VSM Foundation study plan

Explain in your own words how value stream thinking moved from lean manufacturing origins into software delivery, naming at least three distinct eras or influences

Define value stream, value stream mapping, and value stream management and write a one-paragraph contrast that distinguishes all three

Identify at least five candidate value streams in your own organization and justify each boundary using trigger-to-outcome logic

Classify each candidate as primary, supporting, or enabling and record the reasoning

List the common failure modes of value stream identification, such as org-chart mapping or technology-based slicing

Build a current-state map for one primary value stream covering trigger, process steps, wait states, handoffs, and systems touched

Annotate each step with lead time and process time estimates and compute the activity ratio

Mark every handoff and queue on the map and quantify total wait time as a percentage of total lead time

Identify the three largest sources of delay and label them by category such as approval, environment, or rework

Draw a future-state map that removes or automates at least two of the identified delays

Inventory the tools used across plan, code, build, test, release, deploy, operate, and monitor for the mapped value stream

Draw the data flow between tools and mark every manual re-entry point or integration gap

Configure or script at least one automated link, such as commit-to-build or build-to-work-item traceability

Define the identifiers that must be consistent across tools so that a single change can be traced end to end

Document where tool data is trapped and cannot be queried programmatically

Define lead time, cycle time, throughput, work in progress, flow efficiency, and change failure rate and state the exact start and stop points you will use for each

Select a minimal metric set of no more than six measures and justify each against a decision it informs

Extract or estimate real data for one value stream over at least four weeks

Compute flow efficiency and Little's Law consistency between WIP, throughput, and cycle time

Identify at least two metrics that would create perverse incentives and explain why you excluded them

Run a structured inspection of the mapped value stream using the metrics from week 4 and record observations separately from interpretations

Facilitate a blameless review session with at least three people who do the work and capture their view of the biggest constraint

Locate the current constraint and show with data why it, and not another step, limits throughput

Distinguish systemic delay from individual performance issues in your findings

Rank improvement opportunities by expected lead time reduction and effort

Compare your value stream structure with the current reporting structure and list every mismatch

Design an organizational model where teams own end-to-end value streams, including how platform, enabling, and specialist groups support them

Define the roles and decision rights that change under a value stream aligned model

Draft a transition approach covering funding, reporting lines, and how existing commitments are honored

Anticipate at least three sources of resistance and prepare a response for each

Convert the improvement backlog from week 5 into an ordered evolution roadmap with owners and target dates

Define the feedback loop that will re-measure the value stream on a fixed cadence and trigger re-inspection

Establish guardrail metrics that must not degrade while lead time improves

Design a small experiment to test the highest ranked improvement and define its success threshold in advance

Plan how the value stream map itself will be kept current rather than becoming a stale artifact

Re-derive the definitions and core concepts of all eight domains from memory and check against your notes

Re-run the full exercise end to end on a second, smaller value stream to confirm the method transfers

Review every deliverable for gaps and correct at least three weak points

Practice explaining the value stream story, from identification through evolution, in a ten-minute narrative

Build a personal checklist for future value stream engagements