How to use visual management centres

Visual management centres provide a factual, visual area to meet and collaborate. Find out how to make very best use of them…

In short, here – in 5 steps – is how to use visual management centres:

1. Prepare and plan. Make sure visual information is updated ahead of a meeting; likewise, colleagues arrive ready.
2. Champion succinct standing meetings with awareness of the opportunity cost of collective wasted minutes.
3. Promote positive conduct with emphasis on growth mindset and mutual respect.
4. Draw on the facts that are visual within the centre to maintain focus and understanding, based on salient fact-based points.
5. Continuously drive improvement by defining actions and assigning responsibility. Make these visual and easy to review next time.

Please find below, further expansion relating to these 5 steps for how to use visual management centres..

1. Preparation is key

Prior to use, ensure your visual management centre – sometimes called a visual management hub or performance obeya – is up to date. Consequently, meetings can instantly flow when attendees arrive. This is further helped if colleagues are punctual. Likewise, arriving prepared and ready to jump in…

Above all, these actions avoid collective time wasting, which quickly adds up per person… Consider the opportunity cost of that time – if 20 attendees arrive 3 minutes late that tallies to a wasted hour.

2. Stand up for visual management centres

The visual management centre hosts standing meetings. As a result, this is an area for standing attention and focus.

Above all, this postural approach conveys further expectations too. For examples, meetings are quick, effective and to the point. In other words, they are lean. As a result, therefore, food, drink and unmuted phones are not welcome. A continuing theme from point 1 above: time is well spent and every minute matters.

Further benefits are that meetings are succinct. As a result, they are shorter. Consequently, attendees are more likely to remain throughout. Therefore, no one misses potentially important finishing communications.

3. Positive space for positive conduct

The visual management centre is a positive space. In other words, it positively drives performance at every level. Furthermore, therefore, it is imperative to reflect this in terms of conduct too.

In other words, meetings and collaborations should be a positive team experience. So, for instance, with emphasis on growth mindset, mutual respect and building team spirit.  In addition, it is somewhere for listening and sharing. As a result, colleagues feel able to make a positive contribution.

4. Visual management centres provide fact-based focus, at a glance

Having a meeting surrounded by visual facts, data and information offers huge benefits.

Firstly, it ensures an accessible frame of visual reference for key information. In other words, attendees can see latest information directly.

Secondly, this visual frame contains the content of the meeting. That is to say, it is quickly clear if discussions start to flow beyond the purview of the meeting at hand. Break out discussions between colleagues may be useful but at another time… As a result, maintain focus now.

Thirdly, it facilitates meetings based on up-to-date facts and salient points. While opinions are valid, drawing on facts maintains shared focus and understanding.

5. Define actions and drive Continuous Improvement

Quickly and easily update issues, concerns, daily management targets and KPIs. In other words, use the visuals within your visual management centre. Make status, progress and actions instantly relatable with visual status indicators. In addition, assign responsibility and points to follow up next time.