Today’s economic, technological and environmental challenges are forcing companies in all industries to modernize their equipment and optimize their processes. In an increasingly competitive market, more efficiency is essential. But is there a simple way to track the many actions required to improve plant productivity? The kamishibai board is one of the most widely used visual lean management tools in manufacturing, as it helps monitor production, displaying at a glance what’s been done and what’s still left to do.
Where does the kamishibai board come from? How is it used? Are there modern alternatives to the traditional paper format? You’ll find out in this article.
What is a kamishibai board?
The kamishibai board is a tool for managing tasks in manufacturing facilities. Although, like other lean management methods, the board was introduced into factories in the 60s, its origins go way back! Back to 12th-century Japan in fact: the word kamishibai refers to “paper theater”, used at the time to tell visual stories to the population who couldn’t read.
Through the characters in the story, the audience could compare their lives to the kamishibai, and understand if they were leading their lives in a moral way. A sort of “self-audit” available to everyone in the village, if you will.
In today’s factories, kamishibai boards are used to visualize and monitor key production activities using double-sided cards, with the green side indicating that the task has been completed, and the red side that it hasn’t.
The cards are displayed on a board in order of priority or chronologically, and the color coding is highly effective: problems are clearly visible, those involved in the production process can easily see task progress and act to correct any errors.
What is the kamishibai board used for in the factory?
A kamishibai board has many uses. As part of a lean approach, the kamishibai system is a simple way of managing a series of tasks, and of having better control over compliance with quality standards throughout the plant. The visual format, displaying the status of planned tasks at a glance, simplifies information sharing, and encourages everyone involved to ‘do their bit’ to make sure each process runs smoothly.
Using a kamishibai board is essential, not only because supervisors have proof that actions are being carried out correctly, but also for improving production processes since it ensures frequent and consistent audits.
It is suited to many operational aspects in the factory:
- the performance of one or more production lines;
- workplace safety monitoring;
- compliance with procedures ;
- machine maintenance.
Management can use the kamishibai board to carry out weekly, monthly or quarterly audits efficiently. The periodic audits can be presented at board meetings.
Kamishibai boards are often used in tandem with two other lean tools:
- Gemba Walks, or factory rounds;
- Andon alert systems, to flag any anomalies.
Why digitalize the kamishibai dashboard?
Kamishibai boards are typically most effective when located in the immediate vicinity of the work area: at the entrance to a production sector, or somewhere that is easily visible by all concerned.
But when you’re conducting shop floor rounds, for example, it’s useful to be able to update task status in real time. Gemba Walks are an effective way of drawing management’s attention to issues, and of implementing solutions. A lean tool like the kamishibai board helps to structure these rounds, making them far more efficient.
Technology means you can now have a digital kamishibai board, which has many benefits:
- The board is no longer just in one location in the factory: it can be accessed from a smartphone or tablet, making it much easier to view, wherever you are in the factory.
- No space constraints: task descriptions can be much more detailed than on physical cards.
- Information is updated in real time, so no need to turn the cards over by hand – just click to switch from red to green!
Using Fabriq to digitalize a kamishibai board
A widget on the Fabriq performance management tool lets you add a kamishibai board to your custom dashboard. In the team space, just click on the “+” button at the top of the dashboard, then “Widget to dashboard”.
Click on kamishibai to select it from the list of widgets. You’ll then see your kamishibai board for all current routines (5S audits, Gemba Walks, machine inspections, etc.) on your dashboard, or individually in the “Routines” tab.
You’ll recognize the kamishibai color code – green for routines that have been completed, red for those that haven’t – with a weekly view that lets you check whether your team’s routines have been completed each day, or whether there have been any shortfalls.
Keeping track of routines in your workshop, made easy!
