What is Value Stream Map Software? The Usefulness and Complexity of This Small Application

Using a value stream map takes a considerable amount of time to learn. It isn't something that can easily be picked up overnight, or in a single book. So, how do you get a handle on what you're doing?

The answer lies in practical application. Just start with a simple flow chart. You can either add to someone else's chart, or if you happen to have a computer with either OpenOffice or Vista on it, you can even create your own. (Vista comes packaged with an application to create a value stream map, as well.)

If you're going to be using value stream mapping extensively, it's a good idea to either get some formal training or hire someone who does as soon as you have a basic grasp of exactly how the application works and what you're going to need from it regarding your business.

A flow chart works in a very similar manner to a value stream map, just on a simpler level, which is why it's perfect for practicing. It will show you a realistic picture of how the mapping process works. From the beginning contact and purchase, to the actual creation, to the purchase and shipment, you can get a clear outline of the line of production.

When you're prepared to lay out the present plans and future goals for your project, you'll have a handy reference right there to help you out. Pictures and graphs can often help make something clearer than the usual abstract verbal explanation. It's easier to discover where time and money are being wasted or could be better spent elsewhere on a give project, just by glancing at a single flow chart.

A value stream map is more efficient than a flow chart, although you may not have the necessary experience just yet to use mapping software. There are several advantages behind using value stream mapping software, including the ability to change input instantly. If you still use the old-fashioned method of drawing your map out on paper (which, for some reason, many business owners still choose to do) and later decide to change it even a little, it takes a great deal of erasing and remarking; then you're left with something that looks messy and unprofessional. Using a stream map would be a clear advantage in this situation.

There are other advantages to using such software, as well. Value stream maps let you share documents easily with others in your department, and publish the document online to share with those in other companies. A dialog box will assist you with any calculations, and you'll find it much simpler to file your map electronically rather than spread it on a wall somewhere.

It's a proven fact that people learn more effectively with visual aids. Even if they don't understand the complexity of a value stream map, they will appreciate how easy it is to understand the information it conveys.