“Visual management systems enable us to quickly assess the current status of an operation or process, regardless of knowledge of that process.”

The foundation stone of Visual Management is 5S and the vision or goals of an organisation pursuing a Visual Management strategy would typically include the following objectives:

• The work environment should be immaculate, safe and self-cleaning
• Standards are easy to recognise and abnormal conditions are quickly identified, enabling speedy analysis and resolution.
• Performance and progress are readily apparent to employers
• Mechanisms are in place to significantly reduce or remove waste and defects in the process.

Once 5S has been successfully embedded into an organisation, the organisation can then move to implement an effective and powerful visual management system to assist in exposing waste, to communicate operation standards and performance information to employees, and to improve organisational responsiveness and workplace effectiveness.

When you have set up an area effectively, take a photograph and display it on the same board to remind everyone how the area should be kept.

Use colours and symbols that are easily understood:

• Give immediate status
• Grab people’s attention