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The
Newsletter of Lean Manufacturing & Factory Science
03
March
2004
Process
and Value Stream Mapping
Maps,
in various forms, visualize a complex process. They help us understand
shortcomings and often bizarre behavior.
By
now, almost everyone has heard about Value Stream
Mapping, a valuable tool for Lean Manufacturing. Process
Mapping (or charting) is an older, far more useful technique
that is all but forgotten in the VSM hoopla. Process Mapping was invented
about 1913 by Frank
Gilbreth, an early Industrial Engineer and the father of "Cheaper
By The Dozen."
Gilbreth's
system is simple, visual and intuitive.
With an experienced facilitator, teams do not
need training. Yet the technique gives deep
insight and brings order of magnitude improvements. Process
maps are indispensable for workcell design, plant
layout, kanban and other process
improvements. They are especially valuable with teams.
So,
why has this basic tool been so forgotten and neglected? I
suspect there are several reasons:
-
Its
simplicity belies its value -
While
the map is simple, construction, interpretation and usage is subtle. -
There
has never been good documentation. As a result, many process maps are
not done well. -
It
has not had the advantage of a talented wordsmith and slick publicity.
We
have a large new series of web pages that detail
the construction and use of Gilbreth's method. They include
examples, procedures, hints and how to's. They
have step-by-step instructions for group
facilitation. I suggest you start at Value
Stream & Process Mapping.
This
has been a major project for me and may be the basis for a short book. I
hope you find it as useful as I have over many years.
Our
next issue looks at Value Stream Maps
and how they complement Process Maps. We will show where and how to use
these powerful, paradigm-shifting tools. See you then.
Quarterman
Lee
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