Lean Construction Ireland Annual Book of Cases 2021 32 Case 8 Figure 1. Last Planner SystemOutline GembaWalks The term Gemba is a Japanese term which means actual place and that is exactly what it is: observing how a process really works, engaging with employees, and exploring opportunities for continuous improvement. It allows people of every level, from senior managers to key stakeholders, to walk the process,understand it, and improve it. Several Gemba walks took place over the duration of the project, and a particularly successful one was on the installation of cable containment modules.When the project launched and the first cable containment modules were delivered, the project manager decided to go on a Gemba walk with the electrical supervisors and one of the mechanical supervisors to observe the installation of the modules. By following the GembaWalk seven steps, it helped in completing a successful Gemba walk and then improve the process. Figure 2. GembaWalk 7-Step Model 1. Pick a theme The project manager had a precise process that involved walking to see if there was any productivity gain to be made in the process. He wasn’t observing the entire process of the modules being delivered to site and installed, rather he was only walking the process fromwhen the modules were lifted into place and connected to the previous containment module. 2. Prepare your team The supervisors informed their crews that a Gemba walk would be taking place, and they reassured them that it was the process they were observing and not the operatives.The ultimate goal was to develop a better process through continuous improvement andmake life easier for all involved in the process. By informing their crews, the supervisors hoped the operatives would feel that they were part of the initiative and be more willing to collaborate. 3. Focus on process, not people This step can be hard for some managers.When a manager observes someone not performing to the standard they expect, they often find it very hard not to say something to that person, but this in fact goes completely against the principle of the Gemba walk as you are only there to observe, understand, and improve the process, not evaluate an operative’s performance.The project manager on this particular walk reminded the project supervisors of this fact before they began the walk. 4. Be where the value stream is This Gemba walk was on a very precise process, so the value stream was small but could still be made very efficient. 5.Record your observations – don’t make suggestions during the walk Again, this is not an easy step for some managers to follow.They must not fall into the trap of trying to fix an issue on the walk or offering a solution to a problem they witness.The best approach is to take notes and analyse them later.These notes can be used as part of a problem-solving technique such as PDCA or DMAIC.The project manager and supervisors talked to the operatives and asked them how they felt the process could be improved, and did so without telling them how they themselves would improve the process.The operatives seemed to appreciate this and were happy that their point of view was being listened to. 6.An extra pair of eyes The mechanical supervisor that was on the walk was the extra set of eyes. He was less familiar with the cable containment installation process than his electrical counterparts, but he had a fresh point of view.He was asking different questions to everyone else on the walk. 7. Follow up It is essential that you share any findings from the Gemba walk, significant or not,with everyone involved in the process, and especially the operatives in the field. If you do not share the findings, they may feel like you were accessing their performance and not observing the process. After analysing the data they had collected from the Gemba walk, the team learned that there was a significant amount of motion waste in the process.When the containment modules were lifted into place, often at a high level, they were joined together with small nuts, bolts, and washers.They observed people shuffling through their toolboxes that were full of tools that they didn’t require for the task they were carrying out, looking for these materials. In one case, an operative couldn’t find the bolts required and so they had to walk to the central site stores which was a 20-minute round trip. As a solution, the mechanical supervisor suggested using mobile toolboxes on wheels similar to the wheelie suitcase that we all use today. A new process
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