ABSTRACT
The first thing to understand is that, whenever there is a product or service provided for a customer, there is a value stream (I also like to call it a critical path). The challenge lies in understanding and improving it. Value Stream Mapping is a tool that allows an individual to see and understand the flow of material and information as a product or service is processed through the various departments within a company (i.e., the value stream). The total time taken by this process is called the Total Process Cycle Time (TPCT).
