Value-adding work, or a value-added activity, transforms inputs into outputs that customers consider useful and important. External customers demonstrate value through willingness to pay. section 2.11
Classify production activities by their direct contribution to customer value:
- Value-adding work directly creates the desired product or service; API analysis, design, coding, and documentation are examples. section 2.11
- Value-enabling work does not create the finished product directly but supports value-adding work under current conditions; acceptance and security testing are examples. section 2.11
- Waste, or nonvalue-adding work, consumes resources without contributing anything customers value, such as waiting for a colleague. section 2.11
Improving an API value stream
Process mapping with value stream mapping techniques identifies wasteful activities to eliminate and value-adding activities to improve. This supports APIOps improvements for long API design lead times, documentation problems, and consistency problems. section 2.14
