Add Important Data to Your Map

The last step in “Map” is adding the right information to our Value Stream Map so we can reveal problems and improve the process.  This data includes:

1. Rework or defects
2. Additional problems or ideas called out by front-line staff
3. Non-value added steps
4. Process and customer timing

Let’s look at each one in turn, and then an example at the end.

Rework Percentages

Rework can also be known another way as “First Pass Yield” or “First Time Right”.  Basically, this is how many times you need to go back through the previous steps to get additional information or fix a defect, for example a car that needs repainting, or a form that is not filled out correctly and needs more information from the previous department.

If our item goes through correctly 70% of the time, then we have a “First Pass Yield” of 70%.  Or, if you prefer, you can note it as rework, which is one of the wastes we go into in (3.1) and in which case it would be reworked 30% of the time.

Kaizen Bursts

You will notice in our Value Stream Map icons that there is an icon called Kaizen Burst.  A Kaizen Burst icon is a great way to write down additional ideas or problems called out by our front-line team-mates.

We can then delve deeper into these additional problems and solutions when we move into root cause analysis (3.3) and brainstorming solutions.

 Figure 10: Examples of using Kaizen Bursts to call out opportunities for improvement.  Note that we number opportunities to correspond with the process step they relate to.

Value Add / Non Value Add Steps

If the process task improves the product, or the experience of the customer and it is something our customer is willing to pay for, we consider it Value Add (VA).  Almost everything else is Non-Value Add (NVA) or waste that we can seek to reduce.

We can also note NVAR or “Non-Value Add Required” steps, that might include things like regulatory approvals or audits that don’t add value but are necessary to perform.

Timing our Processes

We can display these value add (VA) and non-value add (NVA) steps with a process timing band.  In a Value Stream Map, the timings for our NVA steps stand out on the peaks, and the timings for the VA steps stay in the valleys underneath our map, shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11: An example of Value Add (process boxes) and Non-Value Add (queues) in a process map, shown by the timing band underneath each process.  Value Add steps are shown in the valleys, while Non-Value Add steps stand out on the peaks.

When gathering the timings for our process it is a good idea to time a process at least 10 times, then use the “lowest repeatable time” as the standard – the lowest time that appears three times or more.  You may need to time more for fast processes and slightly less for slow processes, but 10 is often a good place to start.

There are also three main types of timings that we need to reveal:

1. Cycle Time, which is the time of a single process. This is noted underneath the process step.
2. Lead Time, which is the total time to create and deliver a product or service. This can be noted at the end.
3. Takt Time, which is the rate of items required as determined by the customer, for each shift.

To get our Takt time, we take the average items sold (or serviced) and divide it by the hours worked.  For example if Lisa’s customers called through 40 times a day (per operator) and she worked eight hours (480 minutes), her customer demand would be one every 12 minutes (480 minutes, divided by 40 calls = 12 minutes a call).

Of course, all of these timings relate to “Delivery” in our Customer Driven Metrics (1.2).  Now that we have all this information, let’s add it to our Value Stream Map and see what it looks like:

Figure 12:  A Value Stream Map of our Shoe Emporium process, now with rework, process timing separated into Value Add and Non-Value Add as well as the other common icons.  The Takt time can be added separately.

Figure 13:  A Swim Lane Flow Chart of our Shoe Emporium process.  Although it is uncommon for a map like this, the important NVA times (the top times) and VA times (the bottom times) are also noted, with the totals on the right. 

So well done!  There is a lot to take in in this chapter, but you did it.

On your journey you will notice that different people and organisations might lay out their maps slightly differently.  As long as there is an agreed standard within your company, then including the information listed in this chapter at a minimum will give you enough insight to start making improvements.

If you are doing all of this for the first time, it can be a truly eye-opening experience.  There might have been something that annoyed you in your job or business that you just couldn’t put your finger on – but when you map it all out you can actually see it.  You can see where the hold ups are, the rework, bottlenecks in the process and more.  It’s amazing, and it can really improve your work and your life.

Selected chapters from the story within Five minute Lean:

• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Makes a Change
• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Discovers a New Way
• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Performs a Balancing Act
• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Pulls the Trigger
• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Sets a New Standard
• Lean Parable – Where Lisa Becomes a Leader

Check out these selected chapters from the teachings within Five Minute Lean:

• Five Minute Lean – Put it Together With Design for Ease of Use
• Five Minute Lean – Help Your Process Flow with Line Balancing
• Five Minute Lean – Implement With Agile for Fast Iterations and Feedback
• Five Minute Lean: Glossary
• Five Minute Lean – Go to the Gemba
• Five Minute Lean – The Power of Incentives – What is Measured and Rewarded Improves
• Five Minute Lean – Eliminate the Eight Wastes to Improve Flow
• Five Minute Lean – Create a Future State Value Stream Map
• Five Minute Lean Summary
• Five Minute Lean – Add Important Data to Your Map
• Five Minute Lean – Organise Your Process with Five S
• Five Minute Lean – Use Kaizen and Kaizen Events to Help Stakeholder Buy-In
• Five Minute Lean – Gather Direct Feedback and Indirect Feedback
• Five Minute Lean – Solve the Real Cause of the Problem
• Five Minute Lean – Heijunka: Level the Workload when Demand Fluctuates
• Five Minute Lean – Create a Pull System with FIFO, Kanban Triggers and Visual Management
• Five Minute Lean – Map the Value Stream to Reveal Opportunities
• Five Minute Lean – Build in Quality with Error-Proofing and Autonomation
• Five Minute Lean – Work Towards One-Piece-Flow (and Reducing Silos or Batching)
• Five Minute Lean – Collect and Measure Feedback With the Net Promoter Score