A lean visual management board, also known as a lean manufacturing board is a great example of a tool to use for your workplace. This tool makes it easy to quickly grasp all the information you need and allows you to track your progress towards your goals.
How to use Lean Visual Management Boards with examples
There are probably already many visual management boards in the workplaces of all those who have joined us today. I would like to know why your company has these management boards. They are there for a reason.
No matter what department or section you work in, there are common themes that are shared across all areas of your company. These include safety, quality, and cost. We also have to develop our employees, since companies are made up of different people. This is another common theme that runs through all areas of an organization.
Understanding how we perform in each area helps us to identify the areas we need to control. This is possible by having all the information in one place, on visual boards. This is why visual management boards are so important.
A lean manufacturing board or visual management board can be used to help us manage an area. You must use it regularly. This is something to think about for a second. Is this a tool you use in a real sense at work? Like any other tool, it will rust and become useless if it is not used frequently.
These boards can only be of use if you are able to recognize problems using the information on them. It’s important to know where problems are located and how to track them towards resolution.
But, the management of different issues will vary at different levels. It is important to understand what should be managed and tracked at each level of the organization. When these points and purposes have been clearly identified, and relevant information has been displayed on the management boards visually, you will be able to understand the current situation in the area you are responsible for when you stand before the management boards.
Visual Management Boards should:
- Simple
- Targeted precisely
- Continuously updated
- Do not clutter your mind with irrelevant information
- Attractive enough for the entire team to enjoy
- Located close to the measurement process
- Everyone who needs it is easily visible
Get the most out of your Visual Management Boards
1. Get your team on board for positive change by setting the right attitude
Your business should see problems as a source of strength and not as a threat to your organization. Many businesses see problems as something to hide away, a source of embarrassment, or a cause of blame. You should read this to understand how to change your company’s culture and see every problem as an opportunity to improve. Businesses that care about continuous improvement need to love their problems and view visual management as a way of identifying where they need assistance.
2. Consistency = Professionalism = Buy In = Success
It is vital that your visual management boards are professional. It is essential to ensure that your workplace looks professional in order to foster ownership and a sense within the team. You want your workplace to be something that everyone can be proud of. This is why high-quality standards and professional standards are so important.
3. Visual management is all about reducing the amount of visuals.
It can be tempting to try and do everything when you are designing your visual management program. However, we recommend that you keep it simple. You should only use your visual management boards for tracking measures that are delivering results. Set a time frame for you to see the status of your key measurements. You should also monitor your visual management and make changes to keep it within this timeframe.
