ErgoVSM Methodology

The Rother & Shook methodology (depicted in Figure 2) is widely utilized for implementing VSM in organizations, as highlighted by Faulkner & Badurdeen (2014). Consequently, Jarebrant, Hansen, et al. (2016), Jarebrant, Winkel et al. (2016), Suryoputro et al. (2017), and López-Acosta et al. (2019) base their work on these four key steps to apply ErgoVSM: preparation, mapping the current state, defining the future state, and designing and executing the action plan. Here is a brief explanation of each stage.

Figure 1: Workflow of the ErgoVSM Methodology Stages

1. Preparation:

• Focus: The main area or process to be examined is decided.
• Commitment: The organization shows full support at all levels, dedicating necessary resources.
• Flow Selection: The specific workflow or process to be mapped is chosen.
• Multidisciplinary Team: Experts from different backgrounds and roles come together to provide insights.

During the preparation stage of ErgoVSM, the project’s focus is determined, the organization commits to the process, the workflow is selected, and a diverse team collaborates to move forward.

2. Current State Mapping:

In this stage, operations are examined using VSM to understand the present condition of the processes, incorporating the chosen ergonomic tools (López-Acosta et al., 2019). Here’s a simplified breakdown:

• Activity Time: The time taken for each activity is estimated and recorded.
• Ergonomic Evaluation: Evaluation of ergonomic factors is conducted to assess their impact.
• Data Collection: Relevant data is gathered during the mapping process.
• Identifying Opportunities: Areas of improvement and opportunities for enhancements are identified.
• Generating Improvement Ideas: Ideas and suggestions for enhancing the current state are developed (Jarebrant, Winkel et al., 2016).

During the Current State Mapping stage of ErgoVSM, operations are analyzed using VSM, focusing on activity time estimation, ergonomic evaluation, data collection, identifying opportunities, and generating Improvement ideas.

3. Future State Definition:

After identifying issues in the current state, the next step is to create solutions that integrate Ergonomics in the future state (Jarebrant, Hanse, et al., 2016). Here’s a simplified breakdown:

1. Addressing Issues: Solutions are developed to address the identified problems from the current state analysis.
2. Ergonomic Integration: Ergonomic improvement ideas are incorporated into the future state of VSM.
3. Economic Considerations: Economic risks arising from changes should be taken into account during the process (López-Acosta et al., 2019).
4. Two-Way Process: According to Rother & Shook, the mapping of the current state triggers the emergence of future state ideas. This is why the arrows go both ways in the process (see Figure 1).
5. Simultaneous Progress: Sometimes, the distinction between the current and future state becomes blurred, and the steps may start happening simultaneously (Rother & Shook, 2009).

In summary, during the Future State Definition stage of ErgoVSM, solutions are developed for identified issues, ergonomic improvements are integrated, economic considerations are taken into account, and the process involves a continuous interplay between the current and future states.

Design and Execution of Improvement Plan:

This stage focuses on implementing the improvement plan to achieve the desired future state. Here’s a breakdown in simplified points:

1. Implementation Schedule: An implementation schedule is established for each action in the improvement plan (Jarebrant, Winkel, et al., 2016).
2. Activity Evaluation: Changes made to the process are evaluated, specifically examining how they impact workers and activities at workstations (López-Acosta et al., 2019).
3. Lean Manufacturing Principles: Lean Manufacturing aims to find more agile, flexible, and cost-effective ways to carry out tasks (Hernandez-Matias & Vizan-Idoipe, 2013).
4. Continuous Improvement: To achieve continuous improvement, it is essential to redraw the future state stream map once the future state becomes the current state. This allows for renewed value chain improvements (Rother & Shook, 2009).
5. Implementation Stages: Sakthi et al. (2019) propose the following stages for implementation: a) Preparation, b) Current state mapping, c) Definition of the improvement plan, d) Execution of the final plan, e) Evaluation of results, f) Learning identification, and g) Continuing the continuous improvement cycle.

To sum it up, during the Design and Execution of the Improvement Plan stage in ErgoVSM, an implementation schedule is established, changes are evaluated, Lean Manufacturing principles are applied, continuous improvement is emphasized, and a structured implementation process with specific stages is followed.

Similarities in Methodologies:

1. Preparation and Key Indicators: Both methodologies emphasize the importance of project preparation and the selection of key indicators and team members.
2. Building the Current State: Both methodologies involve mapping the current state of the process to gather information and identify areas of opportunity.

