37. Make it obvious

In the Toyota Production System, an Andon is a visual indicator that serves two basic functions:

1. Summarize the status of production.
2. Understand at a glance what’s happening.

The importance of Andons is not just the function they serve, but they align the organization to clarify processes and their status, and contribute transparency to the execution. They help understand what matters.

How “andon-ready” are we? That is to say:

• How clearly can we communicate the status of our work?
• How transparent are we?
• How well and quickly do we act upon signals?

Signals must be present. But for that, we must build and maintain the structure that allows information to flow and ensures it is reliable and secure.

But, how do we ensure that the information is not only present, but also unequivocally clear and reliable? We can also refer to the Pointing and Calling technique, which builds on the obviousness of the Andons to make the obvious even more obvious.

Pointing and Calling is an operational safety technique where the worker literally points and verbalizes their action or observation. This method, used in environments such as Japanese railways, turns routine actions into conscious acts, significantly reducing errors.

For example, a train operator arriving at a signal could point to it and say aloud, “Green signal, all clear.” This act of pointing and calling reinforces awareness of the action and decision, leading to greater attention and a lower chance of overlooking crucial details.

In our context, Pointing and Calling could be as simple as pointing to an indicator on a control board and stating its status. This practice, though it may seem trivial, raises the level of attention and clarity, making the obvious even more obvious and therefore harder to ignore or misinterpret.

So, the question transforms:

• Are we employing techniques like Pointing and Calling to ensure that data is not only presented but also interpreted correctly?
• Are our systems and processes resilient enough to handle critical information effectively?

Being obvious, more obvious, and increasingly obvious is not redundant in the context of operational safety and efficiency; it’s an essential strategy to ensure that every team member not only has access to the information but also understands and acts upon it effectively and safely.