1. Taking Value Stream Mapping to the Gemba
Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)

2. Taking Value Stream Mapping to the Gemba
Value Stream Mapping has been at the core of many Lean transformation initiatives by helping to identify improvement opportunities. But Value Stream Mapping & Analysis are, typically, at a fairly high level.
The tools that I’ll discussed in this presentation are taking a deeper dive into the value-stream. And it’s taking the analysis to the Gemba*.
And almost all of these tools have a similar purpose to Value Stream Mapping; i.e. identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities.
*Gemba – the place where the action takes place; e.g. the factory floor, the office-area, the warehouse, etc.

3. What is Value-Stream Mapping?
A Value-Stream Map (VSM) is a simple diagram of the major steps involved in the material and information flows needed to bring a product from order to delivery.
Value-stream maps can be drawn to define different snapshots of time:
A current-state map follows a product’s path from order to delivery to determine the current conditions. It’s utilized to identify improvement opportunities.
A future-state map deploys the opportunities for improvement identified in the current-state map to achieve a higher level of performance at some future point. The future-state, typically, reflects a round of improvement initiatives.
An ideal-state map would show the state achieved by deploying all identified improvement opportunities (i.e. deploying all known lean tools and methodologies).

4. Value-Stream Mapping: Example Current-State

5. Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)
As a Lean Practitioner, I am a big fan of Value Stream Mapping as a great tool for identifying waste and improvement opportunities; and I have mentored and coach hundreds of Lean Practitioners in leveraging Value Stream Mapping for identifying improvement opportunities.
But it does have its limitations in recognizing waste. Value Stream Mapping is great for identifying large buckets of waste such as Inventory, Transportation, possibly Waiting and, maybe, Overproduction (a.k.a. Inventory). But it has definite limitations in identifying waste at the operator / workstation level. And while Value Stream Mapping can allow you to calculate your Value-Added Ratio; it, again, does it at a macro-level rather than a micro-level. And Macro will often be too high of a level in a relentless pursuit to eliminate all form of wastes and non-value-adding activities.

6. Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)
The Routing-by-Walking-Around (RBWA) is taking Value Stream Mapping to the Gemba.
The basic objectives of the RBWA methodology is the Identification and elimination of non-value-adding activities; and the identification of process improvements.
And by conducting a RBWA analysis, we would be able to:
Establish the baseline (“as-is”) for existing process flows and performance
Expose waste and hidden steps
Classify activities as either value-added or non-value-added
Identify all PLT contributors (workstation’s cycle-time, waiting, travel distances, WIP queues, equipment availability, etc.)
Provide a strong basis for future “to-be” design

7. Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)
The basic stages of conducting a RBWA analysis are:
Go-to-the Gemba and gather data
Evaluate the current way-of-doing business
Create an ”As-Is” baseline of the current process flow and performance
Develop a process redesign (a “To-Be” concept)

8. Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)

9. RBWA Analysis Template1
Title
Operations
Steps #
Description
Time (seconds)
Distance Traveled
Analysis of Time
Value-Added
Non-Value-Added (Waste)
Non-Value-Added Required
Notes – typically observations made during Gemba walk 2a 3 5a 6 2b 5b 4 5c

10. Routing-By-Walking-Around (RBWA)
Data that’s observed, extracted and gathered during a typical RBWA; such as:
Hands-on observation of the process and all activities (you do it in the Gemba)
Detailed sequence of process steps
Time study (observations) of all relevant activities
Distance- traveled
Data for a Spaghetti Diagram
Waste observations and identification / categorization
Uncovering hidden steps and/or activities
Identifying non-value-adding steps and/or activities

11. RBWA - Process Analysis
Similar activity as you may perform with value-stream mapping exercise; but, typically, you may not go to same level of detail with a VSM verses a RBWA.

