To physically measure the distance traveled in a value stream, you (and/or your mapping team) must get out into the process, walk each path, and document what you find. Although the only way to ensure that the distance you report is accurate is to staple yourself to a unit of work or to an individual employee (if you are measuring the travel distance of the employees), the methods for gathering the actual data vary. The three most common ways to physically measure travel distance are described in the following paragraphs.