Value stream map
A value stream map (VSM) is a Lean diagram that captures the flow of materials and information for a product or service, used to identify waste and design improved future-state processes.
In depth
Value stream mapping was developed at Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System and brought into the lean software movement by Mary and Tom Poppendieck. A VSM walks the entire process from customer request to delivery, marking process boxes with cycle time, lead time, and changeover, and identifying queues and waste.
Software teams use VSMs to find DORA bottlenecks (lead time for change, deployment frequency), surface handoff delays, and design future-state CI/CD flows.
OpenCharts supports VSM-style flowcharts with attached data tables for cycle time, lead time, and value-add ratio per step.
Also known as
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Process map
A process map is a visual representation of a workflow that documents the sequence of steps, decision points, and handoffs needed to complete a business outcome.
Swimlane diagram
A swimlane diagram is a flowchart that organizes activities into horizontal or vertical lanes, with each lane representing a different actor, role, or department responsible for those activities.
Kanban board
A Kanban board is a visual workflow tool that organizes tasks into columns representing stages of work, used to manage flow, limit work-in-progress, and surface bottlenecks.