12. RBWA - Process Mapping Symbols

13. Analyzing the Time – Value-Added vs. Non-Value-Added

14. The Non-Value-Added Dictionary

15. Non-Value-Added Activities

16. Seven Wastes: TIMWOOD

17. Seven Wastes: TIMWOOD
Transportation: parts in and out of storage, or from one workstation to another
Inventory: storing more raw-materials or finished-goods than needed, i.e. “just in case”; too much Work-in-Process (unbalanced or non-synchronized activities)
Motion: searching, sorting, reaching, lifting, walking for parts or tools
Waiting: waiting or queueing for parts, machines, information, or repair; unbalanced activities
Overproduction: producing more than needed; i.e. “just-in-case” inventories, keeping equipment or people busy
Over-processing: extra-processing (inspections or tests); awkward tool design, or too many components to a part
Defects: correction, scrap, rework or decisions (unclear-direction)
Transportation: parts in and out of storage, or from one workstation to another
Inventory: storing more raw-materials or finished-goods than needed, i.e. “just in case”; too much Work-in-Process (unbalanced or non-synchronized activities)
Motion: searching, sorting, reaching, lifting, walking for parts or tools,
Waiting: waiting or queueing for parts, machines, information, or repair; unbalanced activities
Overproduction: producing more than needed; i.e. “just-in-case” inventories, keeping equipment or people busy,
Over-processing: extra-processing (inspections or tests); awkward tool design, or too many components to a part
Defects: correction, scrap, rework or decisions (unclear-direction)

18. RBWA Analysis - Data Collection Example 1

19. RBWA Analysis – Graph: Example 1A (Steps)

20. RBWA Analysis - Graph : Example 1B (Time)

21. RBWA Analysis - Example 2

22. RBWA Analysis - Graph : Example 2

23. RBWA Analysis – Transactional Process

24. RBWA Analysis – Detailed “Value Stream Map”
This detailed process-map was created by conducting several RBWAs.

25. Spaghetti Diagram
A spaghetti diagram is a quick and easy way to track distances of parts and people on the shop floor. A method of viewing data to visualize possible flows through systems.
Flows depicted in this manner appear like noodles, hence the coining of this term. 

26. RBWA Analysis - Example #3
Data Entry
Auto Graph Creation
RBWA Template Example (early version)

27. RBWA Analysis – Data Example #3
Actual - Hours
Actual - Steps
Proposed - Hours
Proposed - Steps
Plotting RBWA data by category and reflects improvements made.

28. RBWA > Process Analysis – Example #3

29. RBWA Analysis – Data Example #3
Summary of RBWA data with proposed improvements and resulting benefits.

30. RBWA > Process Analysis – Example #3

31. Creating a Yamazumi from a RBWA
Yamazumi is a Japanese word that roughly translates to “stacked-up”. A Yamazumi-chart is a stacked bar graph of each operator’s work-elements and cycle-time. The Yamazumi-chart is, basically, an operator-balance chart except that the Yamazumi’s bars are broken into work-elements and then classified as value-added, non-value-added and non-value-added-needed.
Current-State
18-Operators
Manage the white-space ….
Takt-Time
Operator’s-Time

32. Yamazumi After identifying and minimizing non-value-added elements.
And the balancing the work-load …….
Current-State
10-Operators

33. Kaizen Event Playbook / Takt-Rate Time Observations
7-operators
Operational Analysis / RBWA
10-operators
16-operators
16-operators
Kaizen is structured continuous improvement event.

34. Triple-Play Chart
An analysis tool that may not be as common as some of the other assessment-tools is the “Triple-Play Chart”. As the name implies; it’s a comparison of three variables on one chart; i.e. Production, Shipments (a.k.a. Customer-Demand) and Finished-Goods Inventory. And the objective is to assess the synchronization of those three variables.
And an effective “pull-system” those three variables should be synchronized.

35. Triple-Play Chart

36. Triple-Play Chart

37. Thank You! Questions? Templates & Questions: Raymond (Ray) Kelly
Global Operational Excellence Leader / Proprietor
Global Operational Excellence LLC
Website:
LinkedIn:
Twitter: RayGopX

38. Books:
The Myths and Truths of Lean Transformations: How to Successfully Make the Transition from Theory to Effective Deployment  – September 2018
Optimizing Your Supply Chain Performance: How to Assess and Improve Your Company’s Strategy and Execution Capabilities – July 2019