Poka-Yoke: The Japanese Art of Mistake-Proofing
2025-01-09
Poka-yoke, meaning "mistake-proofing" in Japanese, is a lean manufacturing concept originating from the Toyota Production System. It involves designing mechanisms to prevent, correct, or highlight human errors in a process, thereby eliminating defects. A simple example is a car's clutch pedal—it's a poka-yoke, forcing the driver to depress it before starting the engine. This approach not only improves product quality but also reduces training costs, lessens quality control burdens, and ultimately achieves 100% built-in quality control.