About the event

• Date: 18th and 19th May 2027, 10:00am – 3:30pm

• Venue: Manufacturers Network Head Office, 1 Adbaston Road, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M32 0TP

• Format: Two-day, face-to-face masterclass

• Price: £695 per delegate+ VAT

About the masterclass

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a unique and holistic approach for identifying waste and aligning leadership around the transformation plan for a particular product or service family. Yet it’s too often misunderstood and misused, so the true value is rarely realised.

This interactive and hands-on two-day Masterclass workshop will explain when and where to apply VSM, and then, using a combination of theory and practical exercises walk through the methodology, applying relevant lean concepts and tools along the way. A case study will bring the subject to life, giving delegates the opportunity to learn by doing, and prepare them for delivering VSM workshops in the real world.

What you'll take away

A Value Stream Map should not simply be a diagram showing how a process works. Its real purpose is to create a shared understanding of performance, expose opportunities for improvement and provide a practical roadmap for delivering better flow and customer value.

In Lean terms, the Current State tells us where we are, the Future State tells us where we want to be, and the Improvement Plan tells us how we will get there.

The case study will provide the context needed for delegates to practice VSM and build the skills and capability needed to deliver the expected VSM outputs in their own workplace:

1. Current State Map 

A visual representation of how the process actually operates today, including material and information flows.

2. Process Performance Data

Key operational data such as cycle times, changeover times, uptime, availability, batch sizes and defect rates.

3. Lead Time vs Value-Added Time

How long the entire process takes compared with the time actually spent adding value for the customer.

4. Identification of Waste

Highlights bottlenecks, waiting, excess inventory, overproduction, transportation, unnecessary movement, defects and over-processing.

5. Identification of Constraints 

Identifies bottlenecks, capacity limitations and process steps that restrict overall flow and output.

6. Improvement Opportunities 

Highlights opportunities to improve flow, reduce waste, lower inventory, improve quality and shorten lead times.

7. Future State Map 

A picture of how the process should operate following improvements, showing the desired flow and operating conditions.

8. Improvement Action Plan

A prioritised plan of actions, responsibilities, timescales and measurable targets to move from the current to the future state.

What the Masterclass covers

• Introduction to VSM and Lean principles

• VSM symbols, terminology and process data

• Creating the Current State Map

• Analysing waste and process performance

• Designing the Future State Map

• Improvement planning and implementation

Who Should Attend

• Operations, Manufacturing, Plant and Site Directors

• General Managers and Heads of Operations, Production and Engineering

• Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Leaders

• Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Practitioners