Discussion Board 6 – Main Thread
Rachel WheeleLiberty University
Key concept – Explanation
Poka yoke is a type of quality control that businesses use to try to prevent defects from occurring and reaching the consumer. Poka yoke is a Japanese term that means mistake proof (Connor, 2006). The goal is to prevent defects in the early stages of manufacturing so that zero defects reach the consumer (Brownhill, 2005). Training is the main tactic used when using poka yoke in the service industry (Shahin & Ghasemaghaei, 2010). I selected this topic because I am interested in learning the methods that make businesses better and less wasteful.
Comparision
Meredith and Shafer (2010) do not spend much time discussing poka yoke other than to state it is a mistake proofing technique whose goal is to catch errors from occurring in the first place (Meredith & Shafer, 2010). The text describes a couple of examples of poka yoke but does not mention the consumer. Connor (2006) points out that poka yoke should be implemented after as many variables as possible can be removed from the process (Connor, 2006). This is because each variable point has the potential for errors. Shahin and Ghasemaghaei (2010) explored poka yoke and its application in the service industry (Shahin, & Ghasemaghaei, 2010). They found that the service industry is inherently fraught with variables and so training and empowering employees to prevent errors from occurring is critical for the success of the service business (Shahin, & Ghasemaghaei, 2010). This mistake proofing process has been implemented in studies involving intellectually impaired persons to create a work environment that fosters higher productivity with improved results (Treurnicht, Blanckenberg, van Niekerk, 2011). Smith (2012) states that all members involved in the process should be trained on what mistake proofing is and why it is important to them, the company and the consumer (Smith, 2012).
Article Summary
The article written by Manivannan (2006) explains what poka yoke is, how it is used, and why it is useful. First Manivannan explains that poka yoke is error proofing or defect proofing a process in the early stages of development (Manivannan, 2006). He does state that error proofing and defect proofing are often used interchangeably. The author states that instead of using inspection as a method for looking for defects that poka yoke should be implemented to stop the defects from occurring in the first place. Poka yoke is a customer focused method. Manivannan explains that a defect is anything outside of the normal specifications that causes customer dissatisfaction. The author goes on to explain that if the beginning process is designed so that it can only be performed one way, it will then reduce operator error and will produce a zero defects item (Manivannan, 2006). Manivannan has found four reasons why poka yoke should be implemented. One is that it creates knowledgeable workers that understand error proofing principles and can participate in design improvement. Another is that by starting with an error proof design there is a reduction in variation. Poka yoke also leads to greater predictability in the product, eliminating the need for inspection. Finally, poka yoke gives the firm a competitive advantage by reducing costs by stopping defects in the first place and eliminating the need for returns, repairs and reworks (Manivannan, 2006).
Application
The concept of poka yoke was invented by Shigeo Shingo and was first applied at the Toyota Motor Corporation (Manivannan, 2006). Videotapes, CDs and DVDs are all examples of poka yoke because they are designed so that they can only be played if put in the machine correctly (Connor, 2006). This prevents user error. Other examples of poka yoke would be a knee surgeon writing No on the knee not to be operated on; dead man switches on machinery to prevent hands and or feet from being caught in the machinery, and designing machinery so that parts cannot be REPLACEed upside down, backwards or in the wrong direction (Connor, 2006). Poka yoke is an important method for companies to use to prevent defects from occurring. By preventing defects the company will save money and can generate higher profits and lower the cost of the goods to the consumer. Poka yoke is good for business and good for the consumer.
References
Brownhill, M. (2005, February). Beyond poka-yoke. Fabricating & Metalworking 4(2), 44-45, 47.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/229391303
Connor, G. (2006, June 1). Poka-yoke: human-proof your process. Industrial Maintenance & Plant
Operation 67(6), 12. Retrieved from http://rx9vh3hy4r.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_
ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.
serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Poka-Yoke%3A+Human-Proof+Your+Process&rft.jtitle=Industrial+Maintenance+%26+Plant+
Operation&rft.au=Gary+Connor&rft.date=2006-06-01&rft.pub=Advantage+Business+Media&rft.
issn=1099-4785&rft.volume=67&rft.issue=6&rft.spage=12&rft.externalDocID=1073730251
This article explores the uses and applications of poka yoke. The authors state that employees should be involved in problem solving because those who regularly work the process may have some of the best ideas. The best point I think the author makes is that even a 100% inspection rate will not result in 100% accuracy, so instead of inspection the focus should be on reducing defects in the first place. The author suggests that a reduction in variation should be done first as a low cost and simple option before implementing poka yoke. This article was helpful in getting a broad overview of what poka yoke is and how it is applied in real life.
Manivannan, S. (2006, November). Error-proofing enhances quality. Manufacturing Engineering 137(5),
99-104. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/
219712842
Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S. M. (2010). Operations management for MBAs (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Shahin, A., & Ghasemaghaei, M. (2010, November). Service poka yoke. International Journal of
Marketing Studies 2(2), 190-201. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.
liberty.edu:2048/docview/820481205
This article examines the use of poka yoke in the service industry. The service industry is described as being when an employee has contact with a customer. The authors explain that it is very difficult to implement and measure poka yoke in the service industry because of the many variables involved as well as being very subjective. The authors found that poka yoke is most easily implemented and accepted by employees if the employees are involved in the creation of best practices, management is encouraging and frequent checks are made to ensure the best practices are being followed. Since poka yoke in the service industry is more involved with the human side of business rather than the manufacturing industry which is concerned with measurements and specifications, there may be more resistance to implementing the technique. The article strongly points out that poka yoke does need to be implemented with more care in the service industry. This article was helpful to see that poka yoke can be implemented in the service industry as well as the manufacturing industry.
Smith, J. L. (2012, July). Team up to prevent mistake proofing. Quality 51(7), 15. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/1029931528
This article explains some of the benefits of poka yoke being a team process. The author states that at least from mid-management down, training should be implemented on the benefits and reasons behind poka yoke as well as the on the instrument being used to mistake proof a particular item in the manufacturing process. The author states that when workers on the floor are given tools to reduce mistakes, if they are difficult to use or difficult to implement they will be disregarded. The main idea of this article was that all employees should have some understanding of poka yoke and why it is being used. My first thought when I saw this article was that it would be about how poka yoke should not be used in team formats. I believe more thought should have gone into the title of this article, especially given the topic, and which signals to me more poka yoke could have gone into the article.
Treurnicht, N. F., Blanckenberg, M. M., & van Niekerk, ,H.G. (2011). Using poka-yoke methods to
improve employment potential of intellectually disabled workers. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering 22(1), 213-224. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/
docview/869509283?accountid=12085
The main goal of this article was to determine if the poka yoke technique would be as effective when implemented in a workplace where the workers are intellectually disabled. The authors narrowed the parameters of intellectually disabled for the purpose of the study as having an IQ roughly between 80 (borderline intellectual disability) – 35 (moderate intellectual disability). The type of work was the assembly of 10-way ribbon cables of differing lengths. After instituting the poka yoke method the authors determined that productive work can be performed by some individuals with intellectual disabilities. I found this article interesting because it was found that by mistake proofing the work process, even those within the population that normally would not have the opportunity to work are able to perform the work as well as those without intellectual limitations.
