Spaghetti map
Reduce or even eliminate existing waste in a process - by evaluating walking patterns,
- Steps
- 3
- Last edited
- Apr 19, 2023
- Created by
- Nova
About this process
This is a LEAN tool created to reduce or even eliminate existing waste in a process or system. Some of the most common waste category types are: Transportation, motion, overprocessing, and waiting time. It works on the physical layout or floor plan, so you and your team will analyze that layout, how people move, and their process to achieve their goals. It's very important to look at the floor layout and the motion in any operation including the path people, products, or even paper have inside an office, store, or manufacturing facility. This tool also traces the walking patterns of people, shuttling back and forth of materials, paper, or going between tasks and work stations.
The process in detail
3 steps- 1
Prepare the board and the session.
- 2
Spaghetti Diagram
- 3
Evaluation.
Read the full text
1. Prepare the board and the session.
Prepare the board: Add a physical layout or floor plan by adding a picture (JPG or PNG) inside the board. Try to add a person, object, or provide all the measurements to make sure everyone has an idea of the distance between tasks, desks materials, departments, etc. Invite the team (or client as a guest) and schedule a meeting. Facilitate the meeting by asking them to draw a line to illustrate their walking path (red line) and the materials and papers flow (blue line). If this is the first time you are facilitating this session learn more about this tool here: https://sixsigmastudyguide.com/spaghetti-diagram/
2. Spaghetti Diagram
The team (the actual team members who use the system) will draw the following: The flow of materials and papers using the blue line. The walking pattern of people using the red line Waiting time and stoppages at different points using sticky notes. Tips: The lines should be redrawn for every trip or every movement. The thicker the line, the more complex the process is. Don't ignore any steps in the process. Do not eliminate minute tasks, small trips, and repeated motions. Add them to the board. Don't include: Don’t draw through walls and equipment - draw only actual paths! Don’t add stops to the restrooms and personal activities on this board. Do you still have questions? Contact the session lead.
3. Evaluation.
Have you identified any inefficiencies in Area/Work layout? Have you identified the wastes of transportation? Have you identified any added time spent in "identifying missed products", "confusion in the order of processing items"? Have you found any way to reduce employee fatigue due to unnecessary movements? Have you identified and improved areas of occupational safety?