Magnatag InSight
The whiteboard and how it helps us brainstorm, innovate, motivate and create
Q&A With a Visual Systems Specialist: Keeping Score With KPI’s
Tue Jan 19 2016By: Mike P
Many people believe that setting goals for oneself is crucial to success, as it helps you stay focused and on track. The methodology behind goal setting has been commonplace in the business world for quite some time. Companies commonly set benchmark goals for sales and production quotas in an effort to motivate and inspire employees. So what’s the best way to track these goals? Well, we believe Magnatag’s very own KPI Indicator is the perfect tool for the job. I recently sat down with Deb, one of our Visual Systems Specialists, to get a better understanding of how the board functions, and how it can be best applied within a workplace.
How long have you been working with Magnatag?
I’ve been here for nine years!
A popular product for Magnatag—especially for this time of year—is the KPI dry erase indicator. Do you have any idea why?
Yeah, I think it is because at the beginning of the year production teams are trying to get everything all organized. These boards and magnets are really great tools for getting your factory workers to think “lean”. I’ve had people call me recently saying, “Oh, we’re implementing a lean process in our factory this coming year, and we’d really like to make the most of it. We’ve just taken a look at where we would like our sales figures to be in the next year, so please, tell me about your KPI system!” It is just one of those products that can really change the mindset of everyone that interacts with it.
We offer the KPI indicator in both 31day and 52-week variations. Which one do you find to be the most sought after?
31-day for sure. I think people really gravitate towards it because it allows you to take everything in smaller increments. Sometimes—especially in a factory setting—it’s easy to get caught up one day, and have that incident go forward and impact your entire schedule. So I think a lot of our customers like to take their KPI indicators and really break it down on a month-to-month basis.
Can you tell me some of the feedback you have received about the KPI indicator?
A lot of the feedback we receive has to do with our made-to-order process. Since every product we make is made here in our factory, a lot of times customers will call saying: “Oh, can I get my logo placed at the top of the board? What about changing the formatting of the KPI pyramids?” and we’re usually really good with that. At the end of the day, we really just want to make the entire purchasing process as painless as possible. So the largest request with the KPI boards really comes down to customization options.
em>Have you heard anything in regards to how people use them? Are they used more for personal use, as a team tool, or a combination of both?
More of a group, team oriented tool—something that can keep a team on the same page. I think that’s the big thing about all of our products actually; you can hang them on the wall of your production facility—just like we use them here—so everybody that walks by can get an understanding for what is going on. With a quick look you can understand how the department is looking; you look at their goals, and by looking how many green and red magnets are displayed on the board, you have an extremely holistic understanding of where your company is.
What do you think it is that differentiates Magnatag’s KPI Tracker from the handful of other KPI tracking systems available for purchase?
I would have to say because they are easy to use. The tool is very understandable; once they’re up, they’re up. It’s more of a visual sort of thing, so it really gives you a sense of scope in ways computer programs may not. Everything is simple, and I think people like that about us. You can tell when people aren’t really tech-savvy—when they just want something to write on—they don’t want to worry about programming issues or anything of that nature. So I think having something that is not only simple, but also very visual and easy to understand is a huge factor in why our surfaces are so popular.
If you would like to learn more about our dry erase KPI systems, visit our site.
How long have you been working with Magnatag?
I’ve been here for nine years!
A popular product for Magnatag—especially for this time of year—is the KPI dry erase indicator. Do you have any idea why?
Yeah, I think it is because at the beginning of the year production teams are trying to get everything all organized. These boards and magnets are really great tools for getting your factory workers to think “lean”. I’ve had people call me recently saying, “Oh, we’re implementing a lean process in our factory this coming year, and we’d really like to make the most of it. We’ve just taken a look at where we would like our sales figures to be in the next year, so please, tell me about your KPI system!” It is just one of those products that can really change the mindset of everyone that interacts with it.
We offer the KPI indicator in both 31day and 52-week variations. Which one do you find to be the most sought after?
31-day for sure. I think people really gravitate towards it because it allows you to take everything in smaller increments. Sometimes—especially in a factory setting—it’s easy to get caught up one day, and have that incident go forward and impact your entire schedule. So I think a lot of our customers like to take their KPI indicators and really break it down on a month-to-month basis.
Can you tell me some of the feedback you have received about the KPI indicator?
A lot of the feedback we receive has to do with our made-to-order process. Since every product we make is made here in our factory, a lot of times customers will call saying: “Oh, can I get my logo placed at the top of the board? What about changing the formatting of the KPI pyramids?” and we’re usually really good with that. At the end of the day, we really just want to make the entire purchasing process as painless as possible. So the largest request with the KPI boards really comes down to customization options.
em>Have you heard anything in regards to how people use them? Are they used more for personal use, as a team tool, or a combination of both?
More of a group, team oriented tool—something that can keep a team on the same page. I think that’s the big thing about all of our products actually; you can hang them on the wall of your production facility—just like we use them here—so everybody that walks by can get an understanding for what is going on. With a quick look you can understand how the department is looking; you look at their goals, and by looking how many green and red magnets are displayed on the board, you have an extremely holistic understanding of where your company is.
What do you think it is that differentiates Magnatag’s KPI Tracker from the handful of other KPI tracking systems available for purchase?
I would have to say because they are easy to use. The tool is very understandable; once they’re up, they’re up. It’s more of a visual sort of thing, so it really gives you a sense of scope in ways computer programs may not. Everything is simple, and I think people like that about us. You can tell when people aren’t really tech-savvy—when they just want something to write on—they don’t want to worry about programming issues or anything of that nature. So I think having something that is not only simple, but also very visual and easy to understand is a huge factor in why our surfaces are so popular.
If you would like to learn more about our dry erase KPI systems, visit our site.
Categories:Factory and Production
