Value stream mapping consulting to identify and eliminate waste, and improve process outcomes
The most in-depth way to look at the effectiveness of business, manufacturing and distribution processes is through a Value Stream Mapping (VSM) project. VSM provides a clear view of how various business processes are related to each other, assesses the need for those processes, and how efficient they really are. This lean manufacturing technique is used to analyze, design, and manage the flow of materials and information required to bring a product to a customer. Value stream mapping consulting can be used to improve any process where there are repeatable steps with multiple handoffs.
Inefficient handoffs or wait time can lead to low productivity and poor quality. VSM can help identify waste and streamline the production process. The technique can be applied to both the product and the customer delivery flow and deliver on end-user requests and expectations. While providing value stream mapping consulting, a model is created by Group50® consulting firm to show how much time, effort and cost is required for a specific process. It is applicable to small functional processes, manufacturing processes such as building a product and complex horizontal processes such as “order to cash”.
Adding value for the customer
The LOE or Level of Effort to conduct value stream mapping should be balanced with the potential value and savings. It should involve experienced people from the business side and product side, as VSM can root out costly delays in supply chains, which can lead to delays in a finished product. VSM is especially useful to find and eliminate waste, and items are mapped as adding value or not adding value from the customer’s perspective, so the items that do not add value can be eliminated.
With value stream mapping consulting, a business can:
- Realize immediate results.
- Identify causes of waste (Muda), in-efficient process flow (Mura) and misaligned capacities (Muri).
- Get significant insight on lead times and bottlenecks in any business process, supply chain or manufacturing process.
- Identify the shadow systems inside the business which are wasteful and error- prone.
- Identify organizational issues that contribute to process inefficiencies.
- Get insight on how effectively a company’s technology backbone is being used
- Formulate a roadmap that outlines the short-, medium-, and long-term projects that will take the current state to a future state that will deliver a significant ROI.
Group50® has a series of tools it uses during its value stream mapping consulting, including Lean Business and Lean Manufacturing Assessments which are part of its Company Physical®. The consulting firm extensively uses Kaizen techniques and other core Continuous Improvement Tools for implementing short-term projects, planning the mid- and longer-term projects, and transfering the requisite knowledge and tools so that people in the organization can continue without it.
Process maps that people at all levels can touch and feel
The core purpose of value stream mapping consulting is to ferret out waste in any process and produce the most value for the customer in the most efficient way. While VSM has lean methods at its core, it may have team members skilled in carrying out advanced VSM, weeks or even months to carry out some involved mapping projects. If you have a highly complex process, value stream mapping consulting can be used to create a comprehensive view and understanding of the entire process, or it can be focused on a specific segment to address specific objectives. Group50’s unique approach to value stream mapping is its Brown Paper Exercise. The Value Stream Map is generated with process owners and engages them in helping to develop a process map that people at all levels can touch and feel. Group50 has successfully utilized these VSM processes in manufacturing, distribution, big data services companies, customer service and distribution, to name a few.
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