See also:
Value Stream Mapping

Here are some tips for developing value stream maps for administrative functions:

• Start with something meaningful: find a business issue creating a gap in your market, and focus on improving the value stream(s) responsible for the gap.
• Make sure you have management commitment for the potential change and area of focus.
• Get people involved who represent functions impacting the process at hand and who have responsibility to redesign the process.
• Treat the process boxes the same way as in regular value stream mapping: each box represents an area of flow (that is, work done prior to the handoff).
• Start each process box with a verb (for example, "create contract") as opposed to a function (such as, "sales") to follow the work, not the function.
• Treat the inbox as inventory (substitute "backlog").
• Understand the customer requirements for the output of the value stream, including who the customer really is (not your boss!).
• Find data attributes to measure the performance of the process boxes that represent the cost, service, and quality of the work performed in the box.
• Walk the flow with the team if at all possible: find out how the work progresses and visualize it.
• Add notes to the map to document things you "see."
• Think through the future state using questions similar to the manufacturing map: what do you need to do to meet customer requirements in an effective and efficient way, and how can you use lean thoughts/tools/techniques to help attain the future state?
• Develop detailed implementation plans with the team.
• Measure implementation progress frequently.