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05/01/2009 12:46 PM
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Does anyone know if there are any good VSM training materials for transactional processes (ie, non-manufacturing processes)? Since VSM was born out of manufacturing, I've found it doesn't quite fit transactional processes such as planning, forecasting, etc. Typically I use cross functional process flows in these instances.
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05/01/2009 02:50 PM
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First, there is nothing dogmatic "must use" for ANY particular tool. The point of the initial process mapping is so that you gain a much deeper understanding of what is going on. If you look at the process of mapping a value stream, it is asking some fundamental questions that are applicable for any process:
Who, exactly, is the customer?
What, exactly, does the customer need? What is a defect-free outcome of the process from the customer's point of view?
How do the Team Members know what to do?
How do they know when to do it? (What triggers the process?)
How well does the process perform?
Is it safe? (Physically, Psychologically, Professionally)
Does it produce a defect-free product?
If not, how often are defects produced?
How long does it take, from request from the customer, to fulfillment?
What resources are consumed or held by the process? (Time, inventory, capital, etc)
These same questions are (or should be) asked for each and every step in the process, depending on the granularity of your purpose.
John Shook wrote a piece (I am pretty sure you can find it on here somewhere) about using the VSM in administrative processes, but my suggestion is to study the VSM, understand its *purpose*, understand what it tells you about a process, then if you find that the VSM is difficult to use in your particular situation, then use something else instead. Just DON'T compromise the understanding you gain in the name of "it is too hard."
Most transactional processes, by the way, are fairly straight forward "PUSH" flows, with Team Members having to go fetch "parts" (do research to find information they should have received); and having awkward work flows (bad layouts of computer screens, etc) and each stage totally disconnected in space and time from the previous and next. They are fairly similar to a "batch and queue" manufacturing work flow, and the same tools can be used to untangle them.
What makes it difficult is that in even bad manufacturing processes, people generally have a much better idea of their customer, their supplier, how things are supposed to flow in general, than their administrative counterparts. Admin tends to be much more ad-hoc and undocumented. This can make ANY analysis tool difficult to use, and the first step might be to understand the customer, the defect-free outcome, the desired timing, and decide the minimum process steps actually required to fulfill the customer's needs. Put those into place, try it, then discover everything else that happens that keeps the idea process from running.
Those are the things to then go and fix or address, and each time you are improving your understanding of the real world. Try to run the idea, and see what real world things stop you.
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05/01/2009 02:50 PM
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Hi John -
While it is true that VSM, like many of the Lean tools, was born out of manufacturing, it still can be adapted to the office environment. You will just have more data transfer activity on the map as opposed to parts, transportation, and the like.
I am currently in the middle of a VSM activity with our 737 Data Management Visibility team, mapping current state, and it is going quite well. Once you get your systems activity across the top of the map, feeding the processes across the middle, you're on your way. You will catch the process loops, errors (defects), waiting, etc. Then, it's off to the future state.
Ken
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05/04/2009 09:09 AM
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John,
There is an expanded version of VSM that uses multiple "swim lanes" to account for customers, suppliers, and / or different organizational functions / groups. Most everything else is the same. Visually this helps individual groups to understand what they specifically need to do and highlights cross-group handoffs. It also helps clarify multiple input & output processes.
Does this sound like what you are looking for?
Brent
www.strategysciencinc.com
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05/04/2009 09:09 AM
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It is easy to transform the VSM to "look" like the 2-dimensional cross-functional flow map. Instead of listing each department (or person) in a data box, make that a column in your chart. And make the rows the step # (or any other relevant info concernign resources). Now, map the VSM chronologically listing the process steps in it from top to bottom. Both maps are helpful coz, in the cross-functional rendition of the VSM, you would place each data box under the appropriate column.
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05/04/2009 09:10 AM
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sorry John I find the VSM material out there great for non-manu. What I do find is a poor mind set in non manu people when you deliver material to them as manu. Hence I normally find out what everyone likes (in the UK it is football) and then introduce the material from a football basis. Luckily there was a football manager who used lean so its an easy sell. Just don't let people think about "dark satanic mills" or the equivelent in your country
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05/05/2009 09:24 AM
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MAPPING TRANSACTIONAL PROCESSES
Its a great point you make, and it can have as many answers as there are opinions in this forum.
We do this alot, and use BPMN (business process mapping notation) along with active metrics and referance objects.
You can see a video we did to explain this HERE
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05/18/2009 09:08 AM
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'Mapping to See: A Value Stream Improvement Kit for the Office and Services' is very good training material with case studies, symbols & metrics more appropriate for transactional processes.
I successfully used it in a variety of settings including: publishing, customer service, outsourcing and contract manufacturing.
One point which is never really covered: you have to think more carefully in identifying what exactly you are mapping. Its usually more obvious with a physical product. In transactional environments its often information which will manifest itself in different ways: e.g. RFQs, Spec sheets and even samples and physical products.
Either way, the principles and types of problems are fundamentally the same - though many people tend to agree that there is so much more waste in admin processes - maybe because it is less visible, standards are lower, and there has been less exposure to lean.
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05/22/2009 02:33 PM
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A process is defined as a set of activities linked together with some type of dependencies ending with an output (deliverables). Multiple inputs can enter the process at different points (activities or operations). So it does not matter if the output is a manufactured product or a completed transaction such as a "One Number Forecast" or "Financial Plan" or "Operational Plan".
The primary difference between manufacturing and non-manufacturing processes is the "Flow Unit" - this is the base unit that flows through the value stream as the value is being added to it. In manufacturing, the flow unit is inventory. In transactional process it may be a document, report (paper or virtual) etc. In some service businesses, the flow unit is the Customer.
The key in VSM is understanding (as stated by Mark) what the ultimate customer values. The tools you use to map a process are just that - TOOLS. The primary goal of VSM is to visually represent the various activities and their linkages to each other. The team members (proces owners) will then identify what is value-add and what is non-value-add.
Hope this adds value to this discussion forum!!
Kishor Muzumdar
muzumdar@sbcglobal.net
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05/07/2012 11:08 AM
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Bring the concept of APDC - Adjust your current trend of problem statement then Plan- work on normal ishikawa diagram, continue with PFMEA or simple priority matrix with scoring and weightage of the items to work on as first to prevent multiple actiona and no results. finally use target sheet identify metrics which want s to meet up on the pipeline of projects.
Furthermore, what you work on use 5why analysis by puch yourself ask why 5 time before identify the last and final reason of problems.
Your have several people work on the group? then get all to identify different solution or method to resolve the issues. gor for 7 ways and metrics. identify one, set standard work and further trial the improvment with measurement by target sheet untill the define period to make the process improvment success and SUSTAIN.
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