A classic example of the value stream map is the creation of a cola can, described by James Womack and Daniel Jones in Lean Thinking.
The authors depict the sequence of all the activities that go into its production from mining bauxite ore, through its transformation into aluminum sheets as it progresses through a mill, smelter, and a series of rollers; transportation to the can producer, bottler, store, and a number of warehouses along the way; until it finally reaches the customer’s home.
Tracing the can’s step by step progression from its most basic elements to its final form and destination makes visible the substantial delays, extra effort, and other wastes that fall between actual processing steps.
In total, the vast majority of time more than 99 percent is spent waiting, with its materials handled more than 30 times, stored and retrieved 14 times, palletized 4 times with 24 percent of the material never making it to the customer