Solutions for Safety & Visual Communication

Favorites

Monday-Friday 5:30am-4:00pm PT

1-888-326-9244

Graphic Products
  • Resources
  • Support
  • Samples
  • Contact
  • Shop All Products
    CLOSE

    CATEGORIES
    • Printers
    • Printer Supply
    • Floor Marking
    • Pipe Marking
    • Signs & Labels
    • COVID-19 Solutions

    DuraLabel Kodiak

    DuraLabel Kodiak
    Multi-color, large format

    KODIAK SUPPLIES
    DuraLabel Toro

    DuraLabel Toro
    Portable, stand-alone

    TORO SUPPLIES
    DuraLabel Bronco

    DuraLabel Bronco
    Industrial, efficient

    BRONCO SUPPLIES
    DuraLabel Lobo

    DuraLabel Lobo
    Grab n' go labeler

    LOBO SUPPLIES
    DuraLabel Pro Series

    DuraLabel PRO 300
    Simple and reliable

    PRO 300 SUPPLIES

    LABELING SOFTWARE PRINTER ACCESSORIES PRINTER SUPPORT SHOP ALL PRINTERS
    SHOP BY APPLICATION
    Arc Flash GHS & HazCom Laboratory Pipe Labeling Wire Marking See All
    SUPPLY TYPE
    General Purpose High Visibility Low/High Temperatures Repositionable Tamper Resistant See All
    SHOP BY PRINTER
    Kodiak Supplies Toro Supplies Bronco Supplies Lobo Supplies DLP 300 Supplies See All

    RIBBONS PRINTER & SUPPLY BUNDLES SHOP ALL SUPPLIES
    FLOOR TAPES
    5S Aisle Glow in the Dark Reflective Anti-Slip See All
    FLOOR SIGNS
    BUNDLES
    SHAPES
    ACCESSORIES
    Applicators Stair Safety Floor Laminate
    Social Distancing Floor Signs

    SHOP ALL FLOOR TAPES
    STANDARD PIPE MARKERS
    Fire Quenching Flammable / Oxidizing Toxic or Corrosive Compressed Air Various Water See All
    AMMONIA
    Pipe Markers Component Markers See All
    SHOP BY STANDARD
    ANSI IIAR Pre-2007 ANSI
    flammable-pipe-markers

    ARROW BANDING TAPE ACCESSORIES VALVE TAGS SHOP ALL PIPE MARKERS
    SHOP BY SUBJECT
    Admittance Chemical Electrical Emergency PPE See All
    SHOP BY HEADER
    Caution Danger Notice Safety Warning See All
    COVID-19 Premade Signs

    SHOP ALL SAFETY SIGNS
    COVID-19 SOLUTIONS
    Safety Signs Printer Kits Awareness Posters A-Frame Signs Sneeze Guards
    SOCIAL DISTANCING
    Wall Signs & Labels Floor Signs Floor Tape Shop All
    COVID-19 BY INDUSTRY
    Grocery & Retail Medical & Healthcare Office Settings Restaurants & Food Service Food Manufacturing Construction
     
