ABSTRACT
To get full value from the work you have put into creating the VSM, it should be a living document and kept evergreen. The benefits achieved in reaching the defined generations of future state are only a part of the total benefit it can provide. It is highly unlikely that you will ever get all of the waste out of the process, so an up-to-date VSM will allow you to see what waste is still there, and why you don’t yet have perfect uninterrupted flow exactly matching Takt. A VSM that accurately describes the current process parameters and performance may reveal waste and problems that had previously been masked by more significant problems but have now risen in visibility, and also indicate areas where recently completed improvements enable other improvements to be made. Thus, the VSM can provide the roadmap to guide you along the continuous improvement journey.
