What is a gemba walk?

In business, a gemba walk is when a manager visits the site where the work is actually taking place. This is helpful for managers or supervisors to understand exactly where problems may exist in a location such as the manufacturing floor.

"Gemba," literally translated from Japanese, means "at the site" or "the real place." The term is used when describing the philosophy of lean management; that is, upper-level management should spend time among the employees, at the site where work is taking place, to help them understand processes and identify wasteful activities. The gemba walk may also help boost morale for lower-level employees because they see that the managers are involved in the process.