Differences in Methodologies:

1. Future State Definition: Rother and Shook (2009) emphasize the need to define the desired future state before making process changes, while Sakthi et al. (2019) suggest defining the improvement plan based on the current state data and identified areas of opportunity.
2. Importance of Future State: Rother and Shook (2009) consider defining the future state as crucial, serving as a guideline for improvement actions. This contrasts with Sakthi et al. (2019), who do not prioritize defining the future state.
3. Evaluation of Future State: Jarebrant, Hanse, et al. (2016) highlights the importance of evaluating the future state before implementing changes to ensure desired indicator improvements. They also emphasize sharing the future state mapping with workers to encourage participation and generate additional improvement ideas.

In summary, the methodologies share similarities in the initial preparation and current state mapping steps. However, they differ in their approach to defining the future state, with Rother and Shook prioritizing its definition, while Sakthi et al. focus on building the current state before defining the improvement plan. Jarebrant, Hanse, et al. highlight the evaluation of the future state and the involvement of workers in the process.

Distribution by Country, Year, and Type

The Nordic Council countries, including Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, have made notable contributions with a total of 19 products related to ErgoVSM. In addition to these countries, the Nordic Council also includes Finland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Their collective aim is to establish the region as the most sustainable and integrated in the world (The Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers, 2018).

Outside of the Nordic Council, ErgoVSM has been recognized as a relatively new tool that started gaining attention in 2013. It has been utilized in various countries, such as Brazil (Pereiro da Silva & Goncalves-Amaral, 2019), the United States (Aqlan et al., 2013), the United Arab Emirates (Kim, 2017), Indonesia (Suryoputro et al., 2017), India (Sakthi et al., 2019), and Mexico (Arce et al., 2018; López-Acosta et al., 2019).

Within Lean Manufacturing, there are several tools available, and one tool that stands out as crucial is Value Stream Mapping (VSM) (Madariaga-Neto, 2018). According to Rother & Shook (2009), VSM encompasses all the necessary actions, both value-added and non-value-added, for product production. VSM uses a graphical model to visually represent the material flows within a company’s processes. This representation helps identify the value chain and highlight areas where waste is most prevalent (Hernandez-Matias & Vizan-Idoipe, 2013).

While Ergonomics has collaborated with disciplines like engineering and medicine since the 1970s (Obregon-Sanchez, 2016), the popularity of the VSM methodology in Western countries began around 1998 (Madariaga Neto, 2018). However, most of the publications on ErgoVSM are relatively recent, spanning from 2010 to 2019, suggesting that the methodology can be considered relatively new. The majority of works in this area have been presented at conferences, with fewer publications in research journals. It is worth noting that there is only one book available specifically dedicated to the ErgoVSM methodology.

Figure 2. Distribution of products by country

Figure 3. Distribution of products by year and type of publication

Lean Manufacturing Tools Used

Lean manufacturing encompasses various tools that are used for achieving continuous improvement. These tools can be applied individually or in combination, depending on the specific needs identified within an organization (Hernandez-Matias & Vizan-Idoipe, 2013).

When it comes to the application of ErgoVSM in the industrial sector, approximately 80% of the cases have utilized Lean Manufacturing tools to support the implementation. However, it should be noted that in the healthcare sector, the use of additional continuous improvement tools is not explicitly indicated.

Here is the information organized in a table format:

Table 1. Lean Manufacturing tools used in ErgoVSM

SIPOC Tool:

• The SIPOC diagram was the most commonly used tool, applied by Aqlan et al. (2013) and López-Acosta et al. (2019).
• SIPOC is a process diagram that identifies suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, and customers.
• Its application allowed researchers to understand the manufacturing process, identify and analyze ergonomic risks, and gather relevant information.

Gemba Walk:

• Gemba Walk was utilized by Arce et al. (2018) and Sakthi et al. (2019) to complement ErgoVSM in the current state mapping stage.
• Gemba Walk involves observing the actual production area, collecting data, and interviewing production workers.
• It helped researchers understand the processes, identify areas for improvement, and emphasize the importance of being present in the workplace for continuous improvement.

Kaizen:

• Kaizen, meaning continuous improvement, was the primary tool used for designing and executing the improvement plan.
• It was applied by López-Acosta et al. (2019) and Arce et al. (2018) to create Kaizen team works and address areas of opportunity in the process.
• Kaizen focuses on driving continuous improvement and achieving better productivity and ergonomic conditions.

Ergonomic Risks as Waste:

• Suryoputro et al. (2017) considered ergonomic risks as a type of waste within lean manufacturing.
• They emphasized the need to reduce or eliminate ergonomic risks similar to traditional waste in the methodology.
• This approach aligns with the perspective of including worker health goals and adopting inclusive and sustainable work design.

In summary, the SIPOC tool was used to understand the manufacturing process and identify ergonomic risks, while Gemba Walk facilitated process observation and improvement. Kaizen played a crucial role in the design and execution of improvement plans, and the consideration of ergonomic risks as waste highlighted the importance of addressing worker health and well-being in lean manufacturing approaches.

Check where “ErgoVSM applications“ are used in the next article

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