Spaghetti Diagram

Objective
Identify areas of waste (time, space, etc.) based on the route an individual/item takes within a process.
 

What is a Spaghetti Diagram?
A Spaghetti Diagram is used to identify areas of waste (time, space, etc.) based on the route an individual/item takes within a process. It is most useful for visualizing a route a person has traveled, while providing a larger overview of process steps to expose inefficient process layouts, unnecessary travel distance between process steps, and overall waste. This is a method that uses a continuous line to trace the path and distance traveled of an object or person throughout a process. It is mostly commonly illustrated on a floor map diagram that contains the entire process the team is evaluating.
 

1. Print out or draw an accurate diagram of the floor plan of the area that contains the process that the team is evaluating.
2. Go to the site to accurately identify the object or person the team wants to track and its starting point on the developed map.
3. Start drawing a line on the developed diagram and replicate the actual flow of the individual or object on the map and continue the line until the last step of the process. NOTE: Do not draw lines through walls as it does not realistically represent the actual flow of the object/person.
4. Utilize the diagram created to identify inefficiencies/waste – such as too many lines converging on one area at the same time, crossing paths, or taking unnecessarily long routes.