Genchi Genbutsu
The Toyota practice of thoroughly understanding a condition by confirming information or data through personal observation at the source of the condition.
For example, a decision maker investigating a problem will go to the shop floor to observe the process being investigated and interact with workers to confirm data and understand the situation, rather than relying solely on computer data or information from others. The practice applies to executives as well as managers. In Japanese, genchi genbutsu essentially means “go and see” but translates directly as “actual place and actual thing.”