The Inspection Exercise (PowerPoint PPTX)

The Inspection Exercise is a simple and fun activity to drive home the concept that quality cannot be inspected in, and catching defects is very difficult and expensive. The exercise highlights that inspection is a non-value adding activity (waste) and that it is impossible to catch all defects.

The exercise can be conducted in a meeting room, classroom, workshop or any suitable space. The exercise is ideal for educating participants in a Lean Manufacturing or TQM workshop on the principles of doing things right the first time and achieving quality through prevention.

NOTE: This training package includes:
1. The Inspection Exercise training presentation (PowerPoint format).
2. The Inspection Exercise handout for participants (PowerPoint format).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To learn that quality cannot be inspected in.
2. To learn that inspection is a non-value adding activity which can be targeted for elimination through process or quality improvement.
3. To inculcate a mindset of prevention and doing things right the first time.

EXERCISE SUMMARY

Participants are given 1 minute to count all of the 'f's in the paragraph. The correct answer is 36. In a class of 20, usually only 1 or 2 people will come up with 36. A common problem is the word 'of' – As the paragraph is read, most people will not count the 'f' in 'of' because it has a 'vee' sound. The key takeaway from the exercise is that inspection is a poor substitute for quality and that prevention is the most effective approach to defects elimination.

The Inspection Exercise also includes detailed facilitator instructions to ensure seamless execution. Facilitators are guided to prompt participants quickly, emphasizing not to give them time to pre-read the paragraph. This approach underscores the challenge of defect detection under time constraints. The exercise's debriefing section provides specific questions to engage participants, making it an interactive learning experience. The visual aids and structured format make it easy to follow, ensuring that the key takeaways on quality and prevention are effectively communicated. This package is a comprehensive tool for any quality improvement training session.