Value Stream Mapping

The Value Stream is defined as all the actions required in the end to end process of delivering a product or service to your customer.

Value Stream Mapping is a strategic planning tool which clearly defines material and information flow within a particular Value Stream process and how those flows would work once that process is transformed into a Lean system.

Crucially, Value Stream Mapping drives action, and enables you to identify the areas of the process you need to improve to make your Lean system a reality.

Our approach

Ross International provides training in the tools and techniques of Value Stream Mapping. With this knowledge, initial activity is built around gaining a clear understanding of your current process to recognise and record existing conditions, characteristics and performance in order to draw up a Value Stream map of the present situation.

We will then help you define how the Value Stream would work in its future or ideal state. Training in the Lean principles will then enable your people to focus on identifying issues, problems and waste that need to be addressed. We’ll show you how Lean can be applied to improve your process and produce a detailed Value Stream Plan for the future.

How will it help you

Once you have decided to make improvements in your business processes, Value Stream Mapping will show you where to start and how to schedule activity to achieve the greatest benefit.

The Value Stream Plan will define and focus your improvement activity for the coming year, and the objectives of that activity. The emphasis here is on action. You know that all the planning in the world won't sort anything out. There has to be a firm commitment to take the necessary action, and soon.

Typically the plan will define a schedule for Kaizen Blitz/Rapid Improvement Events to achieve significant results quickly, as well as many other smaller scale improvements that can be delivered by your teams in their areas. It is important that all activity is coordinated and reviewed on a regular basis through the Value Stream Plan to ensure it delivers the results for your business.