Table Of Contents hide 1 Though value stream mapping (VSM) began in the manufacturing sector, it’s since expanded to general business processes. 2 What is value stream mapping? 3 When do you need a value stream mapping workshop? 4 Work with a value stream consultant to develop a workshop. 5 Contact Incito Consulting Group 6 Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation. Though value stream mapping (VSM) began in the manufacturing sector, it’s since expanded to general business processes. It can impact every aspect of your information flow and software development, help you spot defects and bottlenecks, and strive for continuous improvement. In fact, almost all of your team members can benefit from a comprehensive value stream workshop. A VSM workshop covers the essentials of value stream mapping, its applications, and how to develop a future state map to enhance your workflow and make your knowledge work for you. As a lean manufacturing concept that’s continued to grow, here’s what you need to know about VSM workshops. What is value stream mapping? Before you define VSM as a concept, it’s important to understand what a value stream is. At its core, a value stream is a sequence of activities or functions that your business conducts to address customer requests. These customer needs may be internal or external to your brand and impact the flow of material in different ways. Your value stream can include your assembly line, DevOps, and your supply chain. Using VSM and value stream management makes it easier to control business outcomes when you follow each process step. This benefits both your team members and stakeholders. When you take that a step further to include value stream mapping, you’re able to look at the flow of materials, your information flow, and the current state of your cycle time. VSM workshops further refine how you identify the flow of value within your brand and allow for more significant team member input into handoff processes, value stream management, and eliminating different types of waste. When do you need a value stream mapping workshop? Does your business regularly face overproduction errors? Do you miss critical steps in the production process or manufacturing process? Do you struggle with value delivery? If you answered yes to any of these questions or regularly experienced raw material waste, you may suffer from low lean movement. Lean practitioners know how to achieve more favorable business outcomes, where value stream mapping workshops can help. A value stream mapping workshop is often broken down into several key components. These include value stream mapping exercise sets, product delivery strategies, and a current state map review. By reviewing your current state, you’re able to make necessary adjustments to your deliverables and develop a future state value stream map. On top of that, a VSM workshop deployment of your current state value stream map also helps you formulate strategies and metrics to help you achieve your ideal future state. Whether that future state map impacts your DevOps, supply chain, output, or even a specific product family is up to you and your team members. As long as you can identify your value stream, you can put it to work more effectively. Work with a value stream consultant to develop a workshop. While it’s possible to develop your own current state value stream map and craft a workshop, it’s not as easy as it might sound. In some cases, it may even be counterproductive to your lead time and other metrics. As a result, it’s a good idea to work with a supplier or vendor that has VSM workshop experience. VSM consulting and workshops provide you with the foundational tools and the metrics to track them. You can better address customer needs, improve lead times, and ensure software development doesn’t occur in a limited silo with your handoff as the only touchpoint. Though value stream mapping has its basis in the manufacturing industry, its expansion means that almost any organization can benefit from these lean concepts and strategies. Contact Incito Consulting Group Learn more about Value Stream workshops and training courses when you contact us at 866-697-LEAN or send us a message online. You may want to take advantage of our Lean Six Sigma Consulting services or value stream mapping workshop, which will help you get the most out of all your processes. Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation. About how Incito can help transform your business and tackle your most important strategic challenges.
