Poka-Yoke is a device or
method that prevents people from making mistakes. The word in Japanese means
mistake proofing or error proofing.
Step by step
process in applying Poka-Yoke:
- Identify the operation or process - based on a pareto.
- Analyze the 5-whys and understand the ways a process can fail.
- Decide the right poka-yoke approach, such as using a shut out type (preventing an error being made), or an attention type (highlighting that an error has been made) poka-yoke take a more comprehensive approach instead of merely thinking of poka-yokes as limit switches, or automatic shutoffs a poka-yoke can be electrical, mechanical, procedural, visual, human or any other form that prevents incorrect execution of a process step
- Determine whether a contact - use of shape, size or other physical attributes for detection, constant number - error triggered if a certain number of actions are not made sequence method - use of a checklist to ensure completing all process steps is appropriate
- Trial the method and see if it works
- Train the operator, review
performance and measure success.
Poka-Yoke example: with this habit you will never forget to take your cellphone