Thesis shows that visualisation works

Ludvig Lindlöf's thesis “Visual Management – on Communication in Product Development Organizations”

Short version:

This thesis discusses visual management as a way of improving an organization’s information processing capability. The findings show that the cognitive benefits of visualization can support managerial tasks, and that visual management can play a role in supporting communication between individuals. Several researchers acknowledge that visualization seems underutilized in the field of management. First, Visual management supports an organizations information processing capability. Second, Visual management can play an important role in supporting communication between individuals.

There is a very interesting piece on Complexity, Uncertainty and Ambiguity.

”Thus, in a fast-moving and complex setting, the speed of decision making could be the difference between success and failure (Ireland and Miller, 2004). Eisenhardt (1989b) identified two characteristics of fast decision-makers.

1) the fast decision makers were often using more information than the slow decision-makers and relied more on richer media such as face-to-face communication. They also use a large number of indicators and data.

2) the use of real-time information was emphasized to a higher extent by the fast decision-makers. Zirger and Hartley (1994) argue that time can be saved in product development through making decisions on the lowest practical level. This argument is supported by Galbraith’s model arguing that decentralization will make the point of decision closer to the source of the information (Galbraith, 1977).”