where the problem occurred. It is important to determine where the analysis should start and what would be the range of the investigation in order to provide a credible solution. Here are some tips when performing Genchi Genbutsu.
Provide solutions based on first-hand experience;
Observe and get opinions from operators on how work is executed;
Conduct surveys and interviews to identify discrepancies based on human understanding;
Check historical data and other reports regarding procedures and processes;
Discover errors based on actual processes;
Check for human or machine errors; and
Review all aspects of the situation that others may have missed.
Scenario: “Group A” is producing substandard products. |
Genchi Genbutsu principle is performed to identify the root cause of the issue about substandard products being produced. Attending supervisors will go to the production floor and roam around the area. They will investigate the working environment, processes, and equipment or assets to analyze the problem. They can ask around what happened and get the input of operators and check the machinery to discover what the issue might be. After visual check and root cause analysis, they can give an effective solution on how to prevent the production of substandard products.
Integrating improvement in practice
Discover how organizations like Toyota Material Handling, Mowi, Thermosash and Byblos Constructions are integrating improvement into how work is done to improve efficiency, reduce wastage and surface actionable insights across their operations.
Implementing Genchi Genbutsu in lean manufacturing is easy, you just have to go into the area and see the issue for yourself, but keeping a record of the incident can be challenging especially if you are using the traditional pen and paper method. It can be cumbersome and prone to damage or loss. With Mitti (by SafetyCulture), an inspection app that can be used through the web or mobile platforms, you can maximize technology, ensure collaboration within the organization, and maintain a secured inspection record. You can also take advantage of the following benefits:
Create and customize templates Use our ready-to-use Genchi Genbutsu inspection template or check out our Library of free checklist templates. You also have the option to convert your existing PDF, Word Document, Excel, or PowerPoint files into Mitti (by SafetyCulture) checklists for free up to 3 files.
Easily log observations Use your mobile device to access the Mitti (by SafetyCulture) app. Record observations and analysis anytime even when you are offline. All data will automatically sync when you are back online. You can also train your employees on effective implementation of best practices.
Capture photos of the incident With in-app camera access, you can easily capture photo evidence of the incident. You have the option to annotate and add notes to further explain the captured images.
Assign corrective actions Easily assign actions to appropriate members of the organization to implement immediate rectifications. You can set the priority level and the due date to finish the task.
Access, review, and share reports in real-time Instantly share your inspection reports with any member of the organization, and you have the option to send reports on the mobile app to specific people via email. All data is automatically stored in the cloud, which you can access anytime, anywhere.
Set up the organization for benchmarking and standardization. Use technology to improve the quality of work and implement continuous improvement in the workplace. Get started with Mitti (by SafetyCulture)’s ready-to-use templates.
A Genchi Genbutsu inspection template is used by the attending manager to log problem statements, observations, interviews, and recommendations. It helps document the information needed to further analyze the issue and give a solution to the problem. This would help managers in evaluating the issue especially when it happens again in the future.
A Gemba walk checklist is used by leaders to observe the workplace and gain first-hand insight regarding safety and productivity. It would help the organization implement continuous improvement and determine if processes are being performed according to standards. This template would help identify problems and record recommendations on how to mitigate the issue.