    Manufacturing Finance Transportation Education

    SHOP ALL COVID-19 SOLUTIONS
  • My Account
  • Quick Order
    Enter item SKU# and quantity
  • Cart()
Monday-Friday 5:30am-4:00pm PT 1-888-326-9244
Graphic Products
Menu Sign In
Products
Printers
Shop All Printers
Industrial Printers
Shop All Industrial Printers DuraLabel Toro DuraLabel Kodiak DuraLabel Bronco DuraLabel Lobo DuraLabel Pro 300
Bundles & Starter Kits
Shop All Bundles & Starter Kits
Labeling Software
Software DuraSuite Labeling Software LabelForge Labeling Software
Printer Supply
Shop All Printer Supply
Shop by Application
Shop All by Application Arc Flash GHS & Hazcom Laboratory Pipe Labeling Wire Marking
Shop by Supply Type
Shop All by Supply Type General Purpose High Visibility Low/High Temperatures Repositionable Tamper Resistant
Shop by Printer
Shop All by Printer DuraLabel Kodiak DuraLabel Toro DuraLabel Bronco DuraLabel Lobo DuraLabel Pro 300
Other
Shop All Other Ribbons Printer & Supply Bundle
Floor Marking
Shop All Floor Marking
Floor Tape
Shop All Floor Tape 5S Aisle Glow in the Dark Reflective Anti-Slip
Floor Signs
Shop All Floor Signs
Accessories
Shop All Accessories Stair Safety Floor Laminate
Other
Shop All Other Bundles Shapes
Safety Signs & Labels
Shop All Safety Signs
Shop by Subject
Shop All by Subject Admittance Chemical Electrical Emergency PPE
Shop by Header
Shop All by Header Caution Danger Notice Safety Warning
COVID-19 Solutions
Shop All COVID-19 Solutions
COVID-19 Solutions
Safety Signs Printer Kits Awareness Posters A-Frame Signs Sneeze Guards
Social Distancing
Wall Signs & Labels Floor Signs Floor Tape Shop All
COVID-19 by Industry
Grocery & Retail Medical & Healthcare Office Settings Restaurants & Food Service Food Manufacturing Construction Manufacturing Finance Transportation Education
Pipe Markers & Tags
Shop All Pipe Markers & Tags
Standard Pipe Markers
Shop All Standard Pipe Markers Fire Quenching Flammable/Oxidizing Toxic or Corrosive Compressed Air Various Water
Ammonia
Shop All Ammonia Pipe Markers Component Markers
Shop by Standard
Shop All by Standard ANSI IIAR Pre-2007 ANSI
Other
Shop All Other Arrow Banding Tape Accessories Valve Tags
Resources
Support
Free Samples
Contact Us
Cart
Sign In
  • Home
  • Resources
  • Articles
  • Obeya in the Workplace: An Overview

Obeya in the Workplace: An Overview

BY GRAPHIC PRODUCTS STAFF

At its core, “obeya” (Japanese for “big room” or “great room”) is a lean manufacturing tool, in which a dedicated room is set aside for employees to meet and make decisions about a specific topic or problem. It sounds like a small change—what workplace doesn’t have some kind of meeting room, after all?—but a dedicated obeya can have far-reaching impacts in the workplace that enhance productivity, save money, increase efficiency, and improve communication.

In this article, we’ll look at the basics of obeya, how facilities can implement it in their workplace, and how Graphic Products can assist those efforts.

What Is an Obeya?

An obeya is a room set up to get employees out of their offices and cubicles and into a central location where they can meet, discuss key information, and solve pressing problems. The idea behind an obeya is to break down the barriers that prevent employees from collaborating and sharing information to make efficient decisions. Obeyas are most effective when established and outfitted to solve singular problems or work on specific projects. Ideally, they host an array of visual information to make the process smoother and more efficient, as well.

For instance, a company looking to boost warehouse safety may gather engineers to discuss new equipment, safety managers to review ongoing safety concerns, warehouse workers to discuss challenges on the working floor, and human resources representatives to analyze and communicate new policies. This obeya might host charts, images, maps, and more to convey the concerns, along with whiteboards and other collaborative materials that allow employees to find solutions together.

An obeya is typically open to all relevant employees and groups for meetings and discussion. Some companies might schedule daily meetings for quick updates; others hash things out in longer, weekly (or monthly) meetings; and, on occasion, companies might use an obeya for impromptu updates. Project managers may even have their desks temporarily located there.

What Is Needed in an Obeya?

Given that every company is different, no two obeyas look alike. But a few elements common to obeyas include:

  • Charts, graphs, and drawings (which usually depict a project’s progress, milestones, timing, schedules and other timely data)
  • Desks and/or tables for project leaders
  • Anything else a company needs to facilitate strategic problem-solving, including real-time displays, computer systems, and more

Better Problem-Solving with Obeya and PDCA



An obeya promotes quicker, more nimble problem-solving by speeding up the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process.

Here’s a breakdown of the PDCA cycle:

  • Plan: Define a problem and develop potential solutions.
  • Do: Implement a proposed solution.
  • Check: Evaluate the results to see whether a solution is working.
  • Act: Take one of two actions: return to the planning step if the results aren’t satisfactory, or standardize the solution if the results are sufficient.

