Spaghetti Charts

A spaghetti chart is a visual depiction of the flow of a person through their workstation. The spaghetti chart may also be used to depict the flow of information and materials as well.

Typically, the chart is done on a Standard Work Sheet, mostly out of convenience. The sheet may already be available with the work area’s layout drawn in, and it has a grid on it to make drawing the spaghetti chart easier.

It earns its name based on the amount of scribble that happen as a person walks around their cell. As they walk, the observer follows their movements with his pen. In many cases, the movement is so extensive that the paper resembles a bowl of spaghetti.

Spaghetti charts are great for marketing Lean efforts to non-supporters. Few tools show the stark before and after comparisons that a spaghetti chart does.