Automated Value Stream Mapping via Time Series Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex business processes, such as software development, often suffer from inefficiencies due to work items waiting in queues, incomplete data tracking, and excessive load, leading to delays and increased costs, with existing systems failing to provide real-time metrics and effective value stream mapping.
Innovation Solution
A system for value stream mapping that includes a memory to store a VSM model and a processor to access and transform time series status change data into a VSM, using correlation between status values and active stages, enabling efficient analysis and customization of business processes through graphical user interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual approaches to value stream mapping are used, then flexibility in analysis is maintained, but real-time tracking and measurement precision are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated data collection and processing system that acts as an intermediary between the complex process data sources and the value stream mapping analysis. This intermediary automatically collects status change data from multiple systems, processes it through defined logic, and generates real-time metrics, thereby achieving precise real-time tracking without requiring manual intervention in the complex underlying systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual value stream mapping methods with an automated computer-based system that collects, processes, and analyzes process data automatically. This substitution eliminates the need for manual data collection and analysis while providing continuous real-time metrics, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and system complexity by automating the complex tasks.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive data tracking is implemented across all sub-processes, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and loss of time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining the data collection framework, status value mappings, and processing logic before actual value stream mapping is needed. The system is pre-configured to automatically collect and process status change data from multiple sources, so when analysis is required, real-time metrics are already available without requiring time-consuming manual data gathering at the moment of analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuous automated data collection and processing that operates continuously in the background, maintaining an ongoing record of status changes across all sub-processes. This continuous action ensures that comprehensive process metrics are always available in real-time without requiring periodic manual data collection efforts, thereby improving measurement precision without increasing data collection time.
3Productivity
If automated data processing is used, then productivity improves, but adaptability to different process models decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal automated data processing system that can handle multiple different value stream mapping models and process types through a single platform. The system uses configurable parameters and definitions that allow it to adapt to various process models (e.g., software development, manufacturing, service delivery) without requiring separate automated systems for each, thereby maintaining both high productivity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic configurability in the automated processing system, allowing the data collection rules, status value mappings, and processing logic to be adjusted based on the specific process model being analyzed. This dynamic adaptation enables the same automated system to efficiently handle different process types and models, resolving the contradiction between productivity and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for value stream mapping is disclosed, the system comprising a processor and memory. The memory is configured to store a value stream map (VSM) model for a process, the VSM model comprising a sequence of active stages for a plurality of items of the process, wherein each active stage is associated with one or more status values attributable to the items. The processor is configured to (1) access a time series of status change data about items for the process, wherein the status change data comprises a plurality of status values exhibited by the items over time and (ii) transform the accessed time series into a VSM based on a correlation between (i) the status values exhibited by the items from the accessed time series and (ii) the status values associated with the active stages of the VSM model. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also disclosed.