TXM Lean Minute – Traffic Light Graphics for Visual Control

Traffic Light Graphics for Visual Control

Traffic lights are universally understood – red means stop, green means go and orange means caution! This video shows how this can be used in your workplace as a powerful basis for visual control.

View another TXM Lean Minute Video about why your Business needs Lean Visual Controls

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Read the Transcript of this Video

Hi, I’m Tim Mclean, welcome to this TXM Lean Minute.

We all get the message, Green means “go”, orange means “watch out” and red means “stop”

This is so universally understood that we find it a great way to communicate messages in the workplace

Traffic lights change from green to orange to red.

At TXM we use traffic light graphics to communicate all sorts of things.

This electronic board tracks the stock levels in a major warehouse – red shows items with critically low stock, orange below minimum, green on target and blue excessive.. This simple board has driven action to reduce stock outs by over 75% leading to happier customers and increased sales.

However you don’t need computers and screens to use traffic lights.

A kanban board is a great example. While the kanban cards stay in the green zone, no action is needed, but when they build up and reach the yellow zone this is the trigger to schedule more production. However, if they reach the red zone this signals that urgent action is needed.

Here are lots more examples of how traffic light graphics can help your team to respond to changes in a timely fashion and make the right decisions. Contact us at TXM if you want to learn more.

I’m Tim Mclean and this has been a TXM Lean Minute.