What are the best practices for updating and maintaining a visual management board?

1 Choose the right location

The first step is to choose a location for your visual management board that is visible, accessible, and relevant to the work being done. Ideally, it should be near the actual process or project, so that team members can easily refer to it and update it. It should also be in a place where other stakeholders, such as managers, customers, or suppliers, can see it and provide feedback. Avoid placing it in a hidden or crowded area, where it might be ignored or damaged.

2 Design for clarity and simplicity

The next step is to design your visual management board for clarity and simplicity. The purpose of the board is to communicate the essential information about the process or project, not to overwhelm or confuse the viewers. Therefore, use clear and consistent labels, colors, symbols, and formats for your visual elements. Avoid using too many or too complex charts, graphs, or indicators, and focus on the key metrics and targets that matter most. Also, make sure that the board is easy to read and understand from a distance, and that it follows the 5S principles of sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.

3 Update regularly and consistently

The third step is to update your visual management board regularly and consistently. The board should reflect the current state of the process or project, not the past or the future. Therefore, you need to update the data and information on the board as frequently as possible, preferably daily or weekly, depending on the nature and speed of the work. You also need to update the board consistently, following the same rules and procedures for each element. For example, you can use a standard template for updating charts or graphs, or assign specific roles and responsibilities for updating different sections of the board.

5 Adapt and improve the board

The fifth step is to adapt and improve the board. The board is not a fixed or final product, but a dynamic and evolving one. Therefore, you need to adapt and improve the board as your process or project changes and progresses. For example, you can add or remove elements, change or refine metrics and targets, or redesign or reorganize the layout of the board, depending on the needs and goals of the work. You can also experiment with different visual elements, formats, or methods, and see what works best for your team and your work.

6 Involve and engage your team

The sixth and final step is to involve and engage your team. The board is not a one-person or top-down project, but a team and bottom-up one. Therefore, you need to involve and engage your team in creating, updating, maintaining, reviewing, and improving the board. The board should reflect the voice and vision of the team, not just the manager or the leader. Therefore, you need to solicit and respect the input and opinions of your team members, and encourage them to take ownership and responsibility for the board. You also need to motivate and reward your team for using and improving the board, and make it fun and enjoyable.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?