Emphasis has be upon minimization of waste activities and movements; and use of information technology.

Hello,

I agree with Sanjay: minimization of waste activities and movements.

I will also add that it depends on your unit of analysis. if it is the 'service' itself, or it it is the client. I would suggest that it is the client, and to this entity, the organization provides services [or better, value added activities]; and the client 'moves' from one service to another.

The matter becomes more complicated when you include the employees and the activities that they have to undergo in order to serve the client.

consider the client as a 'product' of your 'manufacturing' process that provides services. and your end result is/must be, a happy client .

Hope it helps.

Hello,

Check this:

www.cwu.edu/~cattinw/_private/Documents/Value%20Stream%20Mapping-A.ppt

In case of trouble with link, you can find the attached file. Hope it works :)

Hi, check this....just in case....good article

Dear Mr. Popp, 

As you mentioned the challenge is that the client moves in the system. However, this system is kind of a mixed system, in which in some stages, it functions as a self-service system and after that it turns to a two-server system. This issue makes it even harder. 

Hello Arian,

The ppt that Masoud provided has aspects in it from lean [the VSM] that i used in a field project. Also, i use Visio to actually build the VSM [but there are other tools as well].

So, use the client as the unit of analysis. Everything is done on the client. In the self-service part, the client needs to do certain operations [or certain actions are imposed on the client, ex. waiting]. In the 2-server system, you can consider those as 2nd level wastes: you need to make these activities in order to SUPPORT the main activity performed by the system on the client/or that the client has to do in order to achieve the main goal: happy client.

If you want, you can send me an email with more detailed questions or you can state the actual problem here [to get more input].

Kind regards,

Alex

You may be able to gain leverage by mapping services to your clients as a manufacturing job shop.  In the job shop model, the client is served by servers and consumes resources until service is complete and they exit the system.  

ENJOY!

Bob

Value stream mapping for service companies are similar to the ones related to manufacturing enterprises. 

The application of Lean Six Sigma tools in services environments allows the elimination of non-value added tasks, reducing the deadlines for delivery of the services, without impacting in the service quality offered within a non stressful working conditions. Some of the tasks of low or non-value added are the following: 1) movement of people in search of something inside or outside of the facilities. 2) transport of materials 3) waste of time or lack of synchronization of activities 4) excess or lacks of stocks 5) processes loaded with non-value added activities 6) lack of capactity to provide improvements

Those rules are applicable to most of service companies, so VSP should be done within the company team exploring such areas

Regards, Luis

Hi,

at my Research group, we utilize the VSM approach in administration as well as innovation processes, which is comparable to the service industry. Stock is represented by jobs/ideas/etc., VSM-approach and process management tools are utilized together. The names for it are "Lean Admin" and "Lean TIM"  I can give you a contacts if interested.

Regards,

Alex

There are many books that cover lean in healthcare now.

One that covers VSM is 'Perfecting Patient Journeys'

http://www.lean.org/ppj

Regards

Sunil

Arian,

You need to know the following five steps first:-

1- Mapping starts with customer requirements

2- Draw the basic production processes

3- Inventories

4- Supplier

5- Information Flow

I recommend:

Beau Keyte & Drew Locher: "The Complete Lean enterprise" PP 2004

Bodo Wiegand & Katja Nutz: "Lean Administration I & II", LMI 2008

Given that one uses VSM for the right purpose, there is no reason not to use VSM in admin/service environments, provided that one is in Bicheno's "transactional type" quadrant of repeatability of processes vs. customer involvement (Bicheno, "The Service Systems Toolbox", PICSIE 2008

For other quadrants, different mapping methodologies are better.

For the specific case of mapping business processes and / or services I suggest:

BPI (business process improvement) or Four Field Maps metodology

I would map it just like in manufacturing except that the services being delivered covers part of the lower portion such that at the end, there is no more trucking and delivery.

For example, getting a haircut: on the upper right is the customer at the reception desk. On the upper portion of the map is the dispatch order. On the left side of the map is the logistics - preparing materials, tools supplies and chair, On the lower part, the customer sits on the chair and the barber snips away (the service process). At the end of the bottom flow, the service is delivered and validated by the customer. The lower right of the map, the delivery is for finished goods delivery which is not applicable.

Hello everyone,

Could someone help me please?

I have to draw VSMs for 6 different departments of a logistics provider. The departments are: customer service, cartage, groupage, lot, quai, administration. I am starting with the customer service department. I have been researching a lot and I always find examples of VSM for manufacturing but nothing concrete for services therefore I am stuck and can't build the VSM. In the customer service department, the main problems are the fact that there isn't an integrated information system so they often can't inform their customers about why their items weren't shipped as they have to ask the depot, another problem is that employees have to be there before 10am in order to send reports to all their customers.

The company works in B2B with its clients (retailers) which they deliver packages for. They take care of the carrier, warehousing etc.

Their objective by having me drawing these VSMs is to identify the problems in each department in order to engage in continuous improvement projects.

Please let me know if you need any extensive information and thank you so much in advance!

Yeah, Marie, I shall surely like to help.

This will be totally complimentary.

Of course, you shall have to provide me with details of your process.

Since you are trying to make 6 VSM's, I suggest first you make a composite VSM of all sections if they are working in sequence.

You can let me know.

Team,

Mostly facing the same issue when I am researching VSM for Shipping / Freight Industry, Not much out there ( Or I did not found). WIll be glad to receive inputs

Many Thanks