This is a white paper that was accepted by the Reliable Plant 2011 conference in Columbus, OH April 19 -21. I will be presenting this and a bit more in a power point presentation during the conference.

1. Management Kamishibai Cards As a Tool For Lean Sustainability<br />As businesses begin their lean journey, they often struggle with how to sustain the improvements that they have begun to see. The concepts of 5S, Set up Reduction, Visual Management, Kanban, and TPM are all examples of lean tools that can easily improve the business both short and long term. However, many businesses experience difficulty when it comes to setting up processes for long term success. Usually a factory will set up “audits” of a new process or system and believe that this will ensure sustainability. This can and will help with sustaining that process if done correctly, but usually the audit process consists of “supervisors” auditing “operators.” A process is set up, standardized work job instruction sheets are created to show in detail how the process is to be done, the supervisors train the workers on the new process using the job instruction sheets, and then an audit system is put in place for the supervisors to audit the operators to verify that they are doing that process correctly. This scenario plays out over and over, setting up many lean (and beneficial) systems. Many processes can be set up within this format using lean tools. However, at some point, someone in the factory will realize that something is missing. That something is accountability. Who is auditing (and holding accountable) the auditors? Who is checking the supervisors, area managers, plant managers, directors, Vice Presidents, and above to make sure they are doing their part? <br />There is another tool that can be used to build accountability into this sustainment process, called “Management Kamishibai Cards.” Many of you are probably familiar with Kamishibai cards as they relate to 5S, Quality, or TPM. Just in case, I’ll briefly describe standard Kamishibai cards as I learned them from 7 years working at a Toyota manufacturing facility. Kamishibai is a term that means “telling a story with visual picture cards.” In fact, if you were to google the words “kamishibai card” just a few short years ago, you would have found websites that were for elementary school aged Japanese children, and nothing relating to factories. At one point, this systems management tool was a closely guarded Toyota secret. Only within the last few years have American companies started to realize the potential of using kamishibai boards and cards to manage a system in a factory. Let’s take 5S as an example (Sort, Set, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain). If we were to set up a 5S kamishibai system for an area in a factory, we would first gather the operators together and have a kaizen event to determine which items were needed and which were unneeded. Then we would “sort” out the unneeded items. The items that are left we would “Set” in their home positions. In other words, we would brainstorm with the team to determine the best locations for these important items, make home position squares with yellow tape, and label what goes in the squares (tape first, then paint after a few weeks to make sure it is in the correct spot). This step would also include identifying needed tools, jigs, holders, storage, etc that is needed in this area, and making sure the operators have them. If not, design them or order them. The next step is to “Shine” the area until it sparkles (if possible). This step sometimes involves paint, sometimes just extensive cleaning of the area and the machines. Next comes the hard part. Standardize and Sustain. I mention these together, because they go hand in hand. We must standardize what we have just done in order to be able to sustain the improvements. This involves writing 5S Kamishibai Cards that tell the actions that must be completed to keep the area in this “organized, clean” condition. This will also require writing Job Instruction Sheets that tell exactly how to use the system. One way to do this is to have a whiteboard with one half showing the layout of the department. The other half is broken up into 3 sections. One section has vertical time card holders filled with individual 5S kamishibai cards. On the front of each card is a number (that corresponds with a matching number on the layout), and the tasks required to be completed in that area. The back of the card shows a picture of “exactly how that specific area should look in a good 5S condition.” The next section has the Job Instruction Sheet document posted showing how to use the board and the cards. The third section contains both a schedule (showing who is assigned to which area), and a sign off sheet for the operator to record any issues / comments / suggestions, as well as a sign off for the supervisor. The sustainment phase comes with audits by the supervisor, or a team leader….combined with our next topic, which is getting back to “Management Kamishibai Cards.” <br />Up to now, I have spent the most time discussing standard “5S Kamishibai cards” in case there are some that haven’t had experience with Kamishibai systems. These can also be used effectively for; Pokayokes (error proofing), TPM, Safety compliance, Environmental compliance, and quality checks to name a few. Now…how do we use kamishibai cards to not only standardize management activities, but also to hold the entire leadership team accountable for doing what needs to be done with respect to Lean Management of the business? This is a step that is often missed in Lean Implementations, but it is critical to long term success. <br />Let me describe the basics of a Management Kamishibai Card. It is an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper (not laminated) that is intended to be very flexible and changeable. First, fold the paper lengthwise down the center, so that you have one 4.25 by 11 sheet of paper, then open it back up so that the crease is on top (like the roof of a house). This is the “front” of the card. On the left side of the front, you should divide it into 4 or 5 quarters. Each quarter represents a time of the day. First quarter is the first few hours after you arrive at work. The 2nd quarter is the hours before lunch. 