Are Visual Management boards a bit of a muddle to you? They sound like a great idea but what do they actually do? In this post, we’re going to explore a little more about our very popular visual management 5S magnetic overlays, what they are and how exactly they are used.
It looks great, doesn’t it? But what actually is it? 5S is the cornerstone of any Lean programme, but the hardest part of it is the final ‘S’, Sustain. This board is specifically devised to help your company sustain 5S for the long-term.
After you have completed the first 3 steps in the 5S programme and have organised your key work areas, take a picture of them and put them in the visual standards section.
This is the ‘standardise’ part of the programme and will allow the entire team
to visually see the standards you have set for that work area. Every day the person
in charge of the board should check the area against the picture. If it meets or is
higher than the expected standard, it is coloured green, is given a tick, or has a
green magnet placed next to the picture in the box provided. You would then colour
the corresponding day in blue or green. If the area does not meet the expected standard
a cross is placed next to the box and the day is coloured in red.
This will allow you to quickly see if there is a particular trend when the standard is not met and to find the solution. For instance, is it frequently red when it is a particular person’s shift, or around a busy time of the month? A red should then trigger an entry in the improvements or suggestion column.
For instance, if an area failed to meet the standard because a bin wasn’t emptied you would write the following.
The initial section encourages someone to take ownership of the action, which can be then marked as done or whipped off when completed.
This visual management magnetic overlay is made to be simple and easy to use whilst motivating your team to keep the work area to the standards you have set. This also allows any manager to walk in and instantly see the status of the 5S programme and issue rewards or actions for improvement as they see fit. The magnetic overlay will simply attach to any magnetic whiteboard allowing you to easily remove and put up as you see fit. This offers fantastic versatility to your visual management programme.
If you are implementing a 5S programme in your workplace, invest in your very own 5S overlay to ensure you can sustain the programme. We can print these in accordance with your own brand guidelines and requirements so that it fits in with your needs.
Here at Clarity Visual Management, we consult with clients both far and wide about how they can use visual management to achieve their goals, exceed their targets and make financial savings which would otherwise be lost to waste. We work with our clients to create a bespoke strategy that ensures visual management is set up for success before providing specific, high-quality Lean products to sustain the visual management programme and make Lean work in the organisation long-term.
You can read more about the work we’ve undertaken with our clients by browsing through our Visual Management Case Studies.
Download our ‘Introduction to Clarity Visual Management’ if you’re unfamiliar with Clarity and want to learn a little more about our products and services.
Get in touch and speak with a Visual Management Specialist to answer any questions you may have on our products, consultancy or business.
Is your business achieving its full potential? Clarity offers a proven approach to help your business achieve its vision. Book now!
To explore more about Clarity Visual Management, get a copy of our latest introductory brochure to learn more about our service.
Jackson Way, Melton, HU14 3HJ
01482 296451
info@clarityvm.com
linkedin.com/company/clarityvm