Value Stream Mapping in a Lean Transformation

We spend a lot of time visiting organisations and looking at work at the workplace. We’ve visited two workplaces recently that led us to conduct some reflection around how well organisations know and do the basics in a Lean transformation.

The first firm was early into their Lean journey. They had diligently been applying Lean tools – and had adopted some good processes and early successes with daily team meetings, structured problem solving and team working methods. The second firm has been doing Lean for several years. It has a team of specialists that drive implementation in multiple locations, has branched out beyond operations into their support processes and thought they had a clear view of where they want to get to.

Interestingly, both firms were struggling with similar issues (at different ends of the experience spectrum.) The beginners hadn’t defined the key processes that deliver value to the customer – apparently this was too difficult for them to do as their business is so complex that the concept of a value stream doesn’t apply to them. Interesting! The specialists had mapped close to one hundred value streams in their organisation but had never created a future state – instead using their mapping activities to get the low hanging fruit. In addition, they had done little to engage the teams actually doing the work in front-line problem solving that would have tangible benefits on value stream performance. Both had huge opportunities to learn the value stream mapping process properly – defining what value is for their customers, what steps in their process create value and which just add cost and time and how value stream design can help organisations create more value for customers.

So, if the stories of these two firms and the questions below resonate, you will be interested in the two-day workshop we’ve developed in which you will be able to learn, un-learn or re-learn about the fundamentals of value stream mapping.

Do your organisations have problems:

  • Understanding and agreeing what your value streams are?
  • Deciding how to get going and organising the mapping of your value streams?
  • Designing future state value streams even though you are confident to draw current states?
  • Managing the value stream as it crosses functional silos and across companies and want to know potential ways to resolve these issues?
  • Assessing the benefits of value stream redesign?
  • Understanding links between your business problems and the way your value streams operate?

Details of the workshop:

Value Stream Mapping (Learning to See) – 2 Days

Date: Thursday 17th & Friday 18th March 2016

Location: The Old Vicarage, Ross on Wye, HR9 6JE, UK

Facilitators: Dave Brunt