DES turns your static value stream map into a running simulation. You watch work items enter the first stage, get processed, queue for the next, and exit - all animated on the canvas.
What it tells you
- Where queues build up (visible as items piling on a stage's input side).
- Where a stage starves (idle time waiting for the previous stage to hand off).
- How average throughput compares to your takt time.
- How sensitive the whole system is to individual stage variability.
Run one
- Open the map. Click Simulate in the icon row.
- Set the run length (default: 8 hours), demand rate (arrivals per hour), and choose Deterministic or Monte Carlo (statistical variation on cycle times).
- Click Start. The animation plays; the summary updates live.
Reading the results
Under the animation you'll see throughput, average lead time, average queue length per stage, and utilisation. In Monte Carlo mode you get confidence intervals from 100+ replications so you know how stable each metric actually is.
Available on
Pro plans and above. Free and Starter can view saved simulation results but not run new ones.