Craig Mercer's thoughts on the nature of variation and "crossing the streams" of Project Management with Benefits Realization Management, Organizational Change Management and Process Improvement (Lean Design).
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) originally came from the Toyota Production System (TPS) where it is known as “material and information flow mapping” and is the defacto current state mapping method for lean design (product and service based).
When to use it?
Use VSM for process mapping that is low variability AND high volume. In my experience it is the high volume that is the more important of the two. If you have low variability in a process but the volume is quite low the value from doing a VSM and Kaizen event is greatly diminished.
Jun 11 2012
Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) originally came from the Toyota Production System (TPS) where it is known as “material and information flow mapping” and is the defacto current state mapping method for lean design (product and service based).
When to use it?
Use VSM for process mapping that is low variability AND high volume. In my experience it is the high volume that is the more important of the two. If you have low variability in a process but the volume is quite low the value from doing a VSM and Kaizen event is greatly diminished.
When NOT to use it?
Value Stream Mapping – Current State
By Craig "hachiroku" Mercer • Process Improvement (Micro), Tool Box •