To make a Gemba Board, take these steps…
Firstly, decide where to put your Gemba Board. Above all, remember that Gemba means “the actual place”. Therefore, locate your board somewhere easily visible near your process. If a wall mounted board in unworkable then consider a mobile board instead.
Secondly, establish what you want to appraise and assess. For example, key targets. Likewise, relevant milestones on your Continuous Improvement journey.
Next, define clear sections on your Gemba Board. Each relates to an element or metric that you want to monitor. Above all, show when and how to take action for each.
Subsequently, think ‘at-a-glance’. In other words, use visual controls and status indicators to make status of a key element instantly visible. Likewise, make obvious when to take action.
Further considerations: use colour coding and visual calls to action. In other words, make your Gemba board intuitive and easy to comprehend. In addition, keep information succinct to support team focus. Finally, relate when to and how to take action.
Finally, make it easy to update. As a result, see information in real time. Therefore, reflect your process or project as it is operating right now.
How to make a Gemba Board – in brief
- Decide where to put your Gemba board (close to the process)
- Establish key targets and milestones to assess
- Make sections for key metrics to monitor
- Use visual controls and status indicators for instant visibility
- Consider colour coding and visual calls to action
- Finally, make a Gemba board that is easy to update
Gemba Boards – further ideas
See further examples in our Gemba Board Gallery
Update your Gemba board in real time
Define when and how to take action
Make clear sections on your board and use status indicators for at-a-glance visual cues
Further examples
Gemba for retail
Operations KPI board
SQCDP5S board with status tracking
SQDIP for manufacturing
SQDIP Board
SQDIP Board with status sliders
SQKPM board
SQDC magnetic headings
Performance obeya
Performance obeya set up
SQDIP board
Custom printed status sliders for SQDIP
Show status with sliders
SQDIP
SQDC magnetic tiles
SQACP tracking
Triple shift metrics
HSEQ Performance
SQPIW daily direction setting
SQDIP board
SQCDI Performance board
SQCDP board with document holders
Site scorecard for SQDCP
SQCDE mobile board
Choose a safety cross
Combine status sliders with dry wipe
Add a graph to chart progress
Utilise colour with SQDP
Make Continuous Improvement visual
Add status meters tracking progress
Track all operations with SQDIPE
SQDIP board with status sliders
Include Environment in SQDC status
Add status sliders to show progress
Track progress with dry wipe status
SQD/5S with magnetic status faces
Document holders keep information safe
Use dry wipe for instant updates
Magnetic labels for your SQD board
Status indicators provide visual updates
Add magnetic status labels
Magnetic status indicator
Set goals. Likewise, update them easily
Safety cross on SQDP board
Status indicator meter for Quality
Our Approach
We create visual management boards everyday. As a result we have plenty of experience. We work for organisations in food production, the power industry, national rail, pharmaceuticals, education, healthcare, packaging and distribution.
Our team works with a simple idea or sketch and creates a professionally designed layout. This is then turned into a highly functional visual management board.
We offer customised options because we want to create the perfect board for you. So, here are a few examples. We can add magnetic areas or a dry-wipe finish (for use with whiteboard pens). Furthermore, you can choose Red/Green sliders or R.A.G. (Red, Amber, Green) status dials so you can quickly and visually update your board. These are just a few examples of the ways in which our boards can be tailored to meet your needs. You may also be interested in whiteboard overlays that can be used on top of an existing magnetic board.
