subject: Poka-yoke: An Effective Business Development Technique [print this page] Poka-yoke is a business term that refers to mechanisms used for minimizing the occurrences of mistakes or defects.It is a Japanese term that specifically means fail-safe or mistake-proof; it is concerned not with eliminating mistakes directly but in eliminating the chances of product defects. In business, mechanisms and techniques involving poka-yoke are being promoted, as these improve the skills of laborers, prevent product loss or defects, and eventually reduce human errors.
There are three types of poka-yoke that can be implemented in business production process. The contact method is one type that is used to determine defects by testing the products physical attributes. The constant number method evaluates product quality by comparing the actual number of times a process is done and the required number of times it takes to do the process correctly. Lastly, sequence method focuses on exactly following various steps in the production process.
Human factors refer to the human tendency to commit mistakes during the production. Unlike machines that can perform consistently, creating a very small percentage of error in the production, humans may be more prone to inadvertently committing errors. Through poka-yoke mechanisms, human errors are minimized.
A child starting to build understanding about things can be given a poka-yoke toy in order to develop his or her distinguishing ability. A good example is a cube with holes of different popular shapes on each face, and tiles shaped according to the holes in which they fit. The child needs to match the tile with the appropriately-shaped hole, to be able to push the tile into the cube. This poka yoke game allows the child to know which tile he should pick for a certain hole.
The same principle is being promoted in business to improve production. A poka yoke game is commonly used in production development training, for employees to improve their distinguishing abilities. An employees distinguishing ability is important because it minimizes the time needed to determine the products consumers need. For example, a worker in a drugstore can serve more buyers if he can point out the needed product in a room full of different medicines.
The end results of a poka yoke game involve making employees understand the importance of high product quality. By understanding this, employees may be motivated to pay closer attention to their work, lowering the chances of human error in business production.
