How to Analyze Workflow Steps for Improvement

If I were starting a new role as a Process Engineer, here's exactly what I’d do to understand the flow: 🔍 1. Walk the process — and don’t rush. I’d spend hours just watching. No stopwatch. No clipboard. Just observe. Patterns reveal themselves when you’re patient. 👂 2. Talk to the operators — and really listen. I'd ask: “What’s the most annoying part of your day?” “What slows you down?” “What do you wish was different?” And then I’d shut up and listen. ❓ 3. Ask tons of questions. Even the obvious ones. Especially the obvious ones. “Why do we do it this way?” “What happens if we skip this step?” Curiosity uncovers the real process—not the one on the SOP. 📷 4. Sketch the flow. No fancy software. Just a pen and paper. I'd map what I see, not what’s supposed to happen. Because often, those two aren’t the same. 🧩 5. Connect the dots — from raw material to finished product. I’d try to understand: Where are the delays? Where’s the rework? Where are people waiting on machines — or worse, machines waiting on people? Why bother doing all this? 📌 Because if I jump to solutions too fast, I’ll miss the root cause. 📌 If I rely on reports, I’ll miss the reality. And if I don’t listen to the people in it every day, I’ll never earn their trust. Understanding the flow takes time. But that’s how you find the friction. And friction is where real improvement begins. ✨ DM me if you’re stuck in a messy flow and want a second pair of eyes. Let’s find the friction — and fix it. #ProcessEngineering #ContinuousImprovement #processflowoptimization

80% of workflow bottlenecks are hiding in plain sight. But most teams don’t look closely enough to see them. When I design workflows, I don’t add new tools right away or build complex systems. I start by mapping the current process. Without knowing every step, we’re just guessing at what’s slowing us down. Here’s my go-to checklist for spotting the hidden issues: 1 - Map every step Document each click, handoff, and decision. Most teams skip this, but it’s where the real insights are. 2 - Spot repetitive tasks Repeated steps often go unnoticed. They feel like “just part of the job” but usually add no real value. 3 - Measure task times Check how long each step actually takes. When times drag, it’s a sign of inefficiency that needs fixing. 4 - Look for approval delays Every extra approval is a potential bottleneck. Too many checks can slow things down more than they help. 5 - Align skills with tasks Ensure tasks fit the person’s skill level. If experts are doing routine work, it’s time to rethink the setup. 6 - Automate simple tasks Automation isn’t about flashy tools. It’s about freeing up your team’s time for critical work, not admin tasks. It’s surprising how often these basics are ignored. Do this if you want to do more with less. Or skip it if you’re okay with unnecessary delays and wasted resources.

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a Lean tool used to visualize, analyze and improve the flow of materials and information required to deliver a product or service to a customer. It helps identify waste, reduce process inefficiencies, and design a future state that adds more value with less effort. What Is a Value Stream? A value stream includes all the actions (both value-adding and non-value-adding) required to bring a product or service from concept to customer: Material Flow (e.g., raw materials to finished goods) Information Flow (e.g., order entry to delivery) Purpose of Value Stream Mapping Identify waste (muda) in the process Visualize end-to-end process flow Align cross-functional teams on improvement opportunities Develop a "future state" map for improvement Serve as a baseline for continuous improvement Key Components of a Value Stream Map 1. Customer Requirements: Positioned at the top right and shows what the customer needs (volume, frequency, mix) 2. Process Steps: Shown as boxes across the middle of the map and each box represents a key process (e.g., assembly, packaging, inspection) 3. Material Flow: Arrows connecting process boxes (left to right) and Includes transport, inventory, and delays 4. Information Flow: Dashed lines from production control to processes and shows communication systems (ERP, schedules, Kanban) 5. Timeline (Process Data Box), Each step includes: Cycle Time (CT): Time to complete the process Changeover Time (C/O): Time to switch products Uptime: Machine reliability First Pass Yield (FPY): % of good units first try Inventory: Between steps 6. Timeline Bar (Bottom of Map) Splits value-added time vs non-value-added (waste) time Exposes bottlenecks, delays, and areas to improve Steps to Create a Value Stream Map 1. Select the Product or Service Family: Choose a single product or service line that shares common processes. 2. Define the Scope: Decide start and end points (e.g., from order to delivery or raw material to customer). 3. Walk the Gemba (Go to the Worksite): Observe actual operations, don’t rely on assumptions. 4. Create the Current State Map: Document each process step, process data (cycle times, yields, WIP), flow of materials and information 5. Analyze for Waste, Look for: Overproduction, Waiting, Transport, Over-processing, Inventory, Motion & Defects 6. Design the Future State Map: Propose improvements: Pull system or Kanban, Balanced flow,Takt time alignment Reduced WIP 7. Develop an Action Plan: Include timelines, owners and Kaizen events to realize the future state, best practices, map with a cross-functional team, use Post-its or magnets for flexibility, use standard icons (Lean VSM symbols), create both current and future state maps, apply PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) for implementation Output of VSM: Clear view of end-to-end operations, data-driven improvement targets, basis for Lean initiatives (like Kaizen, SMED, 5S), enhanced collaboration across silos