Poka-yoke is a Japanese term that means 'fail-safe' or 'mistake-proofing'. Originally called baka-yoke which means fool-proofing or idiot-proofing, the name was changed to a milder form of admonishment! The point of a poka-yoke device is to provide a check-point to ensure a service can take place without hiccups.
Imagine you are driving down a road. Down the middle of the road there are cats' eyes, slightly raised bumps that will make a noise and cause the car to judder, to give you a sudden reminder you have drifted into the wrong lane. On the outside of the road is the curb, which if you touch or hit will also remind you that you have strayed from the path you should be traveling. This is a type of Poka-yoke. Poka-yokes are everywhere once you start noticing them!
McDonald's
A Drive through Poka-yoke - Don't drive through the drive-through if your vehicle is over 2.7m high!
Some more examples people have collected are here and also here.
More information about poka-yoke and its relationship to lean thinking management can be found here.
Imagine you are driving down a road. Down the middle of the road there are cats' eyes, slightly raised bumps that will make a noise and cause the car to judder, to give you a sudden reminder you have drifted into the wrong lane. On the outside of the road is the curb, which if you touch or hit will also remind you that you have strayed from the path you should be traveling. This is a type of Poka-yoke. Poka-yokes are everywhere once you start noticing them!
McDonald's
A Drive through Poka-yoke - Don't drive through the drive-through if your vehicle is over 2.7m high!
McDonald's uses the self-service principle and so they need to manage the behaviour of customers in their premises to keep them clean. Rubbish bins are placed near doors and in alleyways so that customers are reminded to place their rubbish in the receptacle when they leave. In McDonald's you are expected to clean your own table and so placement of rubbish bins here is a designed-in Poka-yoke device.
Some more examples people have collected are here and also here.
More information about poka-yoke and its relationship to lean thinking management can be found here.
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