Design for Operational Excellence: A Breakthrough Strategy for Business Growth

CHAPTER11The Fifth Question: What Causes the Death of Flow?

As mentioned earlier, a value stream is defined as all the activities, both value-added and non-value-added, that are required to bring product from raw material to the customer. One of the most emphasized guidelines in creating a lean value stream is continuous flow, which we will discuss in future chapters. Why is this guideline discussed so much? Because a value stream that flows at the rate of customer demand is a healthy value stream. A value stream that can adapt to changing customer demand is a healthy value stream. Value stream health is derived from flow. In other words, flow ...