Material and Information Flow Mapping (材料と情報フローマッピング ) – Value Stream Map (VSM)

The VSM is one of the most powerful tools at Lean Manufacturing; and everybody should understand and execute with excellence, before creates any Lean Manufacturing Deployment plan.

That’s why, I wrote this article, I hope it be of help for you.

Value Stream Map (VSM)…Short History

•       Originated in Toyota referred…to as “Material and Information Flow Mapping”

•        Used by Toyota to show both current and future states (6-9 months in future) as part of the lean deployment process

•        Concept Introduced in “Lean Thinking”

•        Further developed by the Lean Enterprise Institute in “Learning to See”

Value Stream Defined

•       Time series of all activities & steps (both value add and non-value add) required to bring a product, service or capability to the customer

•       Value Streams cut across functional Boundaries

•       GE Focus…3 Main Value Streams

•       ITO – Inquiry to Order

•       NPI – New Product Introduction

Most Value Streams have 2-5% Value Add Time

What is a Value Stream Map for ?

•       Identify how Value Flows to the Customer

•        Define Relationships among key Process Points

•        Tool to Document the current State Process

•        Basis for Developing 6-9 month Future State

•        Helps us Understand and Improve big Business Processes…ITO, NPI, OTR 

Tool to Identify Opportunities for Improvement

What do We Get From a VSM ?

•       A Common Understanding of the Current State

•       Understand ratio of Lead Time (Cycle Time) to Processing Time

•       Visualize and understand flow…or lack of it

•       Makes Areas of Waste Visible

•       Forms the foundation for Lean deployment

Creating a Value Stream Map

Value Stream Map Icons

To ensure standardization, we adhere some the icons examples…a brief description of each Icon will aid you in choosing the correct one.

VSM Icon Use & Nomenclature

VSM by “hand” first…

Then Digitze Map…

Helpful Hints

•       Use Actual, Observed Data

•        Begin at Customer & Map in Reverse Flow

•        Walk the Entire Process first before Recording  Data

•       VSM Should be Created by a Cross Functional team

•       Use a Standard Unit of Time

•       Think in terms of Relevancy…not Pinpoint Accuracy

Creating a VSM Should Take 6-36 Hours; Depending on Your Value Steam

VSM  Examples