A tentative integration of value stream mapping (VSM) and BPMN for improved process mapping

Abstract

To promote knowledge management and operations improvement, companies and organizations use different tools to map and analyze their processes, such as Value Stream Mapping (MFV) and Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN). However, each of these techniques has advantages and limitations, often requiring the same process to be mapped in more than one notation. To overcome this issue, this research aimed to explore how VSM and BPMN can be integrated for improving process mapping. Initially, we selected a business process for case study and mapped it with both VSM and BPMN notations. Then, we drawn a new process map using a tentative hybrid notation proposed by the authors that combine elements from both BPMN and VSM in a single depiction. For each process instantiation, we analyzed how the selected notation influences comprehension, treatment of complex processes, continuous improvement, and the use of performance metrics. Results show that the hybrid BPMN-VSM notation has the potential to overcome many limitations reported in literature regarding the individual use of VSM or BPMN, while preserving the most valued characteristics of both. Although further developments are still necessary, the use of the proposed hybrid notation proved to be a promising alternative for mapping complex processes. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to explore the possibility of a hybrid notation inspired from BPMN and VSM.