“Learning to See” by Mike Rother and John Shook, with a foreword by James Womack, is a foundational book on Value Stream Mapping (VSM) in Lean manufacturing. The book provides a structured approach to understanding and improving the flow of materials and information through a production process.
- Value Stream Mapping (VSM): The core concept of the book, VSM is a visual tool used to analyze and design the flow of materials and information required to bring a product to a customer.
- Current State Mapping: This involves mapping out the existing process to identify waste and inefficiencies.
- Future State Mapping: After understanding the current state, the book guides readers on how to design an improved future state that eliminates waste and enhances flow.
- Takt Time: The rate at which products need to be produced to meet customer demand. It’s calculated by dividing the available production time by the customer demand.
- Flow and Pull Systems: The book emphasizes creating a continuous flow of products and implementing pull systems where production is based on actual demand rather than forecasts.
- Kaizen: Continuous improvement is a key theme, with a focus on small, incremental changes that collectively lead to significant improvements.
- Define Takt Time: Calculate the production rate needed to meet customer demand.
- Identify Bottlenecks: Look for areas where inventory accumulates and determine if one-piece flow can be implemented.
- Implement FIFO Lanes or Supermarkets: Where one-piece flow isn’t possible, use FIFO (First In, First Out) lanes or supermarkets to control inventory.
- Balance Workloads: Ensure that workloads are evenly distributed across processes.
- Implement Pull Systems: Use pull systems to ensure production is based on actual demand.
- Improve Information Flow: Streamline the flow of information to support the production process.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly review and improve the value stream.
