Work Visibility Mapping

When to use Work Visibility Mapping

Use this when teams are struggling to meet deadlines, when there is a lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities, or when communication is poor.

What it solves

Lack of transparency, unclear priorities, duplicated effort, missed deadlines, poor communication.

How to run Work Visibility Mapping, step by step

1. Define the scope of the work process to be mapped. (10 min)
2. Identify the key tasks and activities involved in the process. (15 min)
3. Map the tasks and activities onto a visual representation, such as a Kanban board or flowchart. (20 min)
4. Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement. (15 min)

Materials needed

• Whiteboard or flip chart
• Markers
• Sticky notes
• Kanban board or project management tool (optional)

Facilitator tips

• Encourage team members to actively participate in the mapping process.
• Focus on identifying the flow of work and the dependencies between tasks.

Common pitfalls

• Participants being unwilling to share information about their work.
• The map becoming too complex and difficult to understand.

Variations

• Use a value stream mapping technique to identify waste in the process.
• Conduct a time study to measure the duration of each task.

Running it online or hybrid

Use a virtual Kanban board or project management tool to visualize work progress.

What it produces

A visual map of the team's work processes, including tasks, dependencies, and progress status.

Origin

Inspired by NOBL Academy's article on Making Work Visible — source

Build a session around Work Visibility Mapping

METODIC places Work Visibility Mapping inside a complete, timed session plan — agenda, worksheets, facilitator guide and slides — matched to your group and goal.

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