New perspectives for old challenges: implementing the Value Stream Mapping

Dealing with the complexity of day-to-day operations in today’s business environment has become increasingly challenging. Companies, regardless of sector, are facing challenges related to the need for constant growth, increased operational efficiency and resource management. Traditionally, these challenges raise the question of being undersized in terms of resources and space, leading to immediate solutions such as hiring new resources and requiring more space. The same thing happens with spaces, the more we have available the more we want.
However, such approaches often lead to significant inefficiencies and waste.

Waste is present wherever there is a process, both in production and in offices. It is often taken for granted that you know the entire workflow in detail and already work in the best way (evergreen motto “I always did this”).
One often relies on one or two more experienced people, who have been working in the company for many years, and follows their suggestions, without listening to other employees/ functions: it works in silos, without taking into account the whole process and interactions between functions.
However, without a complete view of the process and interactions between functions, it is easy to miss the hidden waste, which may include:

• More people than needed
• Unbalanced workloads
• Need much more space than needed
• Less participative team (classic attenuant “if nobody listens to me because I have to waste time saying what I think?!”)
• No operational solutions to real problems

Value Stream Mapping helps companies identify and reduce waste, promoting more sustainable production. The current economic situation, with rising costs of raw materials and services, makes it even more urgent to adopt effective techniques (other than the discount demanded from suppliers) to reduce waste and ensure business survival.

Traditional cost-cutting tactics, such as requiring discounts from suppliers and increasing operational capacity, are no longer effective or applicable. As we know, it also happens that to ensure the survival of our suppliers, which are fundamental for us, we are forced to maintain the same prices or even increase them.

It is therefore necessary to change perspective and the survival of companies requires a thorough review of processes and knowing how to recognize waste within any process becomes more important than ever.

Through the active involvement of the team, Value Stream Mapping allows to generate a complete mapping of production flows to identify bottlenecks, recognize waste and equip themselves with tools for their elimination, and also promotes a culture of continuous improvement and shared responsibility.

Human sustainability is a central aspect of the Value Stream Mapping process. By involving the whole team, without neglecting the social aspects of interactions between people, Value Stream Mapping helps to create an environment where everyone sees the benefits of an optimized process, which includes:

1. Clear and detailed view of the current process
2. Detail of an ideal future state
3. Detailed action plan to reduce/eliminate waste
4. Real knowledge of the process by the whole team

In conclusion, embracing Value Stream Mapping means not only addressing operational challenges but also adopting a mindset that values sustainability and innovation. Transforming business processes through active team involvement will not only improve efficiency, but create a more sustainable work environment.

According to a study by the World Economic Forum (2020) (source: “Lean Manufacturing: The Key to Sustainable Success.”), companies that have implemented Lean methodologies, including Value Stream Mapping, have seen a 30% reduction in waste and 25% improvement in operational efficiency. These companies have also seen a 20% increase in employee engagement, thanks to the culture of continuous improvement promoted by Value Stream Mapping.

A report from the Harvard Business Review (2021) (source: “Sustainability Through Lean Practices.”) shows that organizations adopting Value Stream Mapping are 40% more likely to achieve long-term sustainability goals. This is because Value Stream Mapping allows you to identify and eliminate inefficiencies that not only reduce operating costs, but also minimize environmental impact.

Companies that adopt Lean practices, including Value Stream Mapping, – according to the annual report of the Lean Enterprise Institute (2020) (source: “Annual Report on Lean Practices.”) – are better equipped to address environmental and social challenges, with 85% of them reporting significant improvements in resource management and social responsibility. So a company embracing Value Stream Mapping is embarking on a journey towards a more conscious and sustainable business future.