Key facts
- Origin: developed in the Toyota Production System, where a missing part or stopped machine had to be visible to everyone on the line.
- Purpose: show normal and abnormal instantly, so problems are fixed while they are small.
- Builds on: an organised workplace, which is why 5S usually comes first.
- Two layers: visual controls that guide the work itself, and visual boards that show how a team is performing.
What are examples of visual management?
| Example | What it makes visible |
|---|---|
| Floor markings and taped walkways | Where equipment, stock and people belong |
| Colour coding | Category or status, such as red bins for rejects |
| Shadow boards | Whether every tool is back in its place |
| Andon lights | That a process has stopped or help is needed |
| Min and max lines on racks | When to replenish and when stock is too high |
| Kanban boards | The flow of work and the limit on work in progress |
| Tier and SQDC boards | Results against target, problems and actions |
How is visual management different from a visual management board?
Visual management is the whole practice. A visual management board is one tool inside it, the display a team gathers around to review performance. A site can use floor markings, shadow boards and andon lights with no board at all, and a board without visual controls on the floor only shows half the picture.
How do you start with visual management?
- Pick one area. Choose a team with a clear, frequent problem, such as lost tools or late changeovers.
- Organise the workplace. Remove clutter and give everything a place, using the first steps of 5S.
- Define normal. Agree what good looks like, such as a stock range, a target or a standard sequence.
- Make the gap visible. Add the simplest signal that shows when reality departs from normal.
- Agree the response. Decide who acts when the signal turns red, and how fast.
- Review it every day. Check the signals in the daily huddle and remove any that nobody uses.
What are common visual management mistakes?
- Too many signals. When everything is highlighted, nothing stands out.
- No agreed response. A red indicator that nobody acts on teaches people to ignore it.
- Stale information. An out-of-date board is worse than none.