Collecting Gemba Walk information on paper forms is inefficient for several reasons:
Limited Accessibility and Sharing: Paper forms make it difficult to share findings quickly with other team members or departments. They require manual distribution, slowing down communication and hindering collaborative problem-solving. Digitized tools enable real-time sharing and collaborative analysis.
Data Management and Analysis Challenges: Analyzing data collected on paper is cumbersome and prone to errors. Paper-based information must be manually input into a digital format for comprehensive analysis, increasing the chances of transcription errors and taking up valuable time. Digital apps, on the other hand, allow for automatic data collection, streamlined analysis, and easy tracking of trends.
Storage and Retrieval Issues: Storing paper forms can lead to physical clutter and make it difficult to organize and retrieve historical data. This becomes an issue for long-term improvement efforts where comparing past and present data is necessary. Digital storage in Gemba Walk apps makes archiving and retrieval efficient and ensures data remains easily accessible for continuous improvement initiatives.
Sustainability and Cost: Relying on paper incurs ongoing costs for supplies like paper, printing, and storage space. It is also less environmentally sustainable. Digital solutions eliminate these costs, are more eco-friendly, and reduce the environmental impact associated with paper use.
Digitizing a Gemba Walk checklist reduces the time it takes a manager to complete a walk while significantly improving the quality of collected data. Managers can conduct a walk and record their observations faster on a smartphone or tablet.
