Most value stream maps are static drawings. They’re useful for capturing a snapshot of how a part of a process flows, but they exist separately from the rest of the system, the actual instructions that run the process, the data that describes it, and the people improving it. Once drawn, they go out of date quickly and offer little ongoing analytical value.

The Map in Threaded is different. It’s the data model that connects your work instructions, performance data, and process structure into a single, connected and evolving system. Rather than a picture of your process, the Map is an executable description of it. Because it’s connected to your Work Instructions and performance data, it can be analyzed, queried, and continuously improved with your team and AI.

#Key Concepts

Process Nodes are the building blocks of the Map. Each node represents a step or group of steps in your manufacturing process—from a single workstation to an entire production line. Nodes connect to each other to form a value stream, mapping how inputs flow through your process to become finished products.

There are three types of nodes:

Build nodes — individual operations where work is performed. These capture performance data (cycle times, operators, yield, uptime) and connect directly to Work Instructions.
Group nodes — containers that organize Build nodes into logical groups such as cells, lines, or departments. Group nodes roll up metrics from all nodes beneath them, giving you a system-level view of performance at any level of the hierarchy.
Inventory nodes — represent material flow points between operations. Used to model buffer stock, FIFO queues, or Kanban systems, inventory nodes calculate inventory time and contribute to total throughput time across the value stream.

The recursive structure is one of the Map’s most powerful characteristics. Your entire factory, its production lines, individual cells, and specific operations all live in the same artifact—just at different levels of the hierarchy. Zoom out to see the full value stream; zoom in to see a specific workstation and its procedures. Changes at any level propagate automatically up through the hierarchy, so updating a cycle time in a single operation instantly updates the rollup for the line, the department, and the factory.

Work Instructions are built in. Each Build node connects directly to the Work Instructions for that operation. Process plan data — cycle times, operator requirements, lot sizes — flows up from your Work Instructions into the Map automatically, ensuring your process map and your documentation always reflect the same reality. For more on how Work Instructions work in Threaded, see Work Instructions.

#Building Your Map

#Adding Process Nodes

Process nodes can be added from the sidebar or directly on the Map canvas. In the sidebar, click the 6-dot menu over any group or process node and select Add Process Node. On the Map canvas, click the + buttons that appear between nodes to add new steps in the flow.

#Grouping and Organizing Nodes

Nodes can be grouped to reflect how your operation is physically or logically organized. Select multiple nodes using Cmd/Ctrl + Click, then click “Group” in the toolbar to create a group. Groups can be named and nested within other groups to mirror your actual facility layout. You can also drag and drop process nodes into each other to facilitate grouping.

To ungroup, select a group node and click Ungroup. Child nodes move up to the group’s parent level.

#Splitting Nodes

Complex operations can be split into sequential steps using the Split function. Select a Build node and click Split in the toolbar, and the node becomes a group containing child nodes that you can configure independently. This is useful for breaking down complex operations for better line balancing analysis. You can also add one or more process nodes under any process node in the sidebar to change it from a single node into a group. Note that any data previously entered directly on that node will be replaced by the rolled-up data of its group.

#Inventory Nodes

Inventory nodes model material flow between operations. Hover over the connection line between two nodes and click + to add an inventory node. Three standard inventory node types are available: Buffer, FIFO, and Kanban. Each has configurable parameters for its inventory type that contribute to throughput time calculations.

#Performance Data

The Map maintains two parallel sets of performance data that can be compared to identify gaps between the manufacturing plan and floor reality.

#Process Plan

Process Plan data reflects the engineered target performance for each operation. This data flows automatically from your Work Instructions — when cycle times and operator requirements are entered in a procedure’s work steps, they appear as Process Plan data on the Map. This ensures your process documentation and your process map stay in sync.

#Actuals

Actual performance data is entered directly on the node cards in the Map view. Click on any Build node to open its data entry card and enter observed values for Operator C/T, Machine C/T, Lot Size, Yield, Uptime, and Operators. Switch between Process Plan and Actuals views using the Layers menu in the Map toolbar. Tighter integration for automatic updates is possible with the Transform plan.

Comparing Plan vs Actuals helps you identify where your process is performing as designed and where gaps exist, which is the starting point for targeted improvement.

#Metrics and Rollups

Each Build node calculates and displays:

Cycle Time — the governing time or rate of the build node (maximum of Operator C/T and Machine C/T)
Effective C/T — cycle time adjusted for yield, uptime, and lot size
Operators — headcount required

Group nodes roll up from their children:

Effective Unit C/T — combined effective cycle time across the group
Throughput Time — total processing time plus inventory time
RTY — Rolled Throughput Yield across all operations
Operators — total headcount across the group

#Summary Statistics

The Summary Statistics tab provides a chart-based view of your value stream’s performance, accessible alongside the Map and Work Instructions tabs. It includes a line balancing chart with takt time, automatic constraint identification, and a side-by-side comparison of Process Plan targets vs. actual performance data. For the full reference on line balancing, takt time configuration, and performance statistics, see Process Plan and Statistics.

#AI Analysis

Because the Map is a connected data model rather than a static drawing, the AI Assistant can reason about your entire process system—not just individual operations. Ask the AI to identify your primary constraint, analyze line imbalances, suggest how to redistribute work across operators, or estimate the impact of a process change before you make it.

@mentioning specific process nodes or groups in the AI chat focuses the analysis on that part of your value stream. For more on using the AI Assistant with your process data, see The AI Assistant.

The Map