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Why
Draw Pictures?
A
factory is enormously complex. Only
visuals convey enough information to understand the
pieces, relationships, hidden waste and time-domain behavior.
Visualization
brings a deep understanding and major
breakthroughs in productivity and other performance.
It leads to consensus on
systemic problems and remedies. While
finished charts communicate information about a situation, the
real value is the mapping itself. This
is where insights grow, paradigms shift and consensus builds.
Value
Stream and Process Maps
take different perspectives, but, the work they visualize is the
same. Both have a place
Value
Stream Maps
These
show major process steps and often take a broader and wider
view. They may group a wide variety of products into
a single "value stream." Here is an example:
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 Process
Maps
These
charts trace the sequence of events for a single product. While
they can be done at any level, the most useful charts are quite
detailed. This is important because most
waste is at a micro- level.
Frank
Gilbreth's symbology, which we prefer, is simple and visual.
One does not need the Rosetta Stone to decipher hieroglyphics. It
dramatically displays waste. In this example, all
but the green circles are waste.
Process
mapping is a great tool for Kaizen
events. Their simplicity makes them ideal when
training time is limited.
Which
To Use?
The
short answer is both:
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The
Strategos
Guide To
