Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a lean-management method used to analyze the current state and design a future state for the series of events that take a product or service from the beginning to the end. It is a workplace efficiency tool designed to combine material processing steps with information flow, along with other important related data. VSM is a fundamental tool to identify waste, reduce process cycle times, and implement process improvement. The process of creating a value stream map takes all the necessary people, processes, information, and inventory, and displays them in a flowchart format. VSM is an essential lean tool for an organization wanting to plan, implement, and improve while on its lean journey.
VSM analyzes both material (artifact) and information flow. It is used in the context of software process improvement in industrial settings, such as analyzing software artifacts like requirements, use case, change request, or defect report through the development process. VSM is also used to analyze information flows in the development process.
Value stream mapping is a technique developed from Lean manufacturing that organizations use to create a visual guide of all the elements that go into creating a product or service, with the goal of analyzing and optimizing the entire process. Unlike process maps or flowcharts that show only the steps involved in the process, a VSM shows significantly more information and uses a very different, more linear format. The VSM enables the team and leadership to see where the actual value is being added in the process, allowing them to improve on the overall efficiency associated with the delivery of a software product or feature request, not just the number of steps.
In summary, VSM is a lean-management method used to analyze and optimize the entire process of creating a product or service. It is a fundamental tool to identify waste, reduce process cycle times, and implement process improvement. VSM is an essential lean tool for an organization wanting to plan, implement, and improve while on its lean journey.
