Value Stream Mapping
It’s a common exercise in the Agile arena to surface improvements in our day-to-day processes throughout the value chain
Overview
It’s a common exercise in the Agile arena to surface any potential improvement in our day-to-day processes. It comes from the lean manufacturing revolution that makes things visible by embedding materials and information on flow diagramming to introduce lean practices.
The idea is to bring together representatives of each vertical section of your System Map and collaborate to outline time spent in between each vertical area (think of it being in a queue ready to be consumed by the next vertical step), where you co-create ways to streamline it.
In Figure 8, the relationship between lead time and process time is shown. The top part of the diagram is a diagram of the process. As mentioned earlier on the left is an image representing the customer and on the right is the final product. In between are all the processes required to create the product. There is an additional line looping back to the world, sales and prospective customers. Below are two bars, one showing lead time and the other process time. This outlined the time spent working on parts of the product development, design and production, and waiting times in between each of these steps. For example, an order is received but it is three hours before the first part of the process begins. This process may take three hours, followed by a three hour wait time which incurs a delay before the next step in the process. Figure 8 shows eight periods of lead time, or delay between the six periods of process time. The aim of lean manufacturing is to minimise these wait times in order to shorten the overall time needed between the order being received and delivered.
You may have already started! Pick up your System Map. And enrich it with variables beyond 'time'; include materials and energy, find the leverage points and how can you streamline it throughout your whole value chain.
This tool is licensed under a Creative Commons BY SA 4.0 license. For full details visit our Licensing Rules. 
-
Member
Jean Lepage
Lac-Simon, Quebec, Canada
Having worked in business for more than 35 years, I am a member of the international think tank of the Society For Effectual Action (SEA), which is interested in the art of entrepreneurship. I am the author of several books including "Innovate to prosper", "Startup: the art of inspiring them", "Entrepreneurship and success: 10 success stories of great builders" and "The big click: the power of entrepreneurial creativity ". I have written more than 200 articles on local development, support and entrepreneurship. I managed ID Gatineau, an economic development organization that contributes to the attraction, consolidation and growth of Gatineau businesses as well as the development of the innovation ecosystem. Finally, I have implemented several best practices in terms of economic development and support for entrepreneurship.
-
Member
Allen Gunderson
Victoria, BC Canada
A regenerative business focused high school educator in Victoria, BC Canada. I'm currently developing a life affirming learning platform blending methodologies from Waters Center for Systems Thinking, Korda Institute for Teaching, eduScrum, B Academics, Systems Dynamics Society, Doughnut Economics, and r3.0 that disrupts the status quo by building a resilient, equitable, and regenerative economy through real complex experiential youth led projects creating community change.
-
Member
Tim Frenneaux
Leeds, England, United Kingdom
I'm a regenerative designer working with businesses to understand how doughnut economics relates to their work, with a particular emphasis on bringing it to life through collective imagination and emotional intelligence - the essential inner work we need to get to grips with the possibilities the doughnut suggests. The good thing is, these are some of the most accessible elements.
-
Member
Greta Bertozzini
Budapest, Ungheria
Comments
Join the DEAL Community!
Get inspired, connect with others and become part of the movement. No matter how big or small your contribution is, you’re welcome to join!