Before developing the Future State Value Stream Map, what must the team calculate to determine whether the current process meets customer demand requirements?

To effectively determine whether the current process meets customer demand requirements, calculating Takt Time is essential. Takt Time is the amount of time available to produce a product or service in order to meet customer demand. It is calculated by dividing the available production time by the customer demand for that specific period.

This metric serves as a critical benchmark; it aligns production rates with customer needs, ensuring that products or services are delivered on time. By analyzing Takt Time, the team can identify whether the existing process is capable of meeting customer demands and how many resources are required to achieve that output level.

The other options present important aspects of process analysis but do not serve the same purpose as Takt Time in the context of aligning production capacity with customer demand. Total Cycle Time focuses on the time it takes to complete a cycle of operations, while Lead Time Variances assess the fluctuations in time taken to fulfill a request. The Forecast-to-Mean Demand Factor offers insights into demand variations rather than defining the direct match between overall production and demand. Therefore, Takt Time is the most relevant calculation prior to developing the Future State Value Stream Map.