Value Stream Mapping is used to illustrate the flow and relationship between work processes. A key component of VSM is differentiating value adding activities from non-value adding activities.
Reducing or eliminating non-value adding activities is of paramount importance and a principle goal of Lean Manufacturing. Upon careful and detailed examination of your processes through VSM, it soon becomes obvious where improvement opportunities lie.
Implementation: Utilizing the skills and experience of your area employees and operators is essential. We engage in a powerful discovery process that exposes hidden non-value adding activities. Once these items are known, the stage is set for significant progress toward eliminating them. Going through the Value Stream Mapping process may be quick and relatively easy for simple operations, or it may take much more time with considerable difficulty when examining complex operations.
Summary: Mapping your processes and where value and non-value adding activities occur will yield a baseline of information from which tremendous improvement opportunities can be realized.