Makigami Diagram

Understanding Makigami Diagrams: Streamlining Administrative Processes

Makigami, which literally translates as “roll of paper” in Japanese, pronounces a distinct angle of process analysis, specifically designed for administration activities. Unlike the Value Stream Mapping methodology, suitable for production processes since it covers the pathway of physical products through stages, Makigami reflects the path of information during the administration related processes.

Key Steps in Creating a Makigami Diagram:

Defining the Process Scope:

• List each step or activity in the process as thoroughly as possible.
• List key players – departments, functions, or roles.
• Map these steps graphically, connect them by green arrows, which mean a flow forward, and red arrows when they have to be repeated.

Analyzing Information Flow and Carriers:

• Understand how information is shared within the process;
• Identify documents and systems with sources and destinations;
• Find where exactly the bottlenecks are and where inefficiencies lay.
• Use TIMWOODS: Transportation, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Overprocessing, Defects, Skills.

Identifying Quick Wins:

• Recognize opportunities for immediate improvements.
• The best Quick Wins are those that are neither expensive nor difficult and can have an impact on highly significant areas.
• The time of completion, the time of treatment, the time of added value, the transmission moments, the waiting time, and finally, the process cycle efficiency will all be evaluated.

Analyzing and Prioritizing Improvements:

• We examine the bottlenecks and wastes more carefully and capture them in the diagram.
• Based on projected return, improvements that can improve quality or place reduction in completion time should be prioritized.
• With customer value and organizational objectives in mind, planned improvements should be aligned.

Implementing Improvements with DMAIC:

• A step-by-step implementation technique called the DMAIC is a common method for making improvements.
• Continuous monitoring and control are required to oblige improvements.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Makigami diagrams present a systematic method of enabling administrative processes adequately, mostly targeting the flow of information and performance efficiency. Through this process and the subsequent measures of improvement, it is possible for organizations to make their processes flow efficiently, improve quality and, most importantly, meet consumer expectations satisfactorily.