Process Architecture
Structure, document, and govern your entire process landscape, from hierarchy levels and value streams to roles, RACI, documentation, governance, and the Proces
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Value Stream Mapping
Process Architecture Process Architecture Available with a Process Architecture seat or higher. Only seats on this plan or a higher one can use this feature. Compare plans Available with a Process Architecture seat or higher
Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a lean-management technique for visualizing the steps (and the material and information flows) required to deliver a product or service to a customer. ProcessMind includes dedicated VSM shapes in the modeler, so you can create value stream maps alongside your regular BPMN models.
VSM Shapes
The VSM palette includes the following 33 shapes:
| Group | Supported shapes |
|---|---|
| Operational flow | Process Box, Shared Process, Workcell, Supplier, Customer, Inventory, Finished Goods, Warehouse, Cross-dock, Resources |
| Planning and replenishment | Supermarket, Kanban Post, Production Control, Load Leveling, Go-See Production Planning, MRP / ERP, FIFO Lane, LIFO Lane, Safety Stock, Customer Demand |
| People and architecture | Business process, Worker, Operators, Solution Cloud |
| Analysis and annotation | Milestone, Data box, KPI / Metric, Repetitive process, Bottleneck, Continuous improvement (Kaizen Burst), Lead Time Ladder, Lead Time Ladder (bottom), Text |
Connection Types
VSM connections can use different types of connections, represented by various VSM arrow types:
- BPMN arrow: a standard directional connection for regular process relationships. (Does not support the direct straight line connection)
- Push flow: a thick, dashed flow used when material or work is pushed to the next step.
- Pull flow: a dashed flow used when the next step pulls material or work as needed.
- External product flow: a thick flow used for product movement outside the internal process flow.
- Manual information: a manual information exchange between process participants.
- Electronic information: an electronic information exchange between systems or participants.
Every VSM arrow type can be drawn as an automatic routed line or as a straight line. The connection settings also provide optional markers:
- Transportation: Car, Truck, Boat, Air freight, Train shipment, Email, Other transport, Forklift, Conveyor, AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), Manual transport, Pipeline, Milk run, and Expedited movement.
- Information: Paper, Phone, Verbal information, Data set, Information list, and Go-see scheduling.
- Control: Production kanban, Withdrawal kanban, Signal kanban, Kanban batches, Sequenced pull ball, Production control ticket, Withdrawal control ticket, Batch, and Inspection.
Creating a Value Stream Map
- Open the modeler and choose a VSM node type from the palette.
- Place the customer on the left, then add the process steps in sequence.
- Connect the objects and choose the appropriate connection type for each material or information flow.
- Add inventory, markers, and information flows between the steps.
- Annotate each step with its lead time and value-added time.
- Save and publish the map like any other model.
Linking Value Streams to Your Architecture
Value streams are typically modeled at the value stream level of your process architecture. Once you have mapped a value stream, link the underlying process models to it so users can drill down from the value stream to the detailed BPMN processes that implement each step.
This keeps your landscape consistent: the value stream shows the end-to-end view, while the process documentation and governance workflows cover the detail behind every step.
Where Value Streams Fit
Use value stream maps when you need to communicate how value is created across departmental boundaries, identify waste, and prioritize which processes to redesign first.