Operators have much to gain by using lean in transactional processes.
Clearly communicating how and when processes flow in a transactional world may be one of the most difficult challenges that a lean facilitator faces while transforming an organization to a lean enterprise. Operators on the manufacturing floor quickly recognize flow and problems that exist when presented with a value stream map (VSM) set. Yet, bring this same technique into the office and it often feels like trying to climb Mt. Everest. Employees that deal with paper, or transactional processes, often fail to recognize that a process actually exists.