Dashboards are critical for a successful continual
improvement effort. Effective dashboards
can drive better coaching, faster team meetings, and more effective
problem-solving. A common problem that
interferes with the effectiveness of dashboards, however, is the inclusion of charts
that attempt to convey too much information and are difficult to
understand. One way to prevent this
problem is to make sure that all charts on a dashboard comply with the 3-meter rule.
Simply stated, the 3-meter rule means that a chart should
clearly convey its message from a distance of 3 meters. When looking at a chart, if you need to move
close or ask for explanations to understand the information displayed, you can
assume that the chart is in need of improvement.
Dashboards should drive conversations around closing gaps
between current and targeted performance.
To make sure the conversations are focused and effective, however, they
should be centered around data. When the problem or breakdown is not clear,
people will spend time attempting to understand the intention of the chart rather
than addressing the problems shown by the data.
Besides helping focus the discussion on problem-solving, a
chart that meets the 3-meter rule enables more people to be involved in the
conversation. The closer someone needs
to be to understand a chart, the fewer people who are able to see the
information and participate in addressing the problem. Minds wander and separate discussions begin
to happen, which negatively impacts the effort.
Creating charts that are easy to understand from a distance
of 3 meters sometimes requires significant reflection and effort, but the
investing time upfront can greatly aid the improvement process by making
objectives clear and the problems that interfere with meeting the objectives
visible.
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