Business Process Improvement Using Lean Methodology and Value Stream Mapping

Abstract

Many organizations obtain the latest technology and hire skillful staff in order to deliver services to their valued customer. There are three Critical Success Factors (CSF) that are essential for the success of any organization. These factors are technology, people and process. They work together to provide quality service and sustain performance. Organizations should ensure these elements are there to improve services quality and delivery. Organizations should step back and analyze their CSFs and investigate which ones require improvement. The thesis studied one of the data centers that facilitate computing hosting infrastructure and its related components such as network, power supply and storage. There was a gradual degradation in efficiency as technology changed dramatically from legacy mainframe to client server architecture. This research focused on evaluating one of the provided services which is Windows-based servers’ commissioning process. The process was examined to explore its defects and remove non-value added activities from it in order to improve its service delivery. Lean methodology and Value Stream Mapping (VSM) tool were used to analyze the current state (“As-Is process”) and develop the future state (“To-Be process”). The data of this research was collected from a leading Saudi Arabian company, by using sample records from its Online Service Request (OSR) tracking system and by applying Lean methodology via conducting several Lean events. Nine Lean events were held with 18 Subject Matter Experts (SME) to analyze the current state (“As-Is process”), identify waste and develop the future state (To-Be process”). Lean techniques such as Fishbone, Supply Input Process Output Customer (SIPOC), Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), 5 Whys and Minitab statistical tool were used to identify the root causes of waste in the current state. Two types of wastes were indentified waiting time waste and inventory waste. The study enabled a detailed analysis of Windows-based server commissioning process. The results showed that the target deployment time for server commissioning was not achieved. One of the important results of this study showed how the Lean and value stream mapping improved the process of Windows-based servers commissioning time by reducing two types of waste; waiting time and inventory waste. The thesis details recommendations to achieve these results.