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Value stream mapping

A Value Stream Map (VSM) diagrams every step needed to bring a product from order to delivery — including the material and information flows — so you can identify and eliminate waste in continuous improvement.

Prerequisites​

  • A Designer or Architect license (or equivalent user extension) to create and edit VSM diagrams.

Steps​

Create a VSM diagram​

  1. In a web-diagram folder or the repository root, click Add Object.
  2. Set Select type to Diagram.
  3. Make sure the Diagram View tile is selected.
  4. Set the Template dropdown to Value Stream Map.
  5. Enter a name, fill in any other required fields, and click Finish.

Change an existing diagram to VSM​

Select File → Diagram Type → Value Stream Map. If the diagram has no diagram-defined custom properties, the default VSM ones are created automatically, and the timeline is enabled (unless it was previously disabled).

Add VSM data​

Select a shape, open the Custom Properties panel, and enter values for the appropriate properties (for example, 30 seconds of Processing Time on a process shape).

A property only appears on the timeline if it's a diagram-defined custom property with the appropriate Lean type set. Repository-level custom properties don't support Lean types.

What a new VSM diagram starts with​

  • A predefined set of VSM diagram-defined custom properties: Availability, Changeover Time, Defect, Inventory Time, Non-value Add Time, Operators, Percent Complete And Accurate, Pieces, Processing Time, Uptime, and Value Add Time.
  • The VSM All shape library selected.
  • The timeline and the Metrics panel enabled (the Metrics panel lists all predefined properties).
  • A built-in template (no template diagram is added to the repository).

Diagramming properties​

The Diagramming panel configures the selected shape or the timeline.

  • Shape — set shape visibility on the timeline (Show as ActivityActivity A named step in a process (e.g. "Approve Invoice"). Each event in an event log records one activity occurrence for one case., Show as Inventory, or Do not show on timeline), and per-shape timeline overrides for Processing Time and Value Added Time (off by default; default unit seconds, 2 decimal places).
  • Diagram — Timeline Setup controls available work time, customer demand (default 100 pieces per month), and takt time (default 5760 seconds per piece). Timeline properties control which properties show on the timeline and summary box (up to two on the timeline): Processing Time and Value Added Time (on the timeline and summary box by default), and Value Added Ratio and Throughput Yield (summary box by default).

"Auto" units​

At both the diagram and shape level, the Processing Time and Total Value Add Time unit selectors offer an auto option alongside the fixed range (milliseconds through years). Auto picks the largest unit that keeps the value above 1, so it reads comfortably.

Shape libraries and defaults​

VSM has four libraries: VSM All, VSM General Icons, VSM Information Flow, and VSM Material Flow.

By default, Process, Process with Operator, and Outside Sources shapes Show as ActivityActivity A named step in a process (e.g. "Approve Invoice"). Each event in an event log records one activity occurrence for one case.; Inventory, Inventory 2, Supermarket, Single Supermarket, Buffer, and Single Buffer shapes Show as Inventory. The data box for VSM shapes is replaced by the Metrics panel.

Timeline​

What appears on the timeline is set by the Diagramming properties (above). The timeline adjusts automatically and can't be adjusted by hand. Valleys appear where a shape above the timeline is set to show as an activityActivity A named step in a process (e.g. "Approve Invoice"). Each event in an event log records one activity occurrence for one case.; inventories appear below where they don't overlap an activityActivity A named step in a process (e.g. "Approve Invoice"). Each event in an event log records one activity occurrence for one case.. Overlapping shapes of the same type aren't drawn repeatedly — the shape with the greater values is used if it has a processing time, otherwise the first shape found for that location.

A VSM timeline below a row of process shapes and inventory triangles: each step's Processing Time and Value Added Time, ending in the summary box with Total Processing Time, Total Value Add Time, and Rolled Throughput Yield.

If values you entered don't appear on the timeline, confirm the property has the right Lean type — see VSM glossary of terms for the definitions and calculations.

Simulation​

VSM diagrams created in 19.16.0 or later support simulation; copying older diagram contents doesn't work — recreate the shapes from the current libraries. Simulation treats these as shapes: process, facility, information, control, warehouse, cross-dock, supermarket, buffer, safety, kanban, fifo, and load leveling.

Limitations​

VSM doesn't currently support Reporting or Narrative; repository-level custom properties on the timeline; line color, dash, or width changes on VSM shapes; or importing VSM diagram properties from IGX files.