A pencil and paper tool used in two stages: 1. Follow a product's production path from beginning to end and draw a visual representation of every process in the material and information flows. 2. Then draw a future state map of how value should flow. The most important map is the future state map.
Creating a picture of the complete material and information flow from customer request through order fulfillment for an operation. Value Stream Mapping can be done at an enterprise level (showing customer-supplier relationships as well as distributors), a door to door level showing the flow of material and information primarily within a factory, office, or hospital operation, and a process level map with a narrower scope and more detail. The 'Current State' is how the process works today and the 'Future State' map shows improvements towards a long-term 'ideal state'.
Highlights the sources of waste and eliminates them by implementing a future state value stream that can become reality within a short time.
A visual method of documenting the material and information flows of a process.
A graphical method of describing the process of a product's production.
Value stream mapping is a graphical tool that helps you to see and understand the flow of the material and information as a product makes its way through the value stream. It ties together lean concepts and techniques.
the process of directly observing the flows of information and materials as they now occur, summarizing them visually, and then envisioning a future state with much better performance. It raises consciousness of the enormous waste of time, effort and movement that occurs. The relevant actions to be mapped consist of two flows: orders traveling upstream from the customer and products coming downstream from raw materials to the customer.
A pencil and paper improvement tool that provides an understanding of the flow of material and information as a product makes its way through the value stream
A graphical representation of all tasks and activities needed to transform input materials and information into an output.
The identification of all the specific activities occurring along a value stream for a product or product family (or service).
Value Stream Mapping is a Lean Six Sigma methodology.