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What is Poka-yoke?

Poka-yoke: Mistake-proofing a process by design.

Where Poka-yoke fits

Poka-yoke is part of Quality & Efficiency in Supply Chain. Quality means meeting the standard the first time. Use root cause analysis, Six Sigma, kaizen and quality control, and prevent mistakes by design with poka-yoke.

Practical tip

Fix the process, not the people, and measure defects continuously.

Related terms

Quality control
Checking that products meet the required standard.
Bottleneck
The step that limits a whole process's speed.
Automation
Using technology to do tasks without manual work.
Benchmarking
Comparing your results with the best in your field.
Six Sigma
A data-driven method to cut defects and variation in processes.
Lean manufacturing
Cutting waste in production while keeping quality and value.
Defect rate
The share of products that fail quality standards.
Quality assurance
Preventing defects by improving the process.

Formulas you will use with it

Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)Production yieldCapacity utilizationThroughput (Little's law)

Test yourself

Which term means: “Mistake-proofing a process by design.”?

Lean manufacturing · Poka-yoke · Benchmarking

Answer: Poka-yoke

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