Rather than communicating across departments over the course of days or weeks, an obeya brings together key decision-makers to implement the PDCA cycle and develop solutions quickly.

Benefits to Using an Obeya

Companies using an obeya may enjoy a number of benefits. Those include:

  • Efficiency: A project’s leadership team can save time by bringing helpful visuals, necessary information, and vital resources together in one place
  • Focus: Having key team members in the same room for collaboration and discussion means that project leaders can focus on the right issues
  • Collaboration: An obeya fosters an environment in which employees can work together across disciplines and in real-time, rather than via e-mail or in rushed meetings
Total Productive Maintenance Guide
Eliminate defects failures & accidents!

What’s the Relationship Between Obeya and Toyota?

Toyota has used the Obeya approach as an integral project-management tool, especially in product development, to improve and streamline communication. Similar in concept to traditional "war rooms," an obeya typically contains visual charts and graphs depicting program timing, milestones, progress to date, and countermeasures to existing timing or technical problems. Project leaders may sit at desks in the obeya, as will others at appropriate points in the program timing.

Given its emphasis on improving communication and boosting efficiency, it’s no surprise that obeya is one of the pillars of the Toyota Production System. (Other elements of the Toyota Production System include 5S, Kaizen, Kanban, Total Productive Maintenance, and the visual factory concept.)

Lean manufacturing, an integral part of the Toyota Production System, focuses on eliminating waste and standardizing workflows, processes, and procedures throughout a facility. Toyota used the tools to become one of the most-admired car companies in the world.

Obeya facilitates effective and timely communication at Toyota, without resorting to arduous meetings, never-ending email chains, and laborious decision-making processes. It is especially useful during the product development phase, when employees congregate to discuss design differences, engineering concerns, progress milestones, and more.

Developing an Obeya

Labeling, signage, and visual communication are key components of an effective obeya. Posters, charts, labels, and signs can help employees visualize and understand information quickly.

DuraLabel industrial label and sign printers by Graphic Products can assist in developing clear, impactful custom visual communication for numerous applications. DuraLabel printers are compatible with a variety of materials, including magnetic and static cling materials, which allow workers to reorganize charts and plans over the course of their discussions.

Echo large-format poster printer and enlarger by Graphic Products gives you posters and charts that can be read from across the room—on demand, using low-cost and recyclable paper supplies. With Echo, you can create 5S shadow boards, safety notifications, diagram outlines, progress charts, facility achievements, goals, and more.

Related Resources

Toyota Production System

Toyota Production System

Find out why Toyota's dedication to continuous improvement is a success, and how that system can benefit your organization

Read
Creating a Visual Factory with the 5S System

Creating a Visual Factory with 5S

Find out how a visual factory works to boost productivity using signs and labels as part of the lean manufacturing process

Read
Pillars of TPM

Pillars of TPM

Get a visual summary of the eight pillars of activity in a Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) system to improve operations

View
  • Eliminate defects failures & accidents!
  • The free 5s guide will start you on the path to efficiency.
Get the latest deals straight to your inbox
Trusted by These Companies
Starbucks
GM
Du Pont
Amazon
Disney
3M
Pepsi
NASA
Chevron
AT&T
Toyota
Coca-Cola
UPS
Target
  • Graphic Products, Inc.
    9825 SW Sunshine Ct
    Beaverton, OR
    97005 USA

  • 1-888-326-9244 (U.S./Canada)
  • +1-503-644-5572 (International)
  • Products
  • Printers
  • Printer Supplies
  • Safety Signs
  • Safety Labels
  • Floor Marking
  • Pipe Markers & Tags
  • Catalog
  • Support
  • Shipping & Returns
  • Manage Account
  • Printer Support
  • Warranties
  • Resources
  • Resource Center
  • Guides
  • Articles
  • Video Library
  • Safety Blog
  • Infographics
  • Webinars
  • Company
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Become a Dealer
  • Find a Dealer
  • Press Room

Need Help?

Give us a call at 1-888-326-9244 and speak with an expert.

Customer Reviews
  • Copyright © 2021
  • All Rights Reserved
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Shipping and Returns
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Data