Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains, 12th Edition

Value Stream Mapping

Value stream mapping (VSM) is a widely used qualitative lean tool aimed at eliminating waste or muda. Waste in many processes, also referred to as value streams, can be as high as 99 percent. Value stream mapping is helpful because it creates a visual representation of every process involved in the flow of materials and information in a product’s value stream, which can be used to identify the lean tools that are needed to reduce waste. These maps consist of a current state drawing, a future state drawing, and an implementation plan. Value stream mapping spans the supply chain from the firm’s receipt of raw materials or components to the delivery of the finished good to the customer. Thus, it tends to be broader in scope, ...