3rd quarter is the few hours after lunch, and the 4th quarter is the few hours before you go home. You can also have a quarter for either overtime, or weekly / monthly tasks. In each of these quarters should go the “systems” that have been set up as part of your lean implementation. For example, if you have set up a 5S system, you might have during one of your quarters, “Audit 5S Kamishibai Board.” This would entail getting one of the cards that has been done by an operator, checking to make sure that the area looks the way that it is supposed to per the card, verifying that the operator has recorded any issues properly on the board, and then telling the operator that they did a good job with their 5S card. If they didn’t do a good job, this is the time to “coach, counsel, and mentor” that operator on the proper way that the area should look. This way, you are “calibrating the operator’s” eyes with yours. You are making sure that the operator understands your expectations as the front line supervisor. Now, this is extremely important. Turn the page over, and on the back side of the card (on the left side), write down the results of the audit, and the corresponding discussion that you had with the operator explaining the importance of performing proper 5S. You should also write down the operator’s comments if any. This will become a historical document that shows you how the operator’s attitude is progressing, and can guide you in the direction that you need to go for mentoring. Also, it can be used as an accountability tool (if the operator has several negative comments, poor performance, not responding to positive mentorship and coaching, etc). Worst case scenario is that you as a supervisor are not able to coach the operator to proper behavior, and they must be elevated into the disciplinary process, which could eventually (but hopefully not) lead to termination. If this occurs, then the management team has failed (because we were unable to correct, coach, mentor this operator to improve). <br />If you are a manager, you should have on your card “audit supervisor’s card.” This would entail going to the supervisor, asking to see their card, and picking an item to audit. For example, the manager would approach the supervisor and say, “Ms. Supervisor, I would like to audit your Management Kamishibai Card, can I please see it?” The supervisor would hopefully have it with them (always), and be able to show the manager the card. The manager would look at the card, hopefully see that the card is halfway completed (if this is occurring in the middle of the shift). The manager would then pick something off of the card. For our example let’s say that the supervisor has on her card, “audit the visual management boards in one area.” The manager would then turn over the card to the back left side, and see what comments the supervisor has written. Hopefully she has written a few sentences regarding what she saw on the visual management boards. Maybe she has also needed to coach an employee on the proper way to fill out the boards. This should be written on the back of the card. The manager should then say, “Looks good, let’s go out and take a look at the boards that you audited.” The two would then go out to the visual management boards and the manager would look to see that the supervisor has done the audit the way that he would have done it. This is a chance for the manager to coach, counsel, and mentor the supervisor as well. The manager should make sure that the supervisor’s eyes are calibrated to his eyes. In other words, Is the supervisor doing the Visual Management Board audit the way that the manager wants it to be done? This is designed to promote dialogue between the manager and the supervisor, as well as to promote dialogue between the manager and the operators. Many managers end up getting “stuck in the office” doing paperwork, and don’t spend enough time on the factory floor. A Management Kamishibai card forces them to spend time on the floor. If they don’t then this will be noticed when their boss (the plant manager) audits their cards, and goes through the same process. When the director (or whatever level you have in your company) visits the factory, they should also have a kamishibai card that they use to manage their work. They will develop this before the visit, including items that they intend to cover, as well as items that the plant manager tells them are important to see. This should be done all the way up through the CEO. The CEO and executive board develop and deploy the policy (Hoshin Kanri). This flows down through the ranks to the VP’s, Directors, Plant Managers, Managers, and Supervisors. Portions of this policy deployment should show up on everyone’s Management Kamishibai card as needed. <br />I mentioned earlier that a Management Kamishibai card needs to be flexible. This is because as a supervisor, manager or above, you need to be able to add items to your card as needed, and remove items from the card once you feel the process is under control. Or, once you feel the process that you are auditing is under control, you might reduce the frequency of the audit from every day to once a week. However, if you are a manager (for example), and you see that there is a process that is having problems, you should ask the supervisor responsible for that area to add that item to their card. If someone above you (on the organizational chart) asks you to add something to your card, then you need to add it in italics. This means that you need to continue this activity (whatever it is…audits, confirmations, checks, etc) until you feel that the process if back under control. Once you feel it is under control, you need to request an audit from whomever told you to put it on your card, have them audit it, go over the reasons that you feel it is under control (usually involves showing them how you performed a root cause investigation, used the 5 why method to drill down to the root cause, and put in place permanent countermeasures that have been sustained for a period of time). At that point, they could tell you to continue the audits, or they could say to reduce them, or they could say that you can remove them from your card completely. <br />Many people think that a management kamishibai card is just a “to do” list. Actually, the front left portion of the card could be thought of as a “to do list that focuses on advancing lean implementation.” However, this leaves out one of the most important reasons for this list, and that is the creation of dialogue between members of management and the operators. This dialogue is critical to the success of lean