VSM during early stages of Lean implementation

How many Value Stream Maps should be created at the start of Lean implementation?
We typically hear this question from...
1. Users who have recently learned the Value Stream Mapping tool
2. Organizations who are new to Lean implementation, just starting out on their lean journey

Start the Lean implementation with a few (say 2 to 3) value stream maps for processes that have the most non value adding activities (waste).

Why just 2 to 3?
Because of several reasons..
1. Creating Value Streams is a time consuming activity.
- Teams creating these maps have to walk the value stream and capture information
about material and information flows.
- Teams have to then create the current state map, identify waste and the Lean
tools they plan to use, create the future state map.

2. After creating the maps in the meeting room, now teams have to actually go and implement the Lean tools in the value stream. This is the most challenging part as this may take anywhere from a few days to few weeks. There are many aspects of the implementation like corporate culture, motivation level of people, management involvement, complexity of the process that could play a role.

3. Getting rid of all the waste in the process may require several cycles of going from the current to the future state. After all Lean is a journey of continuously removing waste.

How many value streams have you worked with? How many value streams did you start with when your organization was in early phases of Lean implementation?
Send us your questions or comments at info@Sybeq.com