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Value stream mapping is the Lean process mapping technique. With this map, the Lean Six Sigma team will know which steps are directly contributing to delivering the customer value aspects of the process. It also provides the foundation for deeper flow analysis.

Quick reference

Value Stream Mapping

The Value Stream Map (VSM) is the Lean process mapping technique.  With this map, the Lean Six Sigma team will know which steps are directly contributing to delivering the customer value aspects of the process.  It also provides the foundation for deeper flow analysis.

When to use

The VSM is first created in the Measure phase with the “As-Is” map showing the current process.  The data from the VSM is analysed in the Analyse phase.  The proposed improvements in the process flow are modeled in a “To-Be” VSM during the Improve phase.

Instructions

The VSM is focused only on the steps required to deliver the process results to the process customer.  It shows the straight-line flow from process start to customer delivery.  It does not include any branches or loops since once a branch or loop occurs, the item in the process is no longer flowing straight toward the customer. A goal of the VSM is to identify waste in the process. Therefore, the VSM will also include a data box with data concerning each step.  The data box will be covered in another module.

When completing a VSM:

  1. Create with the SIPOC for the process.  Ensure the final step is the delivery of the process results to the process customer.
  2. Starting with the final step, work backward by identifying the step that must occur immediately before the current step.  Include steps to move the item to the current step and steps that reflect getting approval to proceed to the next step.
  3. Ignore any branches or loops, only map the straight-line flow of the item towards the customer.
  4. Continue until you reach the first step in the process based on the SIPOC.
  5. “Walk” the process to ensure that every step that is currently performed is in the process and steps (even though they may be in the procedure) that are not normally performed are not in the VSM.

Hints & tips

  • Every step should have an action associated with it, not just a location.
  • Assume that every step is completely successful on its first try – any rework, repair or scrap will be captured in the data for that step.
  • Map what is actually occurring, in the order it occurs.  Not what the procedure says.
  • If there is no procedure, there will probably be multiple ways of doing the process.  Pick the most common one and map it.  Note the other approaches, they may be good starting points for ideas on improvements.
  • Capture every action – watch for the “in-between” steps that are often overlooked. Include steps like moving the product to the next workstation.
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  • 00:05 Hi, I'm Ray Sheen.
  • 00:06 The foundational tool used for
  • 00:08 the lean portion on a Lean Six Sigma project is the value stream map.
  • 00:13 Let's take a look at how this technique works.
  • 00:16 You may be asking yourself, what is a value stream map?
  • 00:19 And what makes it so special?
  • 00:22 A value stream map is a direct series of steps in the process that creates
  • 00:26 the process result, whether it is a product, service, or
  • 00:31 capability, and delivers that to the process customer.
  • 00:34 So, one of the key characteristics of a value stream map is that it always ends
  • 00:39 with the customer.
  • 00:41 It is almost, always a single straight line flow of the steps leading
  • 00:45 to the delivery to the customer.
  • 00:48 It is a subset of the full process map.
  • 00:51 Any loops or branches that are not in the direct flow are not shown.
  • 00:55 Those loops or branches are not bringing value to the customer since they deviate
  • 01:00 from the straight-line flow to the customer.
  • 01:03 But a value stream map is more than just flow,
  • 01:06 it also indicates data about the flow.
  • 01:09 We record timing for each step, along with value-added and non-value-added,
  • 01:13 such as delays.
  • 01:14 The resources for each step, or equipment, are often shown.
  • 01:18 The first-pass yields show the quality performance of each step,
  • 01:21 and the inventory at each step is often tracked to show if there's any
  • 01:25 bottlenecks.
  • 01:25 There are other potential data elements and
  • 01:27 we'll talk about them in another session.
  • 01:29 Our takeaway from this point is that Lean also requires a significant
  • 01:34 amount of data collection in the measure phase.
  • 01:37 I mentioned that the value stream map is a subset of a full process map.
  • 01:41 Let's look at the differences.
  • 01:44 Because the value stream map is just the straight line flow leading from
  • 01:48 the start of the process to the delivery to the customer,
  • 01:52 it is directly focused on understanding the impact on the customer.
  • 01:56 The process map includes all the branches, loops, and other activities happening
  • 02:01 within the process, and therefore is more of an internal functional view.
  • 02:05 The value stream map is looking at the end-to-end flow directed at the customer,
  • 02:11 especially how fast and with what quality do items race through the process.
  • 02:16 The process map is looking at patterns of flow throughout the entire process and
  • 02:21 all of the loops.
  • 02:23 So it's not a surprise to see that the value stream map helps us to visualize
  • 02:28 bottlenecks, while the process map identifies decision points, and branches.
  • 02:34 The value stream map is looking at anything that would impede that smooth
  • 02:38 straight line flow, which is another term for waste in the process.
  • 02:41 The process map, because of its internal functional focus,
  • 02:46 is more concerned about who, what, and when for each step.
  • 02:50 The value stream map has a tendency to drive more transformational
  • 02:54 change because it creates a radically different way to look at the process.
  • 02:59 Many times the value stream map will contain only a small fraction of all
  • 03:04 the steps that are found in the full process map.
  • 03:08 And that focus is to make those steps flow quickly and flawlessly.
  • 03:13 The process map often leads to incremental change as each step is usually
  • 03:17 considered individually, rather than from an end to end point of view.
  • 03:22 Both maps show reality.
  • 03:24 The value stream map shows the reality from a customer perspective,
  • 03:29 essentially, the reality that they feel.
  • 03:32 The process map shows the reality from an organizational perspective,
  • 03:37 the reality of everything that must be done to cut through this process.
  • 03:41 So how do we create a value stream map?
  • 03:44 Well, since it's a subset of the overall process map,
  • 03:47 many of the process mapping principles will still apply.
  • 03:50 For instance, we'll still start with a SIPOC, but in this case,
  • 03:55 we need to be sure that the last step is always the delivery of the process to
  • 03:59 the process customer.
  • 04:01 In my experience, I found the best way to stay focused on straight-line
  • 04:06 flow is to start my map from the final step and work backwards.
  • 04:10 Determining the preceding step by answering the question,
  • 04:14 in order to start this step, what do I need to have done from the preceding step?
  • 04:19 When putting in steps, include all the steps in the direct flow.
  • 04:23 So if you need to move the item from one workstation to another,
  • 04:27 include the move step.
  • 04:29 If you need to get approval or permission to start a step, include that approval.
  • 04:34 When trying to identify the preceding step, look for the place where the item or
  • 04:39 information is being stored.
  • 04:41 An inventory pile up or information backlog is often a preceding step.
  • 04:45 Just make sure to put it into your value stream map at the right
  • 04:50 location in the sequence.
  • 04:52 A value stream map may take days or weeks to complete, but
  • 04:57 it is the foundation for all improvement activities within the process flow.

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