Visible Data

Posted on February 18, 2006  Comments (2)

Effective visual signals are important for effective management improvement: lean thinking emphasizes such ideas. Top 5 Rules of Effective Measurement Boards is an excellent post on how to make measurement effective.

Take the time to find the important measures and then don’t keep data hidden in some drawer or computer file out of people’s view and therefore out of mind. Post the important data for everyone to see. Review the data as changes are made and see that the changes had the desired result. Update the measures when appropriate (for posting visibly – you will of course be measuring more than the few measures that belong on measurement boards).

If a the data posted is not being used as a resource something is wrong. The information on the board may not be the right information. If that is the case, different information needs to be posted. Alternatively the board could be a distraction (“we have changed, look at those charts we have posted on the wall”) from the truth – that improvement is not happening, change has only been superficial. A measurement board is a tool, not an end.

Related Posts:

• Measuring and Managing Performance in Organizations
• Measurement and Data Collection
• Visual Work Instructions
• Operational Definitions and Data Collection
• Targets Distorting the System
• Great Chart

Curious Cat Management Improvement Glossary:

• Control Charts
• Outcome Measures
• Variation