Continuous Improvement – Visual Management
By Scott Roeder
Sustaining the change created through continuous improvement can be difficult without ongoing daily activities which reinforce the change to the processes and the culture. One method of daily monitoring is visual management that is used to communicate the state of processes and activities. The workforce and leadership can use a visual tool like a production control board to track daily production to targets and surface issues for escalation.
But understand that visual management must be kept from becoming too complex or time consuming to maintain. Any visual technique that takes too much effort to maintain will fail. Production boards that have outdated information or action lists that show target completion dates of TBD (to be decided), are symptoms of failure to sustain the change. Visual management tools must be easy to update and even simpler to understand.
There are many tools that can be used for visual management, the example of a production board has already been mentioned but is certainly not the only one. A non-exhaustive list of tools for visual management include color coding, Andon (rapid response) signals, standard work instructions, floor markings & signage and quality standards. Let us focus on the production board as the choice tool for further discussion.
A key to success of visual management is having the workforce own the metrics. The person who is creating the value for the organization should be trumpeting their accomplishment by updating the production board. If there is an issue that causes the targeted metrics to be missed, the issue is recorded on the board and escalated for action. Daily huddles in front of the production board keep the issues front and center for action by leadership.
The use of visual management tools is a powerful method for sustaining the change. However, they are not a “set it and forget it” strategy, daily monitoring is key. A visual management solution from last year may not fulfill the mission today as it did when it was first deployed. “What has changed within the business?” Does the tool need to be updated to reflect this change to stay meaningful and relevant? Treat your continuous improvement solutions to the same improvement process and continue the journey.