Methods & research
Gemba Walks for Digital Transformation: What to Look For
Walking the floor is the fastest research tool in manufacturing. A checklist of what to observe, ask and photograph.
Trikaan Research & Engineering4 min read
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The shop floor tells you what the system should do; meeting rooms tell you what people think it does.
- Walk with the material, not around the building.
- Photograph every register, whiteboard and sticky note.
- Walk more than one shift.
Gemba is a Japanese word for ‘the real place’ — in manufacturing, the shop floor. A gemba walk is the simplest and most underrated research method for any digital project. You go where the work happens and watch.
Here is what to look for when the goal is designing software that people will actually use.
Before you walk
- Agree the scope: which product, line or flow.
- Ask a supervisor to accompany you and introduce you.
- Bring a phone for photos and a notebook.
- Plan at least one walk on a night or weekend shift.
What to observe
| Look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Registers and forms | Show what data is actually captured |
| Whiteboards and stickies | Show what people need that systems don’t give |
| Re-typing and copying | Hand-offs where errors enter |
| Waiting | People or material idle — a planning signal |
| Workarounds | Broken process, hidden rules |
| Devices | Phones, PCs, scanners already in use |
What to ask
- What are you writing down right now, and who uses it?
- What do you do when the system is down?
- What information do you wish you had at the start of the shift?
- What do you check twice?
- Where do you lose the most time?
Follow the material
Start at the gate and follow a lot of raw material to finished goods and dispatch. Note every point where its quantity, location or status is recorded, and by whom. Then follow an order from enquiry to invoice. The two maps together reveal most of the hand-offs that software needs to support.
After the walk
Within a day, write up observations with photos, list the workarounds and register types, and mark the hand-offs on a simple flow diagram. Share it with the people you walked with and ask what you missed. This builds trust and almost always adds something important.
Common mistakes
- Walking with a manager who answers for everyone.
- Visiting only when the line is running well.
- Judging rather than understanding workarounds.
- Not returning to share findings.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a gemba walk take?
One to three hours for a focused flow; repeat across shifts and days.
Who should do the walk?
The people designing the solution, accompanied by someone from the floor.
Is a gemba walk only a lean tool?
It comes from lean, but it is equally valuable for digital design.
What if operators are uncomfortable?
Explain the purpose, ask permission for photos and focus on processes, not people.
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- #gemba walk checklist
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- #process walk
Trikaan Research & Engineering
Trikaan
Written by the researchers and engineers who build Anvaya, ASTR and Seed Track, with input from Trikaan's delivery and engineering teams.
