Visual Management for digitizing the production scheduling: An Italian case study

Visual Management is a lean practice that uses visual tools, such as graphs, diagrams, tables, horizontal and vertical signs, boards, labels or electronic-digital displays in order to communicate many kinds of information, data or alerts to the operators. Several benefits can be achieved by introducing visual systems, such as increased productivity, reduced wastes, better safety for operators and even a higher sustainability level. This paper proposes a case study carried out in a company based in the North of Italy producing food plants which demonstrates that, by shifting from a printed production scheduling whose frequent changes were verbally communicated (without any form of standard) to a digital visual system with real-time information sharing and updates, an improvement of productivity and saving in costs is achievable. More into detail, the productivity is here measured with two Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): (i) the direct hours worked by the foremen of the department under investigation and (ii) the on-time deliveries of produced components to the next pre-assembly department; both KPIs, after the implementation of this new digital visual system, improved thus demonstrating tangible benefits and savings. The present pilot project was implemented following the steps of the DMAIC approach (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and finally Control), and can constitute the basis for similar projects from the side of interested practitioners.