Value Stream Mapping comes from the Toyota process flow improvement tools and involves identifying all the steps both value added and non-value added currently involved in providing a product or service. It will create a visual representation of that value stream or the work in process. It establishes a common language among us and provides a blueprint for improvement. However, it is not a project management system and should not be considered.
Depending upon the scope of the team responsibility, they should be part of creating the implementation phase which would include a detailed project plan or schedule. The purpose of the plan is to coordinate activities and resources and form a baseline from which to manage the project. This gives everyone involved the same reference point.
In marketing it always amazes me the lack of project planning. Most marketers resist the idea, misunderstanding the role of detailed planning for marketing projects. They assume that the purpose of a detailed plan is the same as it would be for other repetitive activities like manufacturing. The purpose of a project plan in marketing is to coordinate many of the uncertain activities that happen. Maybe more importantly, a good project plan will coordinate the activities of your resource requirements. Not everything will be predictable but even if we can make some of the predictable, predictable we will increase the likelihood of success.
Photo courtesy of Systems2win.
Within a project plan we can establish over all and individual process metrics. We will need metrics to produce information quickly so that they may be acted on in the middle of a project rather than at the end. The value of these types of metrics is that will allow you to take action during a project where you can still influence its success. These metrics should already be identified in your value stream map. Measurability is perhaps the most important feature of the project plan.
Once a schedule is completed it should be posted or made available to all stakeholders of the project. Constant updating should appear and be visible to all parties. This is an active document, and should be used to manage the process. A schedule is the translation of the project plan into individual tasks, identifying durations, responsibilities, start and finish dates, resources, flow and milestones. It is very easy for a team to want to jump straight in, generate a schedule and get on with the project. There is more to project planning than this.
Project management is the whole aspect of planning, which leads to a realistic schedule, which in turn requires control. If you have completed your Value Stream Mapping Process, a project plan will be relatively easy to complete.
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