# Gemba > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gemba > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gemba.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemba > Source revision: 1296264242 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Japanese term meaning "the actual place" This article is about a Japanese word. For a Japanese politician, see [Kōichirō Gemba](/source/K%C5%8Dichir%C5%8D_Gemba). For the Japanese animation studio, see [GEMBA (studio)](/source/GEMBA_(studio)). This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article's lead section contains information that is not included elsewhere in the article. If this information is appropriate for the lead, it should also be included in the article's body. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. (March 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (August 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message) ***Genba*** (現場; also [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Japanese) as ***gemba***) is a Japanese term used in business for the location where value is created, such as a factory floor, construction site, or sales floor.[1] In [lean manufacturing](/source/Lean_manufacturing), the most valuable ideas for improvement are thought to occur at the genba where problems are visible. Management teams may go on a gemba walk to look for opportunities to improve the practical shop floor (known as the *genba [kaizen](/source/Kaizen)*). Unlike the similar strategy of [management by walking around](/source/Management_by_walking_around), gemba walks are typically not done randomly, but with a clear frequency, goal, and structure.[2][3][4] Glenn Mazur[5] introduced this term into [Quality Function Deployment](/source/Quality_function_deployment) (QFD, a quality system for new products before manufacturing has begun) to mean the customer's place of business or [lifestyle](/source/Lifestyle_(sociology)). The idea is that to be customer-driven, one must go to the customer's *gemba* to understand their problems and opportunities, using all one's senses to gather and process data. ## Etymology The word *genba* is a [Japanese](/source/Japanese_language) term meaning "the actual place" and is used in non-business contexts to refer to [crime scenes](/source/Crime_scene) or topical locations where TV may report. In a movie set, *gemba* refers to the practice of shooting a scene at the actual location rather than a studio.[6] ## Gemba walk Toyota executive [Taiichi Ohno](/source/Taiichi_Ohno) developed the gemba walk as a way for staff to stand back from day-to-day tasks and walk the floor of their workplace to identify wasteful activities.[7] The objective of gemba walk is to understand the value stream and its problems rather than review results or make superficial comments.[8] Along with [Genchi Genbutsu](/source/Gembutsu) or "Go, Look, See", gemba walk is one of the 5 [Lean](/source/Lean_Six_Sigma) guiding principles that should be practiced by Lean leaders on a daily basis. The gemba walk, is an activity that takes management to the front lines to look for waste and opportunities to practice *gemba [kaizen](/source/Kaizen),* or practical shopfloor improvement.[1] ## Variations [W. Edwards Deming](/source/W._Edwards_Deming) suggested a similar idea of looking at the system from suppliers, through the entire organization, and to customers. Deming shared the idea during a 1950 visit to Japan.[9] The commonly used models of production associated with lean, such as "[value-stream mapping](/source/Value-stream_mapping)," do not extend to include suppliers, customers, or include a feedback loop to foster continual improvement of the system.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## See also - [Genchi Genbutsu](/source/Genchi_Genbutsu) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_1-1) Imai, Masaaki (1997). [*Gemba kaizen: a commonsense low-cost approach to management*](https://archive.org/details/gembakaizencommo00imai/page/13). New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. p. [13](https://archive.org/details/gembakaizencommo00imai/page/13). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-07-031446-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-07-031446-7). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Womack, Jim (2011). *Gemba Walks*. Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. p. 348. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-934109-15-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-934109-15-1). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Delisle, Dennis R. (July 2012). "Book Review: Gemba Walks, by Jim Womack". *American Journal of Medical Quality*. **27** (4): 352. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1177/1062860611434364](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1062860611434364). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [74508872](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:74508872). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Mann, David (Fall 2009). "The Missing Link: Lean Leadership". *Frontiers of Health Services Management*. **26** (1): 15–26. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1097/01974520-200907000-00003](https://doi.org/10.1097%2F01974520-200907000-00003). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [19791484](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19791484). [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [203892154](https://www.proquest.com/docview/203892154). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Daetz, Doug (1990). *Quality function deployment: a process for translating customers' needs into a better product and profit*. GOAL/QPC. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [25351789](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/25351789).[*[unreliable source?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources)*][*[page needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)*][*[non-primary source needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Primary,_secondary_and_tertiary_sources)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Daily Walking Is a Healthy Activity in Lean Plants"](https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94291-daily-walking-is-a-healthy-activity-in-lean-plants). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230526121823/https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/94291-daily-walking-is-a-healthy-activity-in-lean-plants) from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2023. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Castle, Andrew; Harvey, Rachel (6 March 2009). "Lean information management: the use of observational data in health care". *International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management*. **58** (3): 280–299. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1108/17410400910938878](https://doi.org/10.1108%2F17410400910938878). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Womack, James (22 July 2011). ["Getting Over Gemba-phobia"](https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/getting-over-gemba-phobia/). *Lean Enterprise Institute*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240822184207/https://www.lean.org/the-lean-post/articles/getting-over-gemba-phobia/) from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2022.[*[self-published source?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Self-published_sources)*] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Speech by Dr. Deming to Japanese Business Leaders in 1950 - The W. Edwards Deming Institute"](https://deming.org/speech-by-dr-deming-to-japanese-business-leaders-in-1950/). *deming.org/*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240822184208/https://deming.org/speech-by-dr-deming-to-japanese-business-leaders-in-1950/) from the original on 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2021-10-16. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gemba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemba) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemba?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.