Visual management and lean in education
Lean and visual management focus on the added value for the customer, to constantly improve and prevent waste. The education sector can also take advantage of this: 'lean' can contribute to a more rapid enrolment of students, better attendance of students, less time wasted on certification and examination. If this succeeds, there is more scope for e.g. teachers to do what they have been appointed for: teaching.
Visualise attendance and create a clear overview
Visual management can be used to visualise the attendance of students, for instance. We have developed a ‘who-is-where-board’ for an educational institution in the central Netherlands (see picture), also called a "temporary absence board" showing the location of students. During practical lessons, many students are simultaneously working at different locations inside and outside the school. This could be in a workshop, but also the greenhouse or the kitchen. Students note where they are located using a printed magnetic nametag on a board. The who-is-where-board gives the teacher a good overview of where individuals can be found.
Improve quality and cost
The application of lean in education is becoming more and more established. An educational institution also now has a strategic plan with targets and performance indicators, particularly on quality and cost. The focus on quality and costs, and the continuous improvement of the quality and cost is a logical next step. A number of applicable indicators include cancellation of lessons, financial results, student satisfaction and absenteeism. Control begins with visualising the performance for your own staff and /or students using an Education Performance Board. The indicators are updated by the management themselves and the board hangs in the staff room.
Organisation viewed by an organisation board
In an educational institution, there are usually a lot of people employed and the turnover of students is considerable. Therefore it is impossible to know everyone personally. An organisation board can help, however. Students and colleagues can oversee the organisation at a glance using an organisation board. We designed an organisation board for an educational institution in the south of the Netherlands, on which the images of teachers are presented. The pictures (including names and titles) hang behind an A5 magnetic window and can easily be changed. The organisation board (also called face board) hangs in the hallway of the educational institution.
Learn how the educational institution Wellantcollege uses visualisation boards with their "temporary absence" boards.
Advice
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