Content area
Full Text
1. Introduction
Providing right information to the right people and at the right time in an efficient manner to empower them to make the right decisions and take the right course of actions is a significant difficulty for many organisations (Harris and Harris, 2012; Tezel et al., 2010). Employees constantly receive torrents of data from their environments (Mckeown, 2013) which are not necessary, relevant or easy to understand. Some organisations, both manufacturing and service, have been using simple and yet cognitively effective visual tools to provide quality information (necessary, relevant, correct, immediate, easy-to-understand and stimulating) to their employee to use in their day-to-day work transactions (Tezel et al., 2010).
Visual management (VM) is the practice of visualising information or displaying requirements to set directions. Even though some visual management tools (such as visual stream mapping, flow charts and area name boards) are mainly focused on visualising the information for allowing better understanding of the associated processes and areas, most visual management tools have a performance management (performance management) theme embedded in them. That is, they are used to communicate requirements and manage the effectiveness or efficiency of actions. Traffic lights and signs, evacuation alarm, Kanban cards and Andon boards are some example of these tools.
Modern visual management tools were developed while Toyota Production System (TPS) was evolving. If five most fundamental TPS cultural values are known to be flow (Stone, 2012), value (defined by customer (Stone, 2012), harmony (Bhasin and Burcher, 2006), perfection (Mathew and Jones, 2012) and scientific mindset (Spear and Bowen, 1999), visual management is a tool that serves all. By communicating the metrics, the goals and current performance, in a simple and open way, it allows an effective and efficient flow of information. By providing information on the points of use and bringing transparency and discipline into the system, it places the responsibilities on the right people and highlights the roadblocks that are depressing the harmony and depriving teams from achieving the goals. Provided that the goals are defined based on company strategic goals and customer requirements, it also harmonises the team efforts with company and customer requirements which in turn ensure that the correct values are being created. By highlighting improvement opportunities, if linked to a continuous improvement...