# Production analysis board

Operations · `Production analysis board` · verification: source checked

A production analysis board is a display, often a large whiteboard, placed beside a process to show actual performance against planned performance. It is used to identify problems: when production does not match the plan, the problem is recorded and its cause is investigated. It is a problem-identification and problem-solving tool, not a production scheduling tool.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | tool |

## Study notes

- The board in the illustration shows process performance on an hourly basis, comparing planned with actual production.
- When production does not correspond to the plan, the problem is recorded and a cause is sought.
- For a process regulated by pull signals rather than a preset schedule, the board records the amounts requested by the next downstream process, which may vary from plan during a shift or day, and compares them with actual production.
- The board can be an important visual management tool, particularly as a firm begins its transformation to lean production.
- It is also called a production control board, a progress control board, or a problem-solving board.
- The document refers to Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA).

## Sources

1. [Production Analysis Board - Lean Enterprise Institute](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/production-analysis-board/) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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