---
title: "Poka-Yoke"
description: "People make mistakes, processes do not have to. Poka-Yoke makes the wrong way impossible, or at least impossible to miss. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example and gives…"
url: "https://skillagility.com/de/ressourcen/poka-yoke/"
updated: "2026-10-08"
category: 04 IMPROVE
---

# Poka-Yoke

People make mistakes, processes do not have to. Poka-Yoke makes the wrong way impossible, or at least impossible to miss. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example and gives you a blank template to fill in.

Tool video

The short tool video will appear here.

[Poka-Yoke_Toolkit_DE](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/plugins/embedpress/assets/pdf/web/viewer.html?&file=https%3A%2F%2Fskillagility.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F10%2FPoka-Yoke_Toolkit_DE.pdf#key=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)

## Poka-Yoke in short

1. **Describe the error.** What goes wrong, where and how often? Use your FMEA or defect data.
2. **Find where it starts.** Go to the step where the mistake is made, not where it is found.
3. **Ask: can we prevent it?.** Shape, sequence, system rule. Make the wrong way impossible.
4. **If not: detect it at once.** Sensor, count, colour, alarm. Stop before the next step.
5. **Test and standardize.** Try it, check the defect rate, then add it to the SOP.

Key points

- Design out human error.
- Prevention first, detection second.
- Act where the error is made.
- Simple and cheap works best.

**Related tools:** [Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/standard-operating-procedure/) · [FMEA](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/fmea/) · [Pilot Plan](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/pilot-plan/)