"Smart Draw appears to have more to offer than Visio. I like the VSM templates."
James R. Wixson
"SmartDraw is intuitive and easy to use. I bought within five minutes of downloading the free trial."
"Love the Value Stream Mapping and Map features! Very rich visually compared to Visio."
Patricia K Hartman
SmartDraw makes it fast and easy to create value stream maps... automatically. This value stream mapping video takes you on a quick tour of the value stream mapping template in SmartDraw:
Value stream maps (VSM) are an essential tool for organizations applying Lean methods. They provide a vital tool for identifying waste and improving process efficiencies in a wide range of industries.
SmartDraw's exclusive automation technology built into our value stream mapping template applies the Lean approach to value stream maps, reducing your time and effort to create a VSM.
SmartDraw lets you add steps in your VSM with just a click. Each step also builds an associated timeline with value-add time and lead time in the diagram. Enter your known data inputs and SmartDraw will calculate takt time, lead time, value-add time, and process cycle efficiency automatically. Just click the action button, as shown in the illustration below, and SmartDraw adds a new step.
Making changes is also easy. Just delete or move steps. SmartDraw will automatically reformat your diagram, including connecting lines, and recalculate the data (as shown in the following illustration). Because you don't have to do any drawing, there's no time wasted. It's as fast and easy as using sticky notes on a board, but now you have a diagram that is always presentation-ready.
With SmartDraw, you can easily add elements for information flow, Kanban posts, and Kaizen bursts to complete your VSM with ease. You can also attach notes and files, or add hyperlinks to web pages.
You'll also find these Lean Method visuals in SmartDraw:
SmartDraw is much more than just value stream mapping software. SmartDraw includes specialized templates for 70 different types of visuals—mind maps, org charts, data charts, floor plans, and more. Plus, there are hundreds of examples that you can easily edit and make your own.