A current-state map of your processes as a value stream (VSM), SIPOC or another suitable format
process mapping
Process mapping: from the current state to a jointly supported target state
Mapping the process together
Processes cannot be improved from a desk. I map them where they happen, together with the people who carry them out every day.
I use tools from lean management: Value Stream Mapping for the current state, SIPOC to define processes and their interfaces, and Value Stream Design for the target state. Every function involved sits around one table in the workshop. This reveals where handovers fail, where work waits and where it is duplicated.
The result is not a document for someone to approve, but a direction everyone supports, with clear roles for the future way of working.
Others are very good at process maps, quality-management manuals and standards-compliant process documentation. My contribution comes before that: mapping the real workflows and deciding together how they should operate in future.
Sound familiar?
When plant managers call me, they usually have no shortage of ideas, but a shortage of impact.
What you get
From a visible current state to a jointly supported target:
Visible interfaces: where handovers fail, where work waits and where it is duplicated
A target design (VSD), developed jointly in the workshop
Clear roles for the future way of working
A process supported by everyone involved
Frequently asked questions
Process mapping: frequently asked questions
What is a value stream, and when is mapping worthwhile?
A value stream covers every step from the trigger to the outcome for the customer, including the waiting time between steps. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) shows how much time is spent on actual processing and how much is lost while work sits idle. It is worthwhile when lead times are too long, deadlines slip or nobody can say where an order currently stands.
What is SIPOC, and when do I use it instead of VSM?
SIPOC summarises a process on one page: supplier, input, process, output and customer. It clarifies the boundaries of a process and who connects to it from outside. I use it as a starting point when it is unclear where a process begins and ends, or when several functions disagree about their responsibilities. VSM then goes into greater depth and measures times.
How does a process-mapping workshop work?
We map the current state together as it really operates, not as it appears in the manual. We then investigate where it does not work: handovers, waiting times, queries and duplicated work. In the second step, we create the target picture as a Value Stream Design (VSD) and jointly decide which route to take.
Who should take part?
The people who carry out the process every day, as well as leaders from the functions involved where useful. The greatest leverage often lies at interfaces, so every affected department should be represented. Where decisions need to be made, leaders take part.
What happens to the result?
You receive the current- and target-state maps together with the agreed actions and roles. Because everyone involved has contributed, the direction is not left open for debate and can be implemented directly. I can support the implementation if required.