Value Stream Mapping Essay

Introduction to Value Stream Mapping One of the most important concepts of lean manufacturing is value stream mapping, (VSM). As the name implies, VSM involves tracking the value added to a product or process, and results in a value stream map. What is unique to value stream maps or the process of mapping value is how it is defined “by the customer, and it is extremely important to have a clear understanding of what that is” (Khurum, Petersen, & Gorschek, 2014, p. 1076). In essence, value stream maps are visual tools intended to help to transfer knowledge in a consistent and readable format, and is a process that is similar to process mapping and/or flow charting (White & Cicmil, 2016). As a critical part of lean, value stream mapping is a map that begins with the supplier and ends at shipment to the customer used to identify bottlenecks that impede a continuous flow, and to highlight areas where there are wastes in the overall process (Khurum, Petersen, & Gorschek, 2014, p. 1076). The other important point to note about value stream maps is that the focus is on the steps that add value to the product/process and this is accomplished by determining and separating the processes that add value or conversely are non-value-add. VSM uses …show more content…
The company noted that VSM can be limited in value “since it is a static image of value stream” (Andrade, Pereira, & Del Conte, 2016, p. 547) and like the software VSM examples this company also applied computer simulations to overcome said obstacle. The goal was to “reduce time between placement of order by customer and the time of delivery of the product” (p.547) and VSM helped the team members to identify one bottleneck and exaggerated stock levels in-between processes as the main sources of waste; thus improving the process