It can be hard to tell when someone has a problem.  Sometimes we are not even aware of our own problems.  It’s natural, for instance, for someone to want to solve a problem on their own.  It may give them great satisfaction to do so.  Or maybe they feel it’s a negative reflection on their abilities if they have to call for help.  On the other side, leaders in today’s fast-paced world are inundated with demands on their time and cannot always tell when their team truly needs their support.

This is where Andon signals come in.  Andon means light in Japanese.  But in lean systems, it means “There is a problem, something needs attention”.  It is powerful in its simplicity and purpose.  We use Andons to create a visual workplace, where problems are easily seen.  These signals can be lights, empty space, sounds, kanban cards, etc… But at its heart, an Andon signal makes it clear and binary when people, processes and equipment need attention.  They are a way of taking some of the guesswork out of the question “What problems do I have right now?”