Some Spreadsheet Poka-Yoke

TL;DR

This paper explores how mistake-proofing principles from manufacturing can be applied to spreadsheets to reduce layout-related errors through simple design guidelines and best practices.

Contribution

It introduces spreadsheet-specific Poka-Yoke techniques based on layout and referencing rules to prevent common structural defects.

Findings

Guidelines for arranging spreadsheet areas to facilitate error-free modifications

Rules for appropriate use of relative and absolute references

Illustrations of basic mistake-proofing devices for spreadsheets

Abstract

Whilst not all spreadsheet defects are structural in nature, poor layout choices can compromise spreadsheet quality. These defects may be avoided at the development stage by some simple mistake prevention and detection devices. Poka-Yoke (Japanese for Mistake Proofing), which owes its genesis to the Toyota Production System (the standard for manufacturing excellence throughout the world) offers some principles that may be applied to reducing spreadsheet defects. In this paper we examine spreadsheet structure and how it can lead to defects and illustrate some basic spreadsheet Poka-Yokes to reduce them. These include guidelines on how to arrange areas of cells so that whole rows and columns can be inserted anywhere without causing errors, and rules for when to use relative and absolute references with respect to what type of area is being referred to.