Value Stream Mapping is a tool used within the Lean methodology where a particular business process is analyzed from start to finish, with the goal of (a) understanding all the steps in the process and (b) establishing which of those steps actually create value for the customer.
Einstein is often paraphrased as saying “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler”, and that’s our goal here. If we can understand all the steps in an important business process (e.g. your customer provisioning process) and then simplify that process then we’ll often get a triple win. The simplified process will often be
- faster in elapsed time (leading to greater customer satisfaction)
- cheaper in terms of resources
- higher quality (as there are fewer opportunities for error).
Value stream mapping can’t be done solely by an external consultant – it requires involvement from all internal parties involved in the process. In this service I’ll guide a team through the process of (a) mapping out the existing process, (b) identifying which steps create value and which can be eliminated as a form of waste, and (c) creating an action plan to change the process going forwards.
This process works best as part of an on-site trip.