What is a Value Stream Manager?

My role as a value stream manager is to increase the work throughput that flows through our development practices while reducing the drag or problematic areas that may arise during the normal development processes. In short, it’s my job to pinpoint areas of improvement and act on them.

If you’re a new value stream manager, you would begin this process by mapping out the value stream from the very beginning all the way through design, analysis, development, test, QA, prod, and release. Then, work with your team to identify gaps and misunderstandings. This value stream map is the primary tool I use to analyse our delivery pipeline.

Once you have it diagrammed, transform your value stream into the value stream management product of your choice that’s able to integrate with all your tools and follow those items through your value stream. Then, you can easily spot problems in your value stream, diagnose them, and work out a plan of action. A value stream management tool not only allows you to visualize the value stream, but it tracks metrics like lead time, cycle time, and mean time to recovery, making it even easier to measure improvement.

Watch the video below to learn more about what it takes to become a value stream manager.