Production meetings are a tool that helps you organize better for the future and respond more quickly to observed problems.

Production meetings are a review of current results, usually those from the last 24 hours – the time that has passed since the previous meeting. This is not the place for lengthy discussions about everything. At a production meeting, key events and metrics from the previous day are discussed. To be most effective, production meetings should be standardized.

During a production meeting, the current results are discussed and tasks are assigned based on these results. Not all indicators are analyzed at this time. Attention should be focused on the most important ones – those directly related to the execution of orders for the customer or those that threaten the continuity of production and timely execution of orders.

Indicators must be measurable on a daily or even a production shift basis and updated daily.

Where are the production meetings held?

Production meetings should be held “close to the process.” This is usually a specially designated area on the production floor. The meeting location should have two whiteboards or one whiteboard with a separate section for meeting notes. On one part we complete the results, and on the other we write the tasks to be completed. It is worth using visual management elements on the board. If the goal for a given indicator was not achieved – the result is written on the boards in red, in the case of achieving the daily target – in green. During production meetings more attention is paid to discussing results that are “red”.

Who attends production meetings?

The phrase “production meeting” can be misleading because the meeting is not attended only by representatives of the production department. It should be an interdisciplinary team that is able to make decisions during the meeting and solve problematic situations. In the case of manufacturing companies, the group of people participating in the meetings should consist of the director, head of production, managers of production areas and representatives of quality, maintenance, sales, purchasing and logistics departments. The final decision on meeting participants is usually made by the plant director.

There should not be too many participants. This can cause chaos and negatively affect the effectiveness of the meetings.

How long does a production meeting last?

A production meeting usually lasts about 15 minutes. To use this time effectively, remember to set some rules. First, the meeting participants must not be late. Secondly, a person should be appointed to check attendance, supervise the agenda and complete the action plan section. That’s the agenda. This is a very important element that you can’t forget.

The flow of the production meeting

Before starting routine meetings, it is a good idea to establish some rules that apply to all participants. For example, it is worth remembering about punctuality, conciseness of speech, mutual respect and personal culture, making decisions based on facts and not using cell phones during meetings. The latter is a big problem these days.

Moving on to the flow of the meeting – each meeting starts with reporting the results. Reporting is done according to a predetermined agenda. For example, it might look like this:

Point 1. Safety at Work. Has there been an accident at work within the last 24 hours? If so, has the hazard been eliminated? If yes – then great. If not then explain the reason for the lack of implementation.

Point 2. Quality. Are there ongoing quality issues that employees are facing? If yes, has this problem been eliminated? If yes – then good. If no then you will explain the reason for the lack of resolution of the problem. Next we review the next points – machinery, staffing status, procurement, logistics and so on. The last point on the agenda should be devoted to “general” matters concerning the whole organization. For example, it could be information about a customer audit or a visit of a plant representative from another country.

Production meetings are a solid foundation for building an efficient channel of information flow between employees of different departments and different levels in the organizational structure.