What are the benefits of digital visual management?

Companies are turning a corner in their digital transformation. This means that they are starting to include digital and connected solutions in their services. This includes the digitalisation of visual management, but also the phenomenon of industry 4.0. Using new tools offers new benefits. Discover the benefits of digital visual management.

What is physical visual management?

In order to understand the benefits of the digitalisation of visual management, it is crucial to understand the benefits of the classic method. Here is our simple and clear definition of visual management.

It is a Lean management method to share information. Management is vision-based and advocates teamwork. The main purpose is to acquire information easily, and to understand it to act promptly.

This type of management is often used in project management, notably with an Obeya Room. Visual management can be found in industry accompanied by whiteboards, communication spaces. The main objectives of this management style is to create a dedicated environment using visual tools.

Examples of visual management

Visual management can take several forms. For example, moving from the floor to the ceiling passing by the walls. Floor marking is an excellent visual indicator to mark out zones, locations, store and tidy away more easily and limit Mudas. Overhead signage is also a great way to communicate rapidly. Finally, communication materials like whiteboards are the most well-known tools. i.e. they are systems which are easy to modify and adapt to your needs. It is even possible to print your own whiteboards to display your indicators without worrying about them moving.

The limits of traditional visual management

Implementing a perception-based management system is not easy. For example, if employees are wary of change, the project might be difficult to implement. If the 5S method is not explained beforehand, it will be difficult to review information in the blink of an eye. As a reminder, the Lean 5S aim to reorganise and tidy a working environment. So to integrate effective physical visual management, we recommend that you rely on our expertise.

Best practices in digital visual management

In a constantly changing world, where new technologies are playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives, but also our work, the rapid pace employed by companies affects the way they manage their work, as well as management methods. To become more competitive, time management and eliminating non-added value tasks are a key factor of success, notably in the industrial sector where more advanced technologies help replace old visual management boards with digital management, to help save time and work more efficiently.

This Lean Management development as well as work digitalisation significantly impacts managers and employees. This digital development communicates a huge amount of information on a daily basis. In this situation, digital visual management will help group information together in a relevant manner. This source of information helps carry out quick reviews with teams, by presenting data immediately in a legible and concise manner. For employees, this helps clarify tasks, but also simplifies different discussions with colleagues and management.

As mentioned above, key info must be visible, consistent and clear, as well as within everyone’s reach. The choice of information to be presented is crucial to avoid overwhelming teams with unnecessary information. It is important to correctly organise your digital indicators for good visual management. As a result, this information must be chosen carefully to achieve the intended target. That is why we use key performance indicators (KPI). These indicators can, for example, highlight production monitoring, performance or takt time. The amount of information per panel must be limited to focus on the essentials and to stay clear and concise.

The additional benefits provided by digital solutions

In order to boost performance, it can be wise to associate visual management with digital. This will ensure that information can be updated more precisely in real-time, compared to using physical boards. We can use the same material to present different points, provide details on indicators by moving to a more detailed screen, as well as customised data via touch screens. These screens will help to organise brainstorming sessions, scheduling, adding lists of absent or travelling employees and even to use a smartphone app to access screens remotely.