Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.
—William Penn

PART

2

HOW TO EXPOSE TIME THEFT TO OPTIMIZE WORKFLOW

There is a reason our schools and offices are plastered with whiteboards. We acquire more information through vision than through all the other senses combined.1 Of the 100 billion neurons in our brains, approximately 20% are devoted to analyzing visual information.2 The visual-spatial learner thinks primarily in images. A study done by psychologist and founder of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development, Linda Kreger Silverman, suggests that two-thirds of the population have a visual-spatial preference.3 The left hemisphere is sequential, analytical, and time-oriented. The right hemisphere perceives the whole, synthesizes, and apprehends movement in space. For visual-spatial learners, if the right hemisphere is not activated and engaged, then attention will be low and learning will be poor.

Unfortunately, unlike the visual transparency of physical labor, knowledge work takes place in the cerebral cortex of the brain, where thoughts are the result of signals passing through neurons on their way to the nervous system. Tucked away out of sight of coworkers, teammates, and the boss, our ideas for how to solve problems and design systems remain invisible to the rest of the world. How fantastic would it be if we could physically display all the intense mental labor that goes into creative problem-solving or conceptualizing new ideas with the click of a mouse or stroke of a dry erase pen (“See, boss, I really am working!”)? While it may not be quite that easy, it is possible to achieve visibility of work in the technology sector by making those ideas, the state of the knowledge work, and the related problems visually accessible to ourselves and to those impacted.

When we bring our visual sense to solving problems, we get clarity around the problem, and it’s easier to make decisions. Making work visible is one of the most fundamental things we can do to improve our work because the human brain is designed to find meaningful patterns and structures in what is perceived through vision.

Thus, it makes sense that when we can’t see our work, we have a hard time managing it. But, while this seems obvious, it’s not something we think about. We tend to ignore the mundane, the things that are so intrinsic we don’t even notice that they are there. This is an illusion of simplicity.

I would like to change the dialogue on this illusion and call this “obvious thing” an elegant visual—a beautiful visual that provides utility by depicting the flow of work and improving communication. An intuitive visual that is not only useful but also relevant, and therefore interesting to gaze upon. The better the visual, the more value. An elegant visual appeals to the senses and captures the interest of the onlooker.

In Part 2, we’ll be sharing real-world problems, examples, and exercises for designing a flow-based system that brings clarity to priorities and visibility to risks, and liberates you from the advancing blitz of too much work. In Part 3, we look at systemic organizational issues that will need to be addressed in order for you to be successful.

In doing so, we will be focusing on the system that efficiently and effectively addresses and manages the core issues caused by the five thieves by making work visible and smoothing out workflow: Lean kanban flow. As stated in the introduction, the rest of this book is simultaneously an explanation, a how-to guide, and a business justification for seeing work flow fast by using Lean, kanban, and flow methods.

Section 2.1 is for readers who want a lesson on how to get started with using kanban and for those who want a review on kanban basics. If your kanban basics are solid, then skip to Section 2.2 where we dive into how to expose time thieves and optimize your workflow using a Lean kanban flow approach.

All the examples may not apply to your specific situation. Think of this as a Lean kanban flow buffet. Take and implement what does apply to you, and use the rest to gain understanding of what people in other parts of the organization or in other companies might be dealing with.

Be forewarned—the outcomes of implementing these methods will depend on the investment level of participants from all parts of the organization. An investment made in mastering the practices in this book will position you well for seeing your work flow faster, which in turn will lead to the satisfaction that comes from delivering value sooner rather than later, from being more predictable rather than unreliable, and from making the work environment an all-around joyful spot rather than a troubled one.

Let’s get started.