Value stream method 4.0: holistic method to analyse and design value streams in the digital age

Abstract

The value stream method (VSM) is a well accepted, widely used and holistic method for mapping, analyzing and designing value streams in order to reduce waste. However, the new, promising opportunities of digitization and Industry 4.0 to integrate information flows, lower lead times and improve flexibility or productivity in complex environments are not covered by VSM. While a large number of guidelines and maturity models for Industry 4.0 is available, no sound method with a step-by-step-guidance for designing value streams holistically exists to date.With the VSM 4.0, consisting of a previously published Value Stream Analysis 4.0 (VSA 4.0) and a Value Stream Design 4.0 (VSD 4.0), we close this gap. The easy understandable and meanwhile often validated VSM 4.0 method helps to see classical as well as information wastes and designs lean value streams in terms of material and especially information flows.