A few years ago, I stepped into the role of Head of Quality Control as a maternity replacement. With the position came responsibility for a team of seven people in the QC laboratory.

It wasn’t a completely new environment for me. I had worked alongside the team for many years, so I already knew the people, the processes, and many of the day-to-day challenges.

Around the same time, the company was expanding its Lean Management approach beyond the production floor. Other departments were asked to start using Lean tools as well, including Quality Control.

Bringing Lean into the QC Lab

In the QC lab, we decided to start with a few practical steps.

We introduced an SQDCP board and started holding daily morning stand-up meetings. Problems and improvement ideas were tracked openly so that the team could see progress and follow up on solutions.

We also launched a small 5S initiative to reorganize drawers, cabinets, and workspaces. Anyone who has worked in a laboratory knows how quickly storage areas can become chaotic over time.

In addition, we began discussing the company’s vision, mission, and values more regularly and tried to connect them to the team’s daily work.

These changes were not revolutionary. But they were visible.

And like most changes, the beginning was not entirely smooth.

The First Wins

At first, there was some hesitation and resistance. That is normal whenever routines change.

But after the first small improvements appeared, a solved problem, a clearer process, a more organized workspace, the mood started to shift.

The team saw that the board was not just another management tool. It actually helped us address issues more quickly and made improvements visible.

Gradually, the atmosphere changed. People started bringing ideas forward and taking ownership of problems.

Looking back, I think the team even started to enjoy the process.

And honestly, so did I.

Within a few weeks, the team grew together, workflows were more visible, timelines of ongoing projects were clear, and problems were discussed and solved as a team. 

A Bold Step as a Temporary Leader

In hindsight, this initiative is one of the things I am most proud of in my leadership career.

At the time, I did not think too much about it. But looking back, it was probably a bold move to introduce these changes while I was only temporarily filling the role.

Fortunately, the initiative had support from the broader organization. When the original role holder returned from maternity leave, the system was already running, and from what I know, the team continued using the board afterwards.

What I Learned

Implementing this initiative taught me something important:

Trust your own ideas.

Sometimes small improvements can have a bigger impact than expected, especially when the team is involved and the focus stays on solving real problems.

Later, when I moved into a Head of Production role and took over a support team on the shopfloor, I approached the situation slightly differently.

Instead of building the system myself, I asked the team to design their own SQDCP board.

They understood their processes far better than I did at that point. Giving them ownership of the structure created even stronger engagement from the start.

What Is an SQDCP Board?

An SQDCP board (sometimes called SQDC) is a visual Lean management tool used to track key performance areas during daily meetings.

Typical categories include:

• Safety – workplace safety incidents or risks
• Quality – product quality and deviations
• Delivery – timelines and workflow performance
• Cost – efficiency and resource usage
• People – team capacity, morale, or staffing

The board provides a simple structure for daily discussions, problem solving, and continuous improvement.

The Real Lesson

Lean tools are often associated with production environments. But they can work just as well in laboratories, offices, and support functions.

The key is not the tool itself.

It’s whether the team uses it to talk openly about problems and improve how they work together.

Sometimes all it takes to start that process is a whiteboard, a few markers, and the willingness to try something new.

Written by the author, edited using ChatGPT. Photo credit: Karola G used under Pexels License