The final topic: Achieving the Future State.

This is the time to break the Future State Value Stream into steps and set the plan. You will need to have the Future State Value Stream Map in front of you. As you look at the map, what areas can be made into segments in the process?

Once the segments have been identified and agreed upon by the team, the segments can be prioritized as most important to least important. Each segment will need to have the objectives defined and a timeline set. It is important that the objectives be written and agreed to by the team.

It is also important to identify and write the goals for each segment. This will help the team know when the segment of improvement has been completed and a well-deserved celebration is in order!

It is not always easy to answer the question, “Where do we start?” Usually, it is best to start where the process is well understood by the people working in the segment. It could also be where you believe the likelihood of success is high because people in the segment are excited about the opportunity to improve things. Another good place to start is where the improvements have the most impact on the bottom-line.

At this point, the team is likely very excited and anxious to get going, the natural tendency is to try to control the energy and keep things as focused as possible on one segment at a time. This is a good way to kick off the implementation; however, it is likely you will find you can work on several segments at the same time. Just remember to keep it to the plan in front of you. The key is to be sure each segment has objectives and goals everyone can follow.

Finally, it is very typical for the value stream team to become extremely focused and running hard and fast to achieve the objectives and goals. This is outstanding and certainly one of the great things about a value stream process. It can also be harmful to the organization if everyone is not included and in the know about the progress and the “why” of the value stream. Be sure to communicate often the broader community the reason why and the progress. Report both the good and the bad things that have been learned during improvement process.

Good luck, and remember continual improvement is a never ending process.