In a few words
A process is defined as a set of interrelated or interacting activities that uses inputs to produce a desired result.
All activities within a process interact through a flow that can also be called a series of movements. This can be information movement, material movement or people movement.
The physical representation of these different flows/movements is called the “spaghetti diagram.”
The spaghetti diagram is therefore a mapping tool used to represent the flow of information, materials, or people. It can also trace the path visitors take through a museum or park…
For example: visualize and measure the time it takes to move products from station A to station B? What’s the path taken? Is it the most efficient?
The spaghetti diagram is an excellent lean management tool that will allow you to easily identify unnecessary trips that are pure waste.
Elimination of waste is of course one of the main goals of lean management, making the spaghetti diagram an important tool in your continuous improvement process.
Its name comes from the resemblance of the first flow pattern to a spaghetti dish, because most of the time, the flows intermingle.