Do You Need Clearer Project Actions?

Something that I have observed (consciously at least) over the past few months is the correlation between clear project actions (such as on meeting minutes) and the rate of actions being closed out.

How many times have you read the notes from a meeting and wondered what on Earth the tasks really are? I'd bet that a lot of people feel the same way.

The result, however, is that actions aren't being undertaken and progress doesn't get made in a timely manner.

We're already competing against time, other priorities and who knows what else in terms of day to day hassles. Having actions that are unclear on a circulated document do not aid their completion, and certainly helps the actions to find their way to the bottom of the pile (so to speak).

So, over the past few months, when I have witnessed this in action, I have challenged my clients to spend a few seconds more on each action and make sure that the request is clear. Not just the 'who' and 'when', but the description of the 'what' itself.

I've seen people who sent out the actions go back to the list (usually at the next meeting) and scratch their heads as to what they meant...

If you are guilty of this then please stop! Taking a few extra moments before you send out your list to ensure that the actions are crystal clear is well worth the investment. After all, a few extra minutes invested with defining / recording the actions may save you weeks in terms of getting results.

And yes, my clients instantly spotted the errors of their ways. Better action lists were produced from their meetings and more stuff started happening in-between their improvement meetings. It's simple, but it works.

Giles Johnston
...optimising MRP systems and re-engineering business processes

Kamishibai Boards

Available to purchase here. Some tools are incredibly simple to use, and also deliver some amazing results. Kamishibai boards are a great example and are superb when you want some visual control over routine tasks. By the way Kamishibai is pronounced "come-e-she-bye" in case you were wondering! As simple as you could want it, a Kamishibai board is a T-card system that has red cards glued to green cards (so that each T-card has a red side and a green side). The red cards are for the incomplete tasks, where as the green cards symbolise that the work has been done. See the photo below of a board in use. On the red side of the card you write the name of the task that needs to be completed, and if appropriate you can include details of how the task is to be completed. This is not expected to replace standard operating procedures, but can be a good opportunity for an aide memoire. The boards can be organised for daily, weekly and even monthly cycles. They are g

Kamishibai Boards: A Visual Management Tool to Improve Discipline and Workplace Habits

If you need to increase your effectiveness in the workplace and need a visual tool to help with day to day task management then this short guide is for you. Giles Johnston, a business improvement consultant for small to medium sized businesses, takes you through the steps needed to implement a low / no cost solution to your day to day management problems - a 'Kamishibai' board. A Kamishibai board can help to improve discipline within the workplace and ensure that the working days / weeks / months are more effective. Common within businesses that use 'lean' methods to improve efficiency and performance (and very effective to use when implementing 5S), a Kamishibai board can be used in its own right, in any kind of business, whether you are going through a lean transformation or not. Click here to view on Amazon.com. Smartspeed Consulting Limited Taking the frustration out of on time delivery.

What is 5S and how does it help to improve the performance of my business?

Many businesses have heard of 5S; it is a simple workplace organisation system that is designed to make workplaces more effective and more efficient, as well as safer. Many businesses also try and fail at implementing 5S . It might be simple, but as you will know, anything that involves changing the behaviours of your staff isn’t always straightforward. If you haven’t heard of 5S before there are five basic steps, all beginning with ‘S’. They are: Sort – clearing out the clutter and re-distributing other people’s belongings. Set in order – optimising the workplace so that everything you need frequently is close at hand. Shine – cleaning the workplace to an appropriate level. Standards – defining what good looks like and how you will keep it that way. Sustain – forming the habits to retain the benefits of an organised and disciplined workplace. So, how does 5S improve the performance of your business? From a safety perspective, fewer accidents means less downtime.

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