Overview

A method of preventing mistakes by pointing at important things and calling out confirmations. This increases attention and reduces errors in daily tasks.

History and Cultural Context

Shisa Kanko, meaning pointing and calling, is a safety practice that originated in Japans railway system in the early 20th century. It was developed to prevent human error by having workers physically point at signals, dials, and other indicators while verbally confirming their status.

Rooted in Japans cultural emphasis on precision and mindfulness, this method significantly reduced mistakes by engaging multiple senses—sight, sound, and movement—to reinforce focus. Over time, Shisa Kanko expanded beyond railways into industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation, becoming a standard in workplace safety and efficiency.

Modern Applications

Today, Shisa Kanko is widely used in highrisk environments like aviation, construction, and healthcare, ensuring accuracy in critical tasks. It has also been adopted by businesses and individuals as a mindfulness technique, helping people stay focused in everyday activities.

From pilots doublechecking flight instruments to workers confirming important steps in a process, this method enhances concentration and reduces costly or dangerous mistakes. Even in daily life, simple applications—like verbally confirming tasks on a todo list—can improve attention and reduce errors.

Implementation Guide

• Step 1: Point and verbally confirm important items before leaving home (keys, wallet, phone)
• Step 2: When checking important documents, point to each item while reading it aloud
• Step 3: Use this method when taking medication to verify type and dosage
• Step 4: Apply this technique when following recipes to ensure no steps are missed
• Step 5: Practice pointandcall when doing safety checks in potentially dangerous situations