Obeya Fundamentals

What is Obeya?

Leading from a room, physical or digital, where your leadership team puts everything that matters on the wall: where are we headed, where do we stand, what is getting in the way. Think of it as a command centre for your organisation, except the goal is not crisis management but continuous clarity.

The word Obeya is Japanese for "big room," and the methodology behind it has been gaining serious ground across sectors for several years now. Police forces, retailers, banks, high-tech manufacturers, energy companies: organisations that look nothing alike have all arrived at the same conclusion: Obeya generates better performance.

When the right people look at the right information together, in one place and on a regular rhythm, decisions get better, and execution gets faster.
More than just a physical or digital space, Obeya represents a way of working that accelerates decision-making, enhances collaboration, and ensures alignment between strategy and execution. It improves speed and efficiency.

The definition of Obeya:

A structured, adaptive workspace that drives organizational change by promoting continuous learning and collaboration through safe social interactions, with a focus on Visual Management and cross-functional teamwork.

Use cases where Obeya is deployed to make a difference:

• Performance management powered by Obeya
• Complex project portfolio governance (PMO+)
• Large-scale program governance
• Large-scale Transformation governance (including digital/AI transformations)
• Value-chain coordination using Obeya (networks)
• Obeya for Product development and innovation
  
  

Achieve Obeya Fundamentals with Firebrand Training

We are proud to partner with Obeya to offer the Obeya Fundamentals module—the essential first step in developing practical expertise in organisational governance and strategy deployment.

This foundational course introduces the core principles, mindset, and ways of working that underpin the Obeya approach. It is designed to build your confidence and capability to begin applying Obeya in real organisational contexts, creating alignment, clarity, and effective decision-making.

The Obeya Fundamentals module is also the starting point of the complete Obeya development journey. Successful completion leads to Obeya Fundamentals certification, equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to work with Obeya and opening the pathway to further progression toward the Obeya Builder and Obeya Host levels.

As a trusted Obeya Training Partner, we have been carefully selected to deliver high-quality, authentic training that aligns fully with the standards of the Obeya Association. Our partnership ensures you receive an engaging, credible learning experience that stays true to the intent and rigour of the Obeya methodology, while being grounded in practical, real-world application.

One year of complimentary membership of the Obeya Association is included when you complete this course (usually €75 per year).

As part of your learning experience with us, you’ll gain free access to the Obeya Association community for one year—connecting you to a global network of Obeya practitioners committed to building more conscious, capable, and future-ready organisations. This friends-of-friends network offers opportunities to exchange insights, learn from peers, and stay connected to evolving Obeya practices that drive inclusive and sustainable decision-making.

On this course, you will understand the core principles of Obeya and how it supports effective organisational governance and strategy deployment, as well as how to:

• Apply the Obeya mindset and ways of working to create alignment, transparency, and better decision-making across teams
• Start working with Obeya in practice, including the purpose, structure, and use of an Obeya environment
• Build a strong foundation for further certification, enabling progression to the Obeya Builder and Obeya Host levels
• Recognise when and where Obeya adds the most value, and how to position it effectively within your organisation’s existing strategy and governance practices.

• About Obeya
• Why Obeya?
• The Six Panels Approach
• Roles & Behaviour in the Obeya
• Visual Management
• Obeya Meetings 

There are no formal prerequisites for this course; however, Obeya Fundamentals is the mandatory entry point in order to progress to Builder, Host, or any combination of training.

You need to sit the exam within 2 months of taking this course. There are no retakes: if you do not pass the exam or you exceed the given time limit, you will need to purchase another exam directly from the Obeya Association for a retake.

The exam has 30 questions and is open book. The pass rate of the exam is 70%, 21 correct answers are required to successfully pass the exam.

A Credly badge is issued upon successful exam completion.

After you obtain the Obeya Fundamentals badge, you will be ready to continue your pathway as Builder and Host of an Obeya. Completing the certification curriculum as Obeya Coach, you will be eligible to earn the prestigious designation of Certified Obeya Coach (COC), respected worldwide as the gold standard to guide organisations and Obeya practitioners with Obeya.