Visual Management Control Systems & the Power of Keeping Score

December 21, 2023 | by Keith Yeater

Back in my days as a site lead in manufacturing, I had an operator who made a common problem all too clear to me. At the end of the shift, I asked him how his day had gone. “It was a great day,” he said. “Well, that’s good,” I said, then asked him what made it a great day. 

“Well,” he replied, “my machine went down first thing. So I spent the rest of the day sitting here reading a book.”

That might’ve been a great day for him. But obviously, it wasn’t a great day from an operations standpoint. At that time, I didn’t have anything in place to tell me that the machine was down and that I needed to get someone over there to fix it. The supervisor didn’t know either. So a whole day’s production was lost completely. There was no way to retrieve that time, and production suffered because of it.

It wasn’t until we put in a visual management and control system (VMCS) that those problems became a thing of the past. And when I talk to clients now about the power of a VMCS to their operations and long-term success, the conversation soon turns to sports analogies.

Why? Well, here’s the thing. Businesses are constantly collecting data to make decisions and improve their operations. But here’s the problem: We often only look at this data at the end of the month, which gives us a retrospective view of our performance. It’s like reading a history book. It’s informative but not very actionable.

Sports teams, on the other hand, have perfected the art of real-time information management through their own version of visual management control systems. In sports, everyone knows the score. Team members are acutely aware of whether they are winning or losing, where they stand in the game, and what they need to do to secure victory. This immediate feedback loop is what sets sports apart, and it’s a lesson that businesses can learn from.

Visual Management: Keeping Score in Business

The concept of visual management in business is similar to “keeping score” in sports. For example, in baseball, the scoreboard provides players, coaches, and fans with instant access to the game’s key elements, including the score and inning. In the business world, a well-implemented VMCS serves the same purpose. It empowers operators, supervisors, and managers to adjust their strategies based on real-time data, just as sports teams adapt to the twists and turns of a game.

When VMCS becomes an integral part of a company’s culture, it can quickly outperform competitors that rely solely on monthly reports. Imagine two baseball teams—one with a scoreboard and one without. Which team do you think would react more effectively to the game’s changing dynamics? The answer is clear, and the same principle applies to businesses.

Real-Time Insight Drives Continuous Improvement

One of the most significant advantages of a robust VMCS is that it provides real-time performance metrics. In business, as in sports, knowing the score at all times allows you to take immediate actions to enhance performance for the next day or week. Whether it’s adjusting production schedules, authorizing overtime, or reallocating resources, having access to up-to-the-minute data empowers decision-makers to steer the ship in the right direction.

For example, a manufacturing supervisor needs to know how a specific section is performing every hour. This knowledge is crucial for making informed decisions about whether to bring in additional personnel, approve overtime, or redirect labor resources to maximize overall plant efficiency. The ability to react promptly to these changing dynamics is what separates successful businesses from the rest.

Empowering Employees with the Right Tools

Sports teams excel at putting the right tools in the hands of the players who need them, and businesses can replicate this success by providing employees with the appropriate resources. In the context of VMCS, this means equipping operators with the tools they need to monitor and manage their performance effectively.

Additionally, clear communication of expectations is vital. Just as athletes know their roles and responsibilities on the field, employees in manufacturing and other industries should be well-informed about what is expected of them. This clarity fosters a sense of ownership and accountability, which, when combined with real-time data, can lead to exceptional results.

Winning the Game

The value of visual management control systems in manufacturing and similar industries cannot be overstated. By adopting the principles of “keeping score” from the world of sports, businesses can gain real-time insights, react swiftly to changing circumstances, and empower their employees to perform at their best. Just as sports teams maximize their chances of winning through immediate feedback, companies that embrace VMCS can position themselves for success in a competitive marketplace.

So, the next time you’re analyzing your business’s performance, consider whether you’re reading a history book or keeping score in real-time – the difference could be a game-changer.