From the course: Operational Excellence Foundations

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Error-proofing or poka-yoke

Error-proofing or poka-yoke

From the course: Operational Excellence Foundations

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Error-proofing or poka-yoke

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- When you shop online, the credit card number you input has to be accurate, otherwise you cannot complete your order. That's an example of error proofing, or mistake proofing. In lean, it's often called poka-yoke from the Japanese terms (speaks in foreign language) meaning mistake, and (speaks in foreign language) meaning to avoid. To avoid inadvertent error or human error. Wouldn't it be useful to error proof or mistake proof your processes, products, and services? Let's discuss the basic principles of error proofing and how they can be applied. Error proofing is best when it prevents error from occurring. If that's not possible, the next best thing is to facilitate the work so that errors are minimized. Lastly, if errors do take place, then detection should be made obvious and immediate, or be automated. There are basically three levels of error proofing. Here they are in order of preference. One, prevention. Two, facilitation. Three, detection. The first and most preferred is…

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