Quotes from Karen Martin

a value stream is a series of processes that connect together and transform a customer request into a good or service that's delivered to the customer, which completes the request-to-delivery cycle

the value stream map looks at the high level activities that transform a request into some sort of deliverable . . . the purpose of value stream mapping is to design a strategic improvement plan that will be executed over a period of time; it's not designed to address problems at a detailed level

To aid in targeting the right level of information, we aim for 5 to 15 serial process blocks

The purpose of the second value stream walk is for the team to gain a deeper understanding about how the value stream currently performs and identify significant barriers to flow.

We use three metrics to evaluate the current state of 98 percent of the office and service value streams we've encountered: process time, lead time, and percent complete and accurate.

stay balanced and beware: don't let the team succumb to analysis paralysis

Remember that the lead time for a process block begins when the work is available to be worked on, not when an employee begins working on it, so identifying the trigger will help the team obtain a more accurate lead time.

Next, the team will summarize the metrics across the full value stream. We recommend, at a minimum, ... four ... summary metrics: Total Lead Time...Total Process Time ... Activity Ratio ... Rolled Percent Complete and Accurate

Freed capacity is the result of process time reduction through the elimination of wasteful activities and/or optimizing work.

While the current state briefing is often sobering, it's a helpful psychological space from which to accept the need for change and generate innovative future state thinking

designing the ability to operate with fewer customer complaints, less firefighting, and reduced interdepartmental tension brings tremendous hope to leaders and their staffs who may be feeling the pressure from an underperforming value stream.

the facilitator's role shifts from a coach who helps a team uncover and analyze "What is"-a left-brain activity-to a coach who inspires a team to innovate and design "what could be"-a right-brain activity.

Embracing value stream thinking is a mark of an organization that has successfully shifted from siloed thinking (what's best for me and my team?) to holistic thinking (what's best for the customer and the company?)

Value stream improvement requires strong team-player mindsets and mapping team members who are comfortable designing for the greater good.

Removing work effort may require the team to eliminate not merely the work activities, but also the need for that effort.

A common behavior is to feel compelled to start improving the value stream at the micro level and focus on reducing process time. .. redirect the team to help them stay focused on the macro and eliminate the easy-to-see waste within the value stream

Rather than viewing value stream mapping as just a toll to reduce operational waste, the broader use of value stream mapping as a methodology to transform leadership thinking, define strategy and priorities, and assure that customers are receiving high levels of value is where value stream mapping earns its brightest stripes.

The primary type of value stream is one in which a good or service is requested by and delivered to an external customer. Other value streams support the delivery of value; we refer to these as value-enabling or supporting value streams.

The inclination to jump into the weeds and design micro-level improvements before the entire work system - the macro picture- is fully understood, is a key contributor to suboptimization.

Suboptimization occurs when you make an improvement to one component of a system while ignoring the effects of that change on the other components. A seemingly important improvement could cause the overall work system to perform more poorly.

Transformation requires fundamental changes in an organization's DNA; done well, value stream mapping can be instrumental in facilitating the necessary shifts in mindsets and behaviors.