Determining what information needs to be conveyed is the starting point of visual factory. The current state must be compared to the future state goals in order to determine what information is to be delivered. The information required to get from one state to another is what must be conveyed. How the information is conveyed depends on the desired end result. The location and method of information delivery also depends on the relevancy of the information. Typically this data includes:

• Process metrics
• Work instructions
• General plant information

Process metrics are typically displayed at the machine or cell. This information is most effective when it is delivered in real time. Immediate feedback facilitates immediate improvement. When light is used to indicate information it is referred to as an andon. Andons are often the centerpiece of the visual factory because of the tremendous real-time process information that they convey.