Value stream thinking --tool for challenges in project management
Mohan KulkarniPM Specialist| MBK ConsultantsPune, Maharashtra State. India, India
We know that Value stream analysis and mapping is excellent lean tool for Operational excellence used for productivity/ value add improvement from customer perspective.
Value stream thinking can be good tool to provide innovative solutions to various challenges, specially for large-mega projects , which evolve during the process of project management ---views solicited Saving Changes...
Mohan KulkarniPM Specialist| MBK ConsultantsPune, Maharashtra State. India, India
Dear Sergio
Please read 150 work hours --sorry for the error
regards
Mohan Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Jun 13, 2020 6:15 AM
Replying to Mohan Kulkarni
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Dear Sergio
Thanks for your views.
It is not clear why you having an apprehension that value stream thinking and mapping will not be useful. On thing is certain this tool aims for continual improvement and so also Agile.
If say 300 story poind are getting completed in say 150 because of value stream thinking and mapping and working if it is likely to happen in 100 working hours -what is the problem? \
I would like to you elaborate little more for my understanding
Regards
Mohan
I do not have apprehension or something like that. I use it. In fact, what today is called value stream is the basement that people like me used when need to work with thing like "rightsizing". And I worked for Toyota where I was trainied on that. Because your question I tried to pointed out that value stream (or value stream thinking which is a term I do not agree) as you stated is good to work with operational efficiency but not to work with system transformations where system is not software system. And from long time ago but mainly today where new buzzwords like VUCA appears what you need is system transformation which means to use system thinking. Systems are composed by components and relations and value stream helps to work on relations but you need system thinking to work as a whole. Both can be used together indeed. Saving Changes...
Hello Mohan,
Good thought.. In my view, it may be more applicable for projects where we have good clarity on requirements upfront.
Not sure how much it can be helpful for projects which are evolving and more agile. It can be even counter productive in case of analysing with less clarity on requirements.
I might differ a bit on innovation part.
VSA and thinking can help in defining focus points.
But it is not an direct enabler for thinking innovative. Yes it may help if project team need to have a special focus towards innovation.
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1 reply by Mohan Kulkarni
Jun 13, 2020 10:59 AM
Mohan Kulkarni
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Dear Tarun
Thanks for your response.I am of the view it will be applicable for both known and unknown requirements. More so if the requirements are changing frequently.
Every project goes through different gates and stages ,when where the project is going to head for would be known, if not entitrely at leaset few stages ahead. These known stages can be looked upon as the cycle from entry to exit and the streams and schedules can be revised for optimal delivery.
Thus projects can be segmented as it progresses. Every next stage may be considered as future state for value steaming that is required to be met all the likely requirements of resources with least amount of waiting or decision delays,and other wastages.Thus the focus would be on right delivery with right scope.
Yes agility would be needed to grasp the change as future requirement and create a value stream. When pushed against wall and barriers are known, innovative thought process of the team or individual is expected to trigger to honour the constraints to an extent.Even if change is substantial ( not devastating change for the project) the application of mind would go towards tailoring the new value stream that will make one think to innovate using innovative techniques that would add value to customer.
In mega projects i have experienced this happening.
I thought i will put my view before you .
Thanks for your inputs and response.
Will be in touch
Regards
Mohan
Saving Changes...
Mohan KulkarniPM Specialist| MBK ConsultantsPune, Maharashtra State. India, India
Jun 13, 2020 8:50 AM
Replying to Tarun Nair
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Hello Mohan,
Good thought.. In my view, it may be more applicable for projects where we have good clarity on requirements upfront.
Not sure how much it can be helpful for projects which are evolving and more agile. It can be even counter productive in case of analysing with less clarity on requirements.
I might differ a bit on innovation part.
VSA and thinking can help in defining focus points.
But it is not an direct enabler for thinking innovative. Yes it may help if project team need to have a special focus towards innovation.
Dear Tarun
Thanks for your response.I am of the view it will be applicable for both known and unknown requirements. More so if the requirements are changing frequently.
Every project goes through different gates and stages ,when where the project is going to head for would be known, if not entitrely at leaset few stages ahead. These known stages can be looked upon as the cycle from entry to exit and the streams and schedules can be revised for optimal delivery.
Thus projects can be segmented as it progresses. Every next stage may be considered as future state for value steaming that is required to be met all the likely requirements of resources with least amount of waiting or decision delays,and other wastages.Thus the focus would be on right delivery with right scope.
Yes agility would be needed to grasp the change as future requirement and create a value stream. When pushed against wall and barriers are known, innovative thought process of the team or individual is expected to trigger to honour the constraints to an extent.Even if change is substantial ( not devastating change for the project) the application of mind would go towards tailoring the new value stream that will make one think to innovate using innovative techniques that would add value to customer.
In mega projects i have experienced this happening.
I thought i will put my view before you .
Thanks for your inputs and response.
Will be in touch
Regards
Mohan Saving Changes...
Mohan KulkarniPM Specialist| MBK ConsultantsPune, Maharashtra State. India, India
Jun 12, 2020 5:21 AM
Replying to David Portas
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If the workforce are aligned to value streams and are able to respond effectively to changing business priorities then do we need "projects" at all? Maybe automation, virtualization and operational agility will eventually make the project seem like an anti-pattern.
Dear David
Sorry that i Have not understood what exactly you want to say and probably i have failed to convey what i want to say.
My thinking was if the project (Specially mega projects) which normally have gates and stages to pass through if looked uponwith entry point as supplier end and exit point as a customer end and the in between stream as value stream
there may be possibility of applying value stream mapping thinking to minimise or avoid the likely wastages due to un timely procurrement, non availability of tools and machimeries, set upchange time issues,non availability of labour etc & add value wherever possible with engaing new technologies, new methods etc and accordingly set up a new value stream to deliver vallue added input to nest stage at exit point.
Do you think there is any flaw in this thinking .
Kindly let me know
Regards
MOhan Saving Changes...
Mohan KulkarniPM Specialist| MBK ConsultantsPune, Maharashtra State. India, India
Jun 13, 2020 4:52 AM
Replying to David Portas
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Hi Mohan,
A project is a temporary endeavour that delivers some business value and then stops. That's inherently a compromise because why would you want to stop delivering value? If your workforce are sufficiently responsive to changing business priorities, are continually looking out for opportunities to improve, are able to right-size and organise according to demand then they won't need anything called a "project" in order to innovate, adapt or develop new products and services. Modern technology is one influence that is enabling change to become part of business-as-usual rather than something only done on a temporary basis.
DEar Davis
Thanks for the response and clarifications
Regards
Mohan Saving Changes...
