Kamishibai Board

A visual control for performing audits within a process by making normal versus abnormal conditions clear and quickly identifiable. The board also focuses management’s attention on the gemba.

The kamishibai board makes the lean management concept of genchi gembutsu or “go and see” what’s really happening part of management standardized work because it gives leaders a schedule for when to visit a process and what to check. The board shows whether or not the required audits occurred along with the results of the audits and, if necessary, notes about abnormalities and countermeasures. The goal is to act immediately if there is an abnormality

Typically, a triangle in a board’s activity box means an abnormality was observed and corrected. An X means that corrective action is needed to fix an observed abnormality. A circle indicates that the right quality and right quantity was being produced and the right standardized work was being followed. An empty box means that team support didn’t occur.