implementations. A manager could be discussing something from their card with an operator, and stumble upon a great idea by that employee. In this case, the manager should document it on the back of their card, and do whatever they can (if cost effective and within reason) to implement that idea….using that operator to help if possible. Also, it is extremely important that the operator gets the reward and recognition that he or she deserves from having the great idea. This could be as simple as a “well done” while talking to the entire department, and explaining the operator’s idea and how it will help the business, or possibly even a $25 gift card to a local restaurant, presented in front of the department (also explaining the idea and how it will help). <br />We have only talked about the front left side, and the back left side (to record the details from the front left side). Now let’s discuss the front right side. This side is extremely flexible. You can use it as a place to document projects that you need to perform follow up activities on an infrequent basis. If you use it for this, then you would have project #1 on the front, “work on identifying root cause for case defects from machine 567” If you perform some work on that project during the day, it should be recorded on the back right side of the card. This might read something like, “Worked on case defect root cause identification. See fishbone diagram on excel document titled case defects. This is stored on the ‘R’ drive.” Since this side of the card is completely flexible, it should be customized to fit the individual user’s needs. Perhaps one supervisor is having difficulty forming relationships with his team. He might want to list every employee’s name in his department. His goal might be to talk to every one of them throughout the day about something related to (or not related to) business. His conversation might go something like this…”Joe, how is everything going? Are you having any pains or difficulties with this job? These things are heavy. No? Okay, let me know if things get more difficult. By the way, I heard that you just bought a new motorcycle. I’m thinking of getting one, but can’t decide what kind to get. Any advice?” After the supervisor has this discussion, he walks away, goes somewhere private, and briefly documents on his card that he spoke with Joe, and that he is not having difficulty with lifting the cases, and that he recommended going with the Harley Fat Boy with the Beach Handle Bars and Leather Saddle bags. The supervisor might then go and have a similar exchange with another member of his team, again documenting it privately for his own reference if needed later. <br />At the end of the day, the supervisor should three hole punch the 8.5 x 11 sheet, and place it in a binder (then store it in a secure, locked location….usually desk drawer). At any time, someone above them can ask to audit the history of their cards, so they need to be able to pull them out and show them. Also, before the start of their next shift, they should pull this binder out, and look for any items that might need to be moved over to the next card. Maybe a follow up item or two from a previous Gemba Walk that was on the front left side of the card from the day before. <br />Now….how does this add ACCOUNTABILITY into the system? First of all, EVERY member of management has to do this. Second, there has to eventually be a consequence for action items not completed. If I’m a plant manager, and I audit one of my manager’s cards, and he does not have it on him, or items are not done…..I document it on my card. Then I immediately coach, counsel, and mentor that manager on the importance of the Kamishibai card, and my expectation as his boss that he use them as intended. Then I go on. A few days later, I might audit him again. Once again no card, or actions not completed. This time, my conversation should be a little bit more severe. I am still (and always) respectful, but I am letting him know that he is not meeting my expectations, and that this has got to change. A few days later, I audit him again….once again, no card. At this point, I would explain to him that his poor performance has got to be addressed with Human Resources, and I would fold him into whatever Performance Improvement or Disciplinary process that your company has existing. Our goal is to coach, counsel, and mentor everyone to perform up to our expectations. However, at some point, if this is not working it becomes a performance issue that needs to be addressed at a more serious level. This same accountability system needs to be in place from the front line supervisor all the way up to the CEO. The CEO is usually accountable to a board of directors, so their Kamishibai card will obviously be much different due to their job requirements, BUT, they should still work to improve themselves, and hold themselves accountable by asking specific people to audit their cards. <br />So far, we haven’t talked about the role of the lean coordinator, or lean manager at the factory. What is their role? They have a card that is auditable by anyone above them, but they can also audit anyone’s card. They can also add something to anyone’s card, but should do so only after discussing it with that person’s superior. They are the “lean experts” in the company, and as such, they will at times be required to audit their plant manager or director’s cards, and educate, coach, and counsel them. This is usually a delicate and difficult thing to do, but if done with respect, humility, and a coaching attitude, will hopefully be received by the plant manager or director as intended. The lean coordinator will likely have received lean training that the plant manger or director might not have received. So if the lean coordinator sees that something is being done that goes against what should be done with respect to lean, it is their job to coach “up”, and discuss whatever the issue is with their superior. <br />There are many reasons to implement “Management Kamishibai Cards” in a business. Some of the important ones are; to begin to standardize a manager’s work, to add accountability into the system, and also to establish much needed, positive dialogue between members of management and the operators that actually DO the work. All of this greatly helps sustain Lean Implementation. Also, they are not that difficult to set up, but they do require self discipline by the management team to use them correctly.<br />