LSS Tool – The Spaghetti Diagram - ASQ Long Island Section

LSS Tool – The Spaghetti
Diagram

Agenda
• What is a Spaghetti Diagram
• Uses of a Spaghetti Diagram
• Examples of a Spaghetti Diagram
• How to put together a Spaghetti Diagram
• Spaghetti Exercise
• Questions

What is a Spaghetti Chart
• a.k.a “Physical Process Map”, “Point-to-Point Flow Chart”, or
“Work-flow Diagram”
• Used to Graphically Depict The Movement of the Product or
Documents (or people!) through a Process
An An Illustration of of a System’s Inefficiency

Spaghetti Chart to Identify Waste
• Differ from Detailed Process Maps and other Value Stream Maps
–Do not require sequential process steps
–Seek to highlight wasted motion
–Built around specific work area layouts
• Construction:
–Sketch current work area arrangement in detail
–Draw a line to describe every trip each person or unit makes from
one point to another
–As more trips are made, more lines are added
–The more wasteful/redundant trips, the thicker the chart is with
lines
Spaghetti Charts make poor layouts and wasted motion
obvious in the Value Stream Analysis.

Example Spaghetti Chart
Before
Could be:
•Movement of people walking around
•Movement of documents through an office
After
Spaghetti Charts make poor layouts and
wasted motion obvious.

Example Spaghetti Chart
MÜŞTERİ
SATIŞ KANALI
Nilay Tunç /
Işıl Arıcan /
Esra Çuhadar /
Ege Yükseloğlu /
Alev Önder / Sağlık
Nesrin Gülaydın /
Ayla Özdemir /
Toplantı Odası
Sağlık Teknik
Sağlık
Sağlık Teknik
Sağlık Teknik
Teknik
Sağlık Tazminat
Sağlık Tazminat
Muhasebe
BÖLGE
Bülent Ondur /
Aktüerya
Marion Hanım /
Aktüerya
Taşeron / MFK
Fotokopi Makinası
Yönetici
Oturma
Fotokopi Makinası
Nesrin Koçyiğit /
Hayat Teknik
Gülay Doğan / Hayat
Teknik
Şebnem Kaya /
Hayat Operasyon
Taşeron / MFK
Grubu
Operasyon
Burak Uygun /
Aktüerya
Sağlık Taminat
Semin Diren /
Tazminat
Emre Şenol / Hayat
Meral Öter / Hayat
Berkant Dişçigil /
Satış
Teknik
Teknik
Hayat Teknik
Aslı Berksoylu /
Sekreter
Tahsilat
Giriş
IPA
Printer
Olgun Küntay / Genel Müdür Yardımcısı
Oturma
Grubu
Müge Makaroğlu /
Hayat Tazminat
Şebnem Gündoğdu
/ Hayat Tazminat
Müşteri İlişkileri
Giriş
A. Giriş
Dolap
Sütun
Spaghetti Charts make poor layouts and
wasted motion obvious.

Spaghetti diagramming as part of Lean & 5S
• Construct a spaghetti diagram
• draw arrows depicting workflow
• optimize the movement of the product and employee
• revise your layout to minimize unnecessary motion
Before
After

Example :Central Processing Area -Before

Example :Central Processing Area -After

Spaghetti Chart Example - “Before”
‘As-Is’ Product Flow
Solder
Expense
Expense
Adhesive
Test
Incoming Material Racks
Tools
Desk
Column
Test
Desk
Drill Press
Oven
Alligator
Final Benches/Inspection
Paint

Test
Cab le/Fix ture
Cab ine t
Ex pense
Flammable
Cabinet
Hand Tools
Ex pense
Hand Tools
Spaghetti Chart Example - “After”
‘To-Be’ Product Flow
Paint Process Station 6 Station 5
3’ X 8 ’
Bench
3’ X 8’
Bench
3’ X 8’
Bench
3’ X 8 ’
Bench
3’ X 8 ’
Bench
Ex pense
Hand Tools
Ex pens e
Hand Tools
Ex pense
Hand Tools
Ex pense
Hand Tools
3’ X 8 ’
Bench
Oven
3’ X 8 ’
Bench
Ex pense
Hand Tools
Station 4
Station 7
Station 3
Drill
Press
Riv eter
Incoming
Material Cart
Station 1 Station 2

Spaghetti Chart Advice
• Don’t just draw one line for a route
– draw a line for every trip
• Color code
– to distinguish different people or products
• Look for differences
– by time of day, person, job function, etc.
• Construct a Spaghetti Chart as you walk the process
Use whatever is useful to aid communication and understanding.

Looking at Flow using Spaghetti Diagram
Does the product/process move from one value-adding step right to the next one
A Spaghetti Diagram as a track of the physical flow of a product
• Track the route of the product
• Measure the distance traveled
• Look for potential problems:
– Long route
– Confusing routes
– Back tracks/loop backs
– Crossing tracks
• The result of these problems may be:
– Long lead times
– Lost product
– Defects
– What else

Benefits of Spaghetti Charting
• Identifies Inefficiencies in Area/Plant Layout
• Identifies Opportunities For Less Handling
• Identifies Opportunities For Better Workforce
Communication
• Identifies Resource Allocation Opportunities
• Identifies Opportunities For Safety Improvements

Construction of a Spaghetti Chart
• Sketch or Obtain “Facility Layout, Map”
• “Become the Product”
– Walk the Process As if Your Were the Product (a requisition,
a specimen Tube, a file, etc.)
– Mark the Process Locations and Steps on the Layout
• Connect the Dots in Accordance With the Actual ‘Travel or Walk
Patterns’ -- use arrows to show workflow
• Calculate the Distance
• Revise layout to minimize unnecessary motion and conveyance
time
• Get concurrence on a new layout and implement it
Where is There Excessive or Unnecessary Movement

Current State Flow Spaghetti Diagram
Receiving
Shipping
Receive
Hanging racks
One per store
FG’s
Shelves
Bulk & boxed
Boiler
Bag
To store
Racks
Dry Clean
Press/Hang
Racks
Dry Clean
Inspect/Sort
Dry Clean
Spot
Dry
Cleaning
Machines
Shirt Racks
Laundry Flat Press
Laundry
Hand
finish
Laundry
Inspect/Sort
Roll in
basket
Laundry
Prep
Supply
Shelves
Laundry Press/Hang-shirts
Dryers
Washers
DC
L

What’s Wrong with this Flow
• There is no continuous flow
• Travel distance is long and time consuming
• The track is confusing
• There are a number of collision points
• It is difficult to determine what to work on next
• There are many opportunities for product to wait
• What else

Questions

Exercise
Spaghetti Exercise
(Handout)

Spaghetti Chart Exercise-
“Getting Lunch”
• Get lunch as directed by the provided SOP (handout)
• Use the Cafeteria Layout provided in the SOP
• Create a Spaghetti Diagram

Next Steps
•Form teams of 2 – 4 people :
•Get With Your Team and Identify Improvement Opportunities:
– How Can We Reduce Travel Distance
– How Can We Reduce Product Handling
– How Can We Layout the Process to Improve Workforce Communication
– Can We Positively Impact Employee Safety
– Develop Plans For Implementation
•Using a flipchart, re-layout the cafeteria to minimize travel through the
cafeteria in addition to reducing the opportunity for an accident.
•Choose a spokesperson to explain your improvements to the class.