Tools for recording and analyzing data will help you to organize, understand, and present the changes you are looking at making.

About Lean Tools

As you delve deeper into Lean principles and take on more complex projects, you will need more advanced tools to record and analyze data. We will look at some of those tools in this session. This is only an introduction; you may need more education to be able to create and use these tools properly.

The first tool that we will look at is a flow chart. You have likely seen or used these before: they literally draw out a process or system. For this reason they are often called system or process maps. We are going to start with a very basic chart, but keep in mind that Lean flow charts can get quite complex. 

Types of Symbols

Most flowcharts are made up of three main types of symbols.

Elongated circles signal the beginning or end of a process.

Rectangles show actions or instructions.

Diamonds show the part of the process where decisions are made.

Within each symbol is a word or short phrase that describes the action that takes place at that step. Symbols are connected one to the other by arrows, showing the flow of the process.

These are only the basic symbols; many other symbols can be used. However, since a flowchart is a communication tool, it is important to use symbols that readers will understand.

Creating the Flow Chart

To create a flowchart, start by brainstorming tasks and organizing them in the sequence they occur. Ask yourself questions like, “What happens next?” and “Is there a decision to be made before moving to the next step?” When identifying areas for process improvement, seek input from the individuals who perform the work.

Be mindful that a flowchart can become complex and span multiple pages. If this happens, consider dividing the processes into smaller charts or using connector symbols to indicate where a task continues or starts on the next page. Connectors can also help trace back to repeat a step.