MAKE IT VISUAL! | LBCC 1.09

"IS LIFE GOOD OR BAD?" | Make It Visual! | 1.09

LISTEN TO LEARN | MAKE IT VISUAL! | LBFF 1.09

Continuing our series on the Imai Process of Continuous Improvement, where we go into a little more detail about some of the Lean tools in our toolbox, is VISUAL CONTROLS or the fourth stage of our Continuous Improvement Journey!

“Why do I need to have VISUAL CONTROLS? Doesn’t that mean and overload of metrics?” Visual Controls together with Standard Work is what sustains Continuous Improvement efforts…Listen to find out how!



WATCH TO TRY | "Make It Visual!" with Bob Sterling | LBTT 1.09

why do VISUAL CONTROLS and Standard Work sustain Continuous Improvement efforts? Do they also change the way we think? Watch our latest interview with Bob Sterling, an aerospace professional. Bob discusses with us the intent behind visuals and visual controls; not only in his professional life, but also in his personal life. He also explains the benefits of “Make It Visual!” and why it shouldn’t be looked at as metric overload, but a tool to sustain process…Watch to Learn More!

READ TO APPLY | Make It Visual! | LBCC 1.09

The Imai Process of Continuous Improvement is my favorite methodology for implementing lean. There are many philosophies around implementation of lean and many opinions surrounding this concept as well. but i have found the most benefit by following Mr. Imai’s vision…

The cover picture for the next 5 months will be the stages in the imai process with a circle around the tool we will be going into a little more detail about during the month. (As we progress each month, I will highlight the stage as I did below with the current month’s topic.) The Imai process progresses in the following stages:

  1. 5S
  2. Linkage & Flow
  3. Standard Work
  4. Visual Controls (often times stages 3 & 4 are done at the same time)
  5. Real Time Problem Resolution

This month we discussed Visual Controls and how they are not intended to be an overload of metrics. “What gets measured gets attention” was a common phrase on the shop floor. You may be asking yourself, “why? What’s in it for me (WIIFM)? Isn’t this just about measuring people?”

The WHY: Visual Controls, like Standard Work, is all about changing the way we think about our processes and procedures. The purpose is to measure or “watch” the process, yes, but it’s not intended to measure the operator to control or ridicule. The PROCESS, not the employee, is to be measured with the intent to understand process; rather than condemn or blame the employee. Visual Controls are how the team communicates performance and how they SEE the way that the business wants processes to interact. They establish communication methods for the organization, provide the boundaries of operation, and identify waste within the process that may not have been known previously. They visual portray if “Life is Good or Bad”.

The WIIFMI believe we as humans crave order and structure. When our lives or relationships are in chaos, we do not function well. This is why people visit Therapists, to have some form of normalcy (or structure) added back to their lives. Like children need boundaries to thrive in their development, adults need it too. Visual Controls sustain that structure and order visually. They are the metrics that can be reviewed and compared to Takt Time. Hopefully resulting in a more productive and efficient process yes, through the comparison of Cycle Time to Takt Time; but also giving formal structure to the work or task being performed. If done well, the employees can visually see how processes impact structure and what wastes are impeding Continuous Improvement – NOT that they are being watched or micromanaged.

Again my word of caution: If the Culture of the organization is ready to implement a Continuous Improvement Journey, it will have embraced the concept of 5S First. If the Culture is not ready, they will fight it, avoid it, and sometimes badmouth it. If you find the team is badmouthing the 5S program, it would be wise to take a step back and see how the 5S program was rolled out or is evaluated. I have found that the more bureaucratized the process of evaluating the 5Ses, the more resistant the team is. We at Leanbrella would recommend that changes should be made to return to the concepts of the WHY and the WIIFM behind doing 5S before trying a more difficult concept like Linkage & Flow, Standard Work, or Visual Controls.

Visual Controls are not limited to the workplace. They can be created for our personal lives as well. We face a series of processes every day…Our morning routine, preparing meals, methods of cleaning, work procedures, etc, etc, etc.  Any act of establishing visual indicators can be considered an attempt at Visual Controls! This doesn’t mean that you are trying to control the people around you…You may only be trying to make the process easier the next time it comes around.

Why to you think the “life hack” videos are so impactful/Memorable? It’s because we are trying to figure out a better way to perform a task or activity (minimizing waste and improving efficiency). “Life hacks” aren’t about controlling the people around us, they are about making life easier, faster, better…How are you “life hacking?”…”How are you ‘making it visual’ in your life?”

need help in Identifying opportunities for Visual Controls? Or need help establishing Standard Work? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Leanbrella for support! I have implemented Visuals and Visual Controls all over my home!…To the point that if we need to evacuate, we can in less than 10 minutes (we obviously have had practice with wildfires in California…if you want to learn more, reach out and ask me!) If you embark on a Continuous Improvement journey…You might surprise yourself with how much you actually think about process and what wastes are impacting progress…start “life Hacking” today!

...Until next time, grab your Lean umbrella, "we've got you covered"