Hourly Production Board
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An hourly production board tracks output versus target each hour, making performance and problems visible in real time.
Definition
An hourly production board is a visual management tool that displays target output and actual output for each hour of production, making performance gaps visible in real time. When actual falls short of target, the gap is immediately visible, triggering investigation and response. The board enables proactive management—problems are caught within an hour rather than discovered at shift end. Comments sections capture reasons for gaps, creating data for improvement activities. Hourly boards are a fundamental tool of daily management.
Examples
A production cell's hourly board shows: Hour 1 target 12, actual 12 (green); Hour 2 target 12, actual 9 (red) with note "material shortage - supplier late." The visual makes the gap obvious immediately; the note documents the cause for follow-up action.
Key Points
- Hourly tracking catches problems quickly—within one hour, not one shift
- Visual format makes performance obvious to everyone
- Comments sections capture reasons, creating data for improvement
- The board enables proactive response, not just after-the-fact reporting
Common Misconceptions
Hourly tracking is micromanagement. The purpose is visibility and quick response, not pressure. Teams use the information to solve problems; leaders use it to provide support.
Digital displays replace physical boards. Physical boards at the point of work have advantages: they're always visible, require no login, and can be annotated by hand. Digital may supplement but often doesn't fully replace.