Value Stream Mapping (VSM): One Visual to See It All
- 08/29/2022
- Posted by: Charles.YANG
- Category: Methodology in Action
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If you can’t see your flow, you can’t improve it.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools in the Lean toolkit. Whether you’re dealing with supplier delays, internal bottlenecks, or unclear handoffs—VSM shows you where time hides.
What Exactly Is a VSM?
It’s a visual map that follows a product (or process) from start to finish, showing:
- Process steps (machines, approvals, documents)
- Wait times (queue, setup, downtime)
- Inventory (WIP, finished stock)
- Information flow (POs, schedules, forecasts)
The goal is to highlight non-value-added time and build a better flow.
Common Problems a VSM Reveals
| Symptom | VSM Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| “It takes forever to deliver.” | Long queue before final assembly |
| “Machines are always idle.” | Batch release instead of pull flow |
| “Too much inventory.” | Overproduction or unbalanced upstream |
| “Everyone’s busy, but nothing moves.” | Low first-pass yield & rework loops |
What a Good VSM Includes
- Takt time and customer demand
- Cycle times (CT), Changeover times (C/O)
- Process utilization (U%)
- Lead time vs. Value-added time ratio
- Future state proposal with Kaizen goals
How Eddso Builds Your VSM
With our LS1: Value Stream Improvement module, we:
- Observe your real flow—not just ERP logic
- Build both Current State & Future State maps
- Identify bottlenecks, mismatch, or “ghost processes”
- Use time buckets and inventory positioning to quantify loss
- Deliver a plan that can be acted on within 8 weeks
“Don’t map what’s on paper. Map what’s on the floor.”
— Marco.LOMBARDI
Bonus Tip
We often invite cross-functional teams to build the VSM together.
Why?
Because it creates shared visibility—and shared urgency.
When Procurement sees what QA sees… things change.