Current-state value stream of your product family with process time, lead time, inventories and information flows.
value stream mapping
Value stream mapping: see where your lead time is being lost
What value stream mapping delivers
The value stream covers all activities a product or service passes through from raw material to the customer. Value stream mapping records this flow: process steps, times, inventories, material and information flows. The timeline compares processing time and lead time and shows where the real lever sits.
Value stream design is the second step. It defines the target state: where flow is possible, where Kanban or supermarkets limit inventory, which process sets the pace and how information will flow in future. The measures then come from the gap between current and target state, prioritised by impact on lead time.
Sound familiar?
Almost every plant knows its process times.
What you get
The result fits on a wall and into a presentation for senior management:
Customer takt and comparison with the cycle times of every station, including proof of the bottleneck.
Future-state value stream (value stream design) with flow, pull loops and pacemaker.
Prioritised action plan with owners, deadlines and expected effect.
On request: support during implementation until the new inventories and lead times are stable.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about value stream mapping
What is value stream mapping?
A record of every step a product or service passes through from raw material to the customer, including the waiting times in between. It shows how much time is spent on actual processing and how much is lost while work sits idle. The share of value-adding time is usually considerably lower than expected.
How does a value stream workshop work?
We walk the line together and record the current state on site, using the actual times and inventories. We then create the future-state picture: where flow is possible, where inventories should be limited and which process sets the pace. The result is a prioritised action list with named owners.
Who should take part?
The people who work in the process, together with leaders from the functions involved. A value stream crosses several departments, so everyone involved should be represented. Where decisions need to be made, leadership should be present.
Does it also work in the office?
The principle does, but the tool is different. In production I use value stream mapping; for office processes I usually use swimlane diagrams because handovers between roles and departments are decisive there. You can read more on the Lean Admin page.