How do you prioritize and implement improvement actions based on your value stream mapping results?

1 Define your improvement objectives

Before you start making changes, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Your improvement objectives should be aligned with your strategic goals, customer needs, and stakeholder expectations. They should also be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, you might want to reduce the lead time, increase the throughput, or improve the quality of your products or services.

2 Identify and prioritize improvement opportunities

Using your current state VSM, you can identify the gaps between your current and desired performance, and the root causes of those gaps. You can use tools such as Pareto analysis, fishbone diagram, or 5 whys to help you prioritize the improvement opportunities based on their impact, urgency, and feasibility. You can also use a matrix or a scoring system to rank the opportunities according to different criteria, such as cost, benefit, risk, or difficulty.

3 Develop your future state VSM

Once you have selected the improvement opportunities, you can design your future state VSM, which represents how you want your process to operate after implementing the changes. Your future state VSM should reflect the elimination or reduction of waste, the optimization of flow, and the enhancement of value. You can use lean principles and techniques, such as pull system, kanban, kaizen, or 5S, to help you create your future state VSM.

4 Create an action plan

To turn your future state VSM into reality, you need to create an action plan that specifies the tasks, responsibilities, resources, and timelines for each improvement action. You can use tools such as Gantt chart, PDCA cycle, or A3 report to help you plan, execute, monitor, and evaluate your improvement actions. You should also communicate your action plan to your team and stakeholders, and get their feedback and buy-in.

5 Implement and sustain the changes

The final step is to implement the changes according to your action plan, and monitor the results and impacts on your process performance and customer satisfaction. You should use data and metrics to track your progress and outcomes, and compare them with your baseline and objectives. You should also identify and address any issues or risks that arise during the implementation, and make adjustments as needed. To sustain the changes, you should document and standardize the new processes, train and empower your staff, and celebrate and reward your achievements.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?