Visual management transforms data into immediate, actionable insights for everyone on the shop floor—from operators and team leaders to plant managers and Opex leaders. It’s not just about dashboards or performance boards, it’s about creating a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
But as operations grow more complex and data more scattered, traditional visual management practices—often reliant on whiteboards, paper KPIs, or spreadsheets—are no longer sufficient. That’s where digital visual management steps in.
What is Manufacturing Visual Management?
Manufacturing visual management refers to the use of visual signals, performance indicators, and communication boards to convey real-time operational data clearly and effectively. It supports frontline workers and management in making quick, informed decisions to improve productivity, reduce waste, and maintain alignment with key performance indicators (KPIs).
When digitised, visual management becomes exponentially more powerful—eliminating manual data updates, enabling live performance tracking, and connecting all manufacturing pillars (production, maintenance, quality, HSE) under a unified view.
Common Visual Management Tools in Manufacturing Include:
The Shift from Physical to Digital Visual Management
Physical boards provide limited scalability, a high risk of mistakes, and no real-time feedback. Digital visual management tools solve these issues by enabling:
- • Real-time data updates from across machines, teams, or shifts.
- • Multi-site consistency, ensuring the same metrics and standards are visible globally.
- • Remote access, allowing operations managers and executives to monitor plant performance across regions.
- • Integrated problem-solving workflows, linking deviations directly to actions, root cause analyses, or continuous improvement tasks.
How Solvace Empowers Visual Management
At the heart of Solvace’s approach to digital visual management is the Digital Obeya—a fully configurable digital board designed to enhance Performance Tier Meetings and Visual Management practices.
From the Solvace homepage, users can access all digital boards they are part of. Each board presents a centralised view of operational KPIs, seamlessly integrated with both Solvace modules and external databases. These boards aren’t just dashboards—they’re fully interactive environments where data doesn’t just sit, it drives action.
Unlike traditional BI tools, Digital Obeya goes beyond visualisation. Deviations and losses are automatically flagged, making it easy for teams to identify underperformance at a glance. More importantly, corrective action can be launched directly from the board itself. Users can open and track action plans, initiate root cause analyses, assign Kaizens, or comment and tag team members—all from within the board. This enables a continuous communication flow that keeps everyone aligned and accountable.
Each board is highly customisable, allowing manufacturers to build their own structure with configurable widgets, data sources, and calculation rules. This flexibility ensures alignment with local needs while supporting standardisation across sites.
By integrating real-time data with structured problem-solving workflows, Solvace’s Digital Obeya empowers teams to manage daily operations and performance meetings more effectively, transforming visual management from static reporting into a dynamic, action-driven process.
Key advantages include:
- • Integrated escalation workflows aligned with Tier meeting processes
- • Configurable data aggregation using custom formulas
- • Streamlined cross-functional collaboration with live action tracking
The impact for manufacturers is immediate:
- • Standardised visual management processes across teams and shifts
- • Elimination of non-value-added activities like manual report preparation
- • Enhanced meeting productivity with live data, notifications, and follow-ups
- • Faster reaction times thanks to real-time visibility and automated escalation
Solvace’s Digital Obeya transforms data from passive metrics into a proactive management tool—ensuring that every deviation leads to meaningful action, every meeting drives alignment, and every team stays focused on continuous improvement.
The Strategic Advantage for Operational Excellence Leaders
For Plant Managers, Opex Directors, and CI Leaders, LSW isn’t just about daily routines—it’s a strategic capability that reinforces everything else you’re trying to achieve.
Here’s what digitised LSW unlocks at scale:
- • Data-driven improvement: Use leadership execution data to identify bottlenecks, training needs, or cultural gaps.
- • Faster transformation: Sustain gains from lean, TPM, or Industry 4.0 programmes through consistent leadership habits.
- • Greater agility: Respond faster to production, quality, or safety issues by having the right eyes on the right processes—every day.
The Future of Visual Management: AI-Driven Insights
As manufacturers standardise their digital operations, the visual data generated across sites becomes the foundation for more advanced analytics. AI can detect patterns, recommend preventive actions, and optimise resource planning—all based on the real-time visual data collected.
Ready to Make Every Meeting Count?
Turn your visual management strategy into a real-time, action-driven powerhouse. Solvace’s modular platform ensures that your visual management strategy is not only fit for today’s operations but ready for tomorrow’s innovations.
