Poka Yoke - Saferpak.com

Japanese industrial engineer Shigeo Shingo developed Poka Yoke (to avoid (yokeru) inadvertent errors (poka)) along with "source inspection" as a means for achieving Zero Quality Control (ZQC). Shingo introduced these ideas in his book Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and the Poka-yoke System. Shingo also developed the SMED System.

People are human and cannot be expected to do everything like a machine, exactly the same each time. A simple distraction can lead to a part of their work being done wrong. It is also not necessarily their fault, as poorly-designed processes that require a great deal of attention can contribute severely to problems. The basic principles of Poka yoke advocate designing or developing tools, techniques and processes such that it is impossible or very difficult for people to make mistakes. It is a simple principle that can lead to massive savings.

Thus, for example, a plate that must be screwed down in one orientation only could have the screw holes in non-symmetrical positions so that it can only be screwed in the right orientation. The principle can be easily used in non-manual situations (where mistakes can have huge costs associated), for example in a project management process, checklists may be used at various times in the project to check that particular tasks have not been forgotten.

Poka-Yoke: A Misunderstood Concept
Mistakes happen in organisations for many reasons, but almost all of them can be prevented, if people make the effort to identify when problems happen, define root causes, and then take the proper corrective actions. The objective is to prevent, or at least, detect and weed out defects, as early as possible in the process. The use of simple poka-yoke mechanisms and other safeguards can also prevent mistakes from becoming catastrophic events...

Four "Must See" Presentations
Four superb Powerpoint™ Presentations on Mistake Proofing, 5S, Lean / Kaizen and Quick Changeover (SMED) provided by Learning & Productivity Pty Ltd who specialise in support resources for manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand...

The Impact of Dr Shigeo Shingo on Modern Manufacturing Practices
A really great (pdf) paper about Shingo and his work written by Dr. Stephen B. Vareman...

Further reading
Poka-yoke: Improving Product Quality by Preventing Defects Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun
If your goal is 100 percent zero defects, here is the book for you - a completely illustrated guide to poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) for supervisors and shop-floor workers. Many poka-yoke devices come from line workers and are implemented with the help of engineering staff. The result is better product quality - and greater participation by workers in efforts to improve your processes, your products, and your company as a whole.
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Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and the Poka-yoke System Shigeo Shingo
Dr. Shingo reveals his unique defect prevention system, which combines source inspection and poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) devices that provide instant feedback on errors before they can become defects. The result: 100 percent inspection that eliminates the need for SQC and produces defect-free products without fail. Includes 112 examples, most costing under $100.
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Links
John Grout's Mistake-Proofing Center
This POH-kah YOH-kay Portal is fantastic! From this link you can visit John's commercial site www.mistakeproofing.com or his original site at Berry College. Whichever path you choose you'll find everything you need including tutorials, everyday examples of mistake-proofing and a useful glossary. Blackadder anyone?

Shingo Prize
The Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing was established in 1988 in honor of Shigeo Shingo. The Prize promotes world-class manufacturing and recognizes companies that achieve superior customer satisfaction and business results. The philosophy of the Shingo Prize is that world-class business performance may be achieved through focused improvements in core manufacturing and business processes...

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