THE BIG ROOM OBEYA

Obeya (The Big Room)

• Obeya is a unique approach to running projects or programs.
• It is derived from the Japanese word for "big room".
• It provides dedicated time and space for coordination and problem-solving.
• It minimizes organizational barriers.
• Obeya is a process of engagement and transparency with an emphasis on mindset and behavior.
• Obeya is also a physical space where technical experts gather to track progress and priorities.

Objectives

• The importance of lean philosophy and its impact on Obeya implementation are key.
• How to apply the continuous improvement mindset is essential.
• The principal mechanics of the big room are crucial.
• How to use Obeya to enhance program activities is a key objective.

What is Obeya?

• Obeya is derived from the Japanese word for "big room".
• It is a unique approach to project or program running.
• Obeya provides a dedicated time and space for coordination and problem-solving.
• It aims to minimize organizational barriers.

More than Just a Big Room

• Obeya is a process of engagement and transparency with an emphasis on mindset and behavior.
• It is a physical space where technical experts gather.
• Project progress and priorities are visually tracked.
• Project information is posted on the walls.

Why is Obeya Necessary?

• Effective big rooms support cross-functional team collaboration.
• They advance project work and bring teams involved in a project up to speed on the activities of other groups or individuals.

The Philosophy Behind Obeya

• The overarching philosophy of Obeya comes from Lean development.
• It promotes collaborative project running.
• Obeya leverages effective communication.
• It fosters a cohesive team environment.

What's in the Big Room?

• The big room contains visually appealing information such as scope milestones, plans, and progress to date.
• It also includes problem-solving and countermeasures for technical or scheduling issues.

Participating in the Big Room

• Participation is a scheduled and recurring event.
• Members can invite feedback, demonstrate accountability, make decisions, and schedule events.
• Comparing the current project state to published goals or conditions of satisfaction (CoS) is essential.

Conditions of Satisfaction

• Conditions of Satisfaction (CoS) are an explicit description of requirements for customer satisfaction.
• These requirements are explicit descriptions of all requirements that must be met for a customer to feel they've received what they wanted.
• CoS contains agreed-upon priorities for the project.
• The CoS can be a key element used to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied.
• Each condition of satisfaction is a commitment, with all team members responsible for delivery.
• CoS must be measurable.

Conditions of Satisfaction: Examples

• Typically, 8 to 15 conditions of satisfaction are established.
• These conditions often address budget, schedule, and safety objectives and so on.
• Possible examples include profitability for everyone, months until project delivery, numbers of requests for information (RFIs), changes, punch-list items, percentage below market costs, and operational cost improvement.
• Percentage improvement in productivity, rapid improvement and exceptional teamwork are quality metrics.
• All schedules must be developed and executed using a Last Planner® system.

All Conditions of Satisfaction Must Be Met

• Conditions of satisfaction should not be ranked or ordered.
• All conditions of satisfaction must be met.
• This promotes a new way of thinking and working.

Case Study: Temecula Valley Hospital

• The hospital met in their big room two days a week.
• Teams collaborated to solve problems before working in silos, and reported back on accomplishments.
• They determined the direction of the project together.

Implementing Obeya for Your Built Environment Project

• Obeya must be more than just a tool or physical space.
• Key principles need to be understood and lived to realize its true potential.

Big Room Rules

• Includes preparation, improvement, effective onboarding, positive reinforcement, focus on learning, safe/confidential zone, no stripes, speak up, and listen to others.

Signs Your Obeya May Be Failing

• Signs of failure include everything appearing green, lack of identified problems or agreed/resolved actions, and lack of understanding.
• Information might not be updated and the space could be only used for meetings, with disengaged or distracted people.

Management by Exception

• Management by exception provides a different approach.
• Moving from command and control to managing by exception.
• Allows project teams to save time, run more efficiently, and deal with necessary tasks.
• Controls problem areas to improve approach, priorities and timelines.

Other Benefits of Obeya

• Acts as an accelerator for cohesion, building traction, and moving the project towards goals.
• Obeya encourages leadership effectiveness.
• It promotes a high degree of transparency, leading to greater collaboration, better problem-solving, and faster decisions.

Setting Up a Big Room

• Big room focus is collaboration.
• This leads to high levels of cooperation.

The Physical Space

• A large open room with breakout spaces and rooms is essential.
• Sufficient technology for team activities is required.
• A file-sharing structure and bio considerations should be accounted for.
• Visual elements are necessary.

Big Room Approaches

• Colocated: Participants are continuously located together.
• Recurring: Participants meet regularly, but may not be colocated.
• Hybrid: Combines in-person and virtual attendance.
• Virtual: Participants are in different locations and time zones. Additional technology considerations for each approach include smart boards, video conferencing, file- and information-sharing, flip charts, markers, sticky notes, and whiteboards.

Return and Report

• Return and report procedures are essential.
• Ensure reporting backs on accomplishments and progress.

Solving Problems within Obeya

• Essential approach.

Continuous Improvement: The Deming Cycle

• The Deming Cycle includes Plan, Do, Study, and Act.
• Each is a key part of Obeya to continually refine projects.
• Crucial for continuous improvement.

The Deming Cycle: Plan, Do, Study, Act

• Plan: Define a problem or opportunity, generate ideas, and build an implementation plan—establishing performance success criteria and making them measurable.
• Do: Test a potential solution, and monitor processes and results to gain insights.
• Study: Analyze the results of the pilot project, and check performance against defined expectations/criteria.
• Act: Implement the solution and make it standard practice.

Walk Me Through a Hypothetical Example

• Facilitating communication between Helmut Schmidt, the track designer, and Cody Bielbaugh of the safety barrier company is needed.
• A good idea for the Deming cycle to illustrate this process (e.g., problem recognition, idea generation, testing, analysis, and implementation) is needed.

A3 Problem-Solving

• A3 problem-solving is a collaborative approach.
• It promotes exchanging information, ideas and perspectives.
• Provides a consistent and common approach.
• Summarizes a project on a single sheet of paper.
• Is a visual representation of data and information.

A3 Problem-Solving Uses the Whole Brain

• A3 problem-solving brings together the right and left brain, including visual and analysis/reasoning.
• It promotes a systems-thinking approach, which considers how actions impact other parts of a project.

A3 Problem Template

• Breakdown into common sequential steps: background, current state, goal/objective, analysis, proposal, plan/impact, and follow-up.

A3 Problem-Solving Steps

• The process has seven steps: describe the background, make the business case, state the problem impact details, define the current condition, agree on an improvement project goal, perform a root cause analysis, develop counter-measures, confirm results, and complete follow up actions.

Who Should Participate

• Determining relevant project personnel.
• Clear rationale to justify involvement in Obeya meetings.

What Did You Decide

• The outcome of the Obeya meeting.
• Participants' decisions and conclusions.

Monisha Klarewill, Carson Rachelsen, Francesco Gehri & Wright Francis, Edison Lumos, Helmut Schmidt, Ernie Becklesten, Tyrell Chapman, and Cody Bielbaugh

• Project personnel roles and responsibilities within the project outlined.