Value Stream Maps

A value stream map (VSM) is made up of 3 distinct parts:

1. Process map: is comprised of the steps and the information associated with the steps (Flow of the Work-In-Process) of your process.
2. Corresponding Timeline: shows cycle times and differentiate between value-added (VA) cycle times, non-value-added (NVA), and Required Waste (RW) cycles times, including Queue Time (Time between steps)
3. Information flow. explains the interaction and activity between the stations of your value chain.

One software that I found Simple and Easy to use is SmartDraw

Research on Value Stream Management Solutions

Value stream management helps software organizations visualize and optimize the flow of work from idea to delivery. These solutions capture, visualize, and analyze critical indicators of the speed and quality of software development to continuously improve the value delivered to your customers.

Download this complimentary report to learn:

• How visualizing the entire application delivery pipeline helps to maximize and improve value delivered in each step.
• How to find the right value stream management for your business.
• Why Plutora is listed as a Strong Performer in the Forrester New Wave™

Lucidchart has over 1,000 templates to choose from, including value stream maps specifically. Browse their entire template gallery and choose from process maps, swimlane diagrams, and flowcharts to help you get started.

As more industries trend toward virtual and remote working arrangements, some of the traditional approaches to Continuous Improvement are becoming obsolete. It’s impractical to have whiteboard and printed forms set up at “the gemba” to do Value Stream Maps, check-ins, and kata coaching if the work is distributed around the world, much of which being done from home.

This video by CEO Calvin L. Williams at Impruver shares some ideas on adapting the practice of Continuous Improvement for virtual and remote work arrangements.

"What has worked for you to transition to virtual Continuous Improvement?"

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Value-stream mapping, also known as "material- and information flow mapping", is a lean management method for analyzing the current state and designing a future state for the series of events that take a product or service from the beginning of the specific process until it reaches the customer.

What about Value Stream Maps in an Agile Development environment?

With all the features and options, Visual Paradigm can be considered a diagramming giant. The app, like most of its competitors, is available as both web and desktop variants. However, when talking about the latter, it supports Windows, Linux, and Mac platforms.

Learning Visual Paradigm is fairly simple as well due to all the interactive product tours and video tutorials available right on the official website itself.

Ron Pereira at Gemba Academy shares an excellent video on Transactional Value Stream Maps

Let's wrap it up with some tool tips

Purchase the Value Stream Mapping book by Karen Martin and Mike Osterling

Value stream mapping--an essential but underused methodology--is a proven approach to help you visualize and resolve disconnects, redundancies, and gaps in your value delivery system. More than merely a tool to eliminate operational waste, value stream mapping is a highly effective means to transform leadership thinking, define strategy and priorities, and create customer-centric work flow.

Please share a Value Stream Map Tip, Resource, or Example via the comments below

Thanks Steven Bonacorsi, Owner of the Lean Six Sigma Group and International Standard for Lean Six Sigma (ISLSS)