Visual Workplace

Visual Workplace What is a Visual Workplace? - When anyone walks into a workplace and visually understands the current situation, it is called a Visual Workplace. The work area must be self-explanatory, selfregulatory and self-improvising. It is a simple concept, needs few words to explain, and yet makes a great impact. In a visual workplace what is supposed to happen does happen, on time, every time and 24/7. Basically, it is a technique that helps us understand and make visible what's happening in our workplace. Who wouldn’t like to work in a place that is visually pleasing, clean and where directions are clear? Isn't it a pleasant experience to walk into most supermarkets for example? There is no need to ask anyone for directions for check-out counters, service-deli, bread racks, fresh fruits and vegetables etc. On the other hand, can we imagine a world devoid of street signs, scores during a rugby match, organized air ports, flight schedule display monitors, and air traffic controls? The key elements of a Visual Workplace are: a) 5S - Work Place Organization and Standardization, b) Visual Display – to share information, and c) Visual Controls – to prevent defects and errors. a) 5S is a method of “workplace organization” that when done properly can benefit an organization in so many ways. It is a great starting point in any “lean” implementation because it is a way to get the entire organization engaged in change and making improvements in their own areas. However, an organization has to make sure that 5S is applied to every area of the organization, including maintenance shops, QC labs, administrative offices, etc. for it to be successful. There is much “waste of motion” spent walking around looking for things that people need to do their jobs, both in production as well as offices. The concept of 5S is simple in that you have a “place for everything and everything is in its place”. However, the discipline to follow the rules is the most difficult part. 5S is nothing more than a 5 step process to follow, (proven efficient for over 60yrs), automatically reducing waste. It is five words used to describe each step in English, because the Japanese holistic view of each step can be described in their pictograms, each pictogram’s name is pronounced with an ‘S’ sound at the beginning, which are given in brackets below. The steps of 5S are as follows: • •

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Sort (Seiri) - Throw away rubbish, separate the things that are necessary for the job from those that are not. Keep the number of necessary items low (where possible) and maintain them at a convenient location; Set-to-Order (Seiton) - Place parts at hand, ensure quick retrieval when required. Basically become efficient. How quickly can you get the things when required, and how quickly can you return them? An arbitrary decision is not enough, you have to analyze the time it takes to get things out and put them away. It is essential that frequent and occasional users are considered and respected in the design of the system; Shine (Seiso) - Individual responsibility for maintaining clean equipment and workspace. Pride in appearance and the impression the appearance makes on others drives out levels of status. Everyone becomes a cleaner; Standardize (Seiketsu) - Colour is used in conjunction with visual management techniques to give the process ‘a voice’. The colours and design will evolve to become a perceived ‘best practice’ method, which all adopt as the ‘Standard’ for the company;

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Sustain (Shitsuke) - Embody the mentality in automatic action, become habitual in the use of the system provided. Become religiously vigilant of the first 3 S’s in your everyday life, because you understand why it is important to exercise discipline over your own actions for the long term and sociological benefit to yourself and others.

An organization has to be consistent and persistent in the application of 5S or it will not work because the employees develop the attitude that it is just another fade that will go away. However, when done properly 5S becomes the bases for the implementation of all the other “lean” tools. b) Visual Displays communicate important information but does not control what people or machines do. Displays help avoid confusion, mix-up and speeds up activity; for example, 1. Coloured lights or what are known as Andon lights at each machine/process indicate status: material shortage, running, breakdown, etc 2. Every part always stored in the same identified location 3. Separate locations for good parts and defective parts 4. Machines, cells, departments marked with painted lines and identified 5. Every control, adjustment, displayed labelled 6. Attendance and Skill Versatility Chart c) Visual Controls communicate information so that activities are performed according to standards and help monitor and control. Some of the examples of visual controls are: 1. Standard Operating Procedures 2. Statistical Control Charts 3. Process Control Specifications 4. Workmanship Standards 5. Control Plans True Visual Management shares real-time information about the status of the factory: • What are our goals? • What are our key measures? • How is the factory / work area performing in relation to those goals? • What is preventing us from reaching our goals? • Most importantly, how does my individual effort contribute toward success? Visual Management provides a clear and common understanding of goals and measures. It allows people to align their actions and decisions with the overall strategic direction of the company. It is also an open window to factory performance, and it provides the same unbiased information to everyone, whether owner, manager, operator, or visitor. There is irrefutable evidence that "shared vision" is critical to the success of today's factory. Visual management communicates that shared vision along with an understanding of how each individual contributes toward that success. Some of the benefits of a Visual Workplace: • improved productivity • improved safety • Reduced cost • Freed up floor space • Improved employee morale • Being “Tour Ready” as a norm

PO Box 24499 Royal Oak Auckland Ph: 64 21 173 1060 Email: [email protected] Visit our Website: www.solutions4productivity.com