If you've ever been to Toyota's Japanese city, you've probably noticed the surprising attention to detail that permeates every aspect of this compact metropolis. Toyota City has given rise to many innovations, some of which have evolved far beyond their manufacturing or engineering origins.
The Kanban system was developed at (and by) Toyota in the 1950s, named after the Japanese term for board or board. It was later adopted globally by forward-thinking companies, including construction and facilities management companies. Originally, Kanban provided visual definitions for the just-in-time manufacturing processes that Toyota was introducing. It has since evolved into a broader signaling system allowing sequential management of a project or process. Kanban boards are filled with colorful cards, like a Trello board, providing an overview of project management.
How is the Kanban method defined?
The Kanban method was officially defined in 2007 as a model for the computing industry. It divides a project or process into three distinct stages: requested, in progress, and completed. Its focus is on linear stages, where step A always happens before step B. This may seem obvious, but in facilities management it is not uncommon for staff to rush inefficiently between jobs in a game of whack-a-mole. . The Kanban method insists on some fundamental rules, reinforcing the linear nature of effective management. For example, earlier processes must produce only what later processes require.
To achieve its goal of minimizing waste and maximizing productivity, the Kanban method requires a holistic view of projects from the beginning. The aim is to provide a service-oriented approach where the right resources and people are always in the right place at the right time.
How does Kanban apply to facilities management?
Facilities management is a far cry from the automotive production processes that spawned Kanban, but many of the same principles apply. A unified board serves as a repository of real-time data, highlighting where problems can (or will) arise and enabling the implementation of preventative solutions.
Consider the following issues that may arise around the maintenance of a building, 90% of whose lifetime investment occurs when it is in operation:
- Inefficient planning means that scheduled maintenance of a building is not carried out or is not conducted to a satisfactory standard.
- Staff are not adequately resourced to ensure facilities are maintained at their current level.
- The building's occupants are disappointed by the lack of management and the absence of frontline staff.
- Complaints are raised, requiring urgent investigation and correction to control the situation.
- Personnel are required from other roles to carry out hasty repair work, creating an unmanageable volume of work in progress.
- Other projects are put on hold by this redirection of staff resources, causing delays in other schedules.
Now let's consider how this domino effect could be avoided by adopting the Kanban system:
- Planning is approached by creating a visual workflow of all buildings, any required maintenance and the minimum standards expected by clients/tenants/residents.
- The initial investment is made in the tools, materials and personnel required to maintain these facilities to a standard agreed with the client at the start of each contract.
- A schedule of upcoming maintenance is distributed to customers, minimizing inconvenience, but also ensuring that all necessary measures are being taken.
- Ongoing communication and reliable work schedules maintain customer satisfaction, demonstrating that the facilities management company is a trustworthy partner.
- The lack of complaints means that resources do not need to be redirected outside of the original schedule, maintaining a constant workflow where the team can focus on one job at a time.
- It's easier to calculate everything from staffing requirements to required investment levels when there is a coherent, stable workflow rather than a reactive scattershot approach.
A living and continuous process
Companies often invest in a project and then consider it completed, when ongoing support is essential. A newly launched website will quickly sink into the search results pages if it is not updated regularly, just as facilities management plans will suffer if they are not adjusted to reflect changing circumstances and requirements. As a result, a Kanban board is constantly evolving. A guiding principle is to seek evolutionary change, with incremental adjustments that help manage scale and maximize predictability.
For facilities management experts, Kanban can provide a vital overview of who, what, where and when. This service-oriented philosophy will be well received by customers whose expectations may have been lowered by rival suppliers who have not adopted the philosophy of continuous improvement inherent in the Kanban approach.
