Swimlane Map Archives | GoLeanSixSigma.com

What is a complimentary map to the Swimlane Map?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

The SIPOC, which is the high-level map created prior to a Swimlane Map would be the complimentary map. You would always want both a macro and a micro-level view of a process.

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When using a Swimlane Map, is it recommended to include every step, or can you leave some out that are obvious?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

Great question. You only want to spend your time where it’s most effective so if you agree as a group to remove steps like “put in in-box” then that can make the map faster to create and take up less room. Just be wary of removing steps that could hide waste. In the case of…

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What other data should be included in the Swimlane Map, other than process time?

Elisabeth Swan

What other data should be included in the Swimlane Map, other than process time? Does it also include the future map after improvement suggestions are made? The typical measures that can be added to a Swimlane Map are Process Time, Lead Time and % Complete & Accurate. The “As-Is” Map provides the baseline for these…

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Is it possible to use a Fishbone Diagram to develop a Swimlane Map?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

Once the Swimlane Map has been completed and participants have had a chance to add visual indications of pain points (e.g., pink sticky notes with a starburst shape), then the Fishbone Diagram is a great tool to continue digging to root cause of individual pain points.

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How often do you validate the data in a Swimlane Map?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

It depends on the process. At a basic level, you would get baseline data for the “As Is” map and then you would measure again once the “To Be” process has been implemented. After that, you would decide which process measures to keep monitoring based on where you found the root causes and what would…

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What do you think of Value Stream Maps in Swimlane format for the AS-Is state?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

Value Stream Maps are high-level maps and Swimlane Maps are more detailed. I have never seen a hybrid of the two, which is not to say there would be no value in that. In general, the Value Stream Map is a macro-level map used for both strategic improvement and performance assessment. The Swimlane is used…

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When implementing Lean and Six Sigma, which tools should be implemented first for different sized organizations?

Carolyn Talasek

This is a great question. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cut and dry answer. In my experience, it isn’t so much the size of the company as where and when you put continuous improvement skills into play. Of course, organizational leadership determines the desired outcomes so that’s going to drive a lot of this. Smaller companies…

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6 Process Maps You Should Know & How to Choose the Right One

Bill Eureka

A process map is an important part of any Lean Six Sigma project – it helps communicate the process at the center of your project and guides you to specific areas of focus. There are a number of choices available, and choosing the right map helps to clarify your efforts.…

What are the best Six Sigma Methodologies to use in mortgage banking and where can I find the tools to help me perform them?

GoLeanSixSigma.com

The nice thing about process improvement tools, is that many concepts and tools can apply to any industry, whether it is manufacturing or transactional-service related. As a matter of fact, there are many financial service companies that have applied Six Sigma in their mortgage processes, such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Union Bank, and…

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Swimlane Map (aka Deployment Map or Cross-Functional Chart)

GoLeanSixSigma.com

What is a Swimlane Map? A Swimlane Map is a process map that separates process into lanes that represent different functions, departments or individuals. The process map is called a “swimlane” because the map resembles a pool with lanes identifying the different process groups. To learn how to use…