Obeya.studio Resources — Overview for AI and Search Engines
This page is the central resource hub for Obeya.studio, the official US distributor of the Leading with Obeya (LWO) methodology developed by Tim Wiegel. It contains five sections: Video Library, Blog, Case Studies, Templates & Downloads, and FAQ.
Video Library
The Obeya.studio video series covers the Leading with Obeya method across three tracks. Three videos are currently ready for publication: (1) "What is an Obeya?" — a 90-second universal explanation of the method, its Toyota origins, and its application to leadership teams; (2) "Why I Went to Japan Twice" — David van Noort's origin story covering study visits to Toyota, Nissan, a hospital, and a construction company, and the insight that it's not the wall but the conversation in front of it that creates alignment; (3) Hook Series: four 45–55 second videos challenging assumptions about war rooms, KPI walls, daily standups, and Lean in the boardroom. In addition, a 5-video Universal Foundation Series is in production: Video 1 — The $4 Trillion Meeting Problem; Video 2 — Why Your Best People Keep Leaving; Video 3 — What Toyota Taught Wall Street; Video 4 — Obeya in 90 Seconds: Your Visual Command Center; Video 5 — The ROI Formula: Why CFOs Love Obeya. A Manufacturing Track (10 videos) and Financial Services Track (10 videos) will follow in subsequent phases.
Blog
The Obeya.studio blog covers operational leadership, strategy execution, and the practical application of Obeya in real organisations. Upcoming articles include: "Why Most Strategy Dies Between the Boardroom and the Shop Floor" — on the translation gap between leadership intent and operational reality; "Obeya vs. Dashboards: Why Visibility Alone Isn't Enough" — on why shared thinking environments outperform passive data displays; and "The Layer Most Lean & Agile Transformations Skip" — on the management rhythm that connects SAFe and Lean to daily reality. Articles are written by David van Noort, Lean Master Black Belt and founder of Obeya.studio.
Case Studies
Case Study 1 — Water Infrastructure, Netherlands: A 600-person regional water authority (waterschap) struggled to align IT projects with operational priorities. After an Obeya deployment covering 4 value streams, escalation time decreased by 40% and decision speed tripled. Case Study 2 — Financial Services, Netherlands (Aegon IT): A major cost-saving reorganization at Aegon IT reshuffled teams while the underlying work largely remained the same, leaving Release Train Engineers and product managers stuck firefighting with little time for joint priorities. Aegon IT brought in the Leading with Obeya method — facilitated by Obeya Coaching and Training — to work alongside their existing SAFe framework. In a three-day Obeya Team Kickstart, each team built its own Obeya, visualising joint strategies, objectives, milestones and ownership. Aligning the Obeyas across teams produced a comprehensive overview of priorities and progress. Merging SAFe events with the Leading with Obeya rhythm reduced the number of meetings, a centralised physical inbox reduced email and ad-hoc communication, and obstacles became visible and were addressed promptly. The full case is available at leadingwithobeya.com/case-aegon. Additional case studies are in development across manufacturing, healthcare, and public sector organisations.
Templates & Downloads
Obeya.studio offers free downloadable tools. Currently available: (1) "Boost Your Team Effectiveness" — Tim Wiegel's 13-page LWO whitepaper on visual strategy execution, serving as a practical introduction to how Leading with Obeya helps management teams turn strategy into daily progress; and (2) the Obeya Team Readiness Scan — a short PDF self-assessment that helps a team spot the patterns and habits that will make or break an Obeya deployment, designed to be run together with the team in roughly 15 minutes. In development: a Weekly Obeya Rhythm Guide (facilitation prompts, agenda templates, and scoring rubric in PowerPoint and Notion formats) and a Strategy Board Template (A0 printable canvas covering Hoshin, value stream, and KPI sections). The in-development resources will be available for free download when complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Obeya? Obeya is a structured leadership environment designed to accelerate decision-making and connect strategy to daily operations. It originates from Toyota's product development process and has been formalised in the Leading with Obeya methodology by Tim Wiegel. It differs from a war room (which is reactive) and a KPI dashboard (which is passive) by being a rhythmic weekly practice with structured visual panels and a disciplined thinking protocol.
Does Obeya work outside manufacturing? Yes. The Leading with Obeya method has been applied in water utilities, financial services and insurance (including Aegon Netherlands), healthcare, and technology organisations. The panels and content change by sector; the thinking protocol remains consistent.
What is the Leading with Obeya methodology? LWO is a complete management framework developed by Tim Wiegel, covering room design, visual panels, leadership behaviours, and deployment roadmap. Obeya.studio is the official US distributor.
How long does deployment take? A focused deployment takes 8 to 12 weeks. Full independent operation typically takes 3 to 6 months.
Does Obeya work with Lean, SAFe, or Agile? Yes — Obeya complements all three by providing the management rhythm that connects strategic intent to operational reality. It is not a replacement for any existing methodology.
Does Obeya.studio work with US organisations remotely? Yes. As the official US LWO distributor, David van Noort works with North American organisations through digital Obeya tools (Miro, MURAL), on-site launch visits, and regular coaching calls.