Outlining the Seven Wastes

Waste is the use of any material or resource beyond what the customer requires and is willing to pay for.

One of the key steps in Lean and Toyota Production System (TPS) is the identification of those steps which add value and those that do not. By classifying all the process activities into these two categories it is then possible to start actions for improving the former and eliminating the latter.

Shigeo Shingo, a co-developer of TPS, observed that it's only the last turn of a bolt that tightens it - the rest is just movement. This level of refined 'seeing' of waste has enabled his team to cut car body die changeover time to less than 3% of its duration in the 1950s as of 2010. This focus has been called “Single Minute Exchange of Die” or SMED; within TPS. When we applied this in the NHS I coined the phrase “Just a Minute”; because it was more patient focused and friendlier. 

The following "seven wastes" identify resources which are commonly wasted. They were identified by Toyota's Chief Engineer, Taiichi Ohno as part of the TPS. Subsequently an eighth waste has been identified; which is particularly relevant in a service environment.

The Seven Wastes

1. Overproduction
* More information than the customer needs
* More information than the next process needs
* Creating reports no one reads
* Making extra copies

2, Transportation
* Retrieving or storing files
* Carrying documents to and from shared equipment
* Taking files to another person
* Going to get signatures

3. Motion
* Searching for files
* Extra clicks or key strokes
* Clearing away files on the desk
* Gathering information
* Looking through manuals and catalogs
* Handling paperwork

4. Waiting (for…)
* Faxes
* The system to come back up
* Copy machine
* Customer response
* A handed-off file to come back

5. Processing
* Creating reports
* Repeated manual entry of data
* Use of outdated standard forms
* Use of inappropriate software

6. Inventory
* Files waiting to be worked on
* Open projects
* Office supplies
* E-mails waiting to be read
* Unused records in the database

7. Defects
* Data entry error
* Pricing error
* Missing information
* Missed specifications
* Lost records

8. Talent
“We know what needs to be done.  We tell management, but they don’t listen.”
“Why do we have managers doing the work?”
“Why am I never asked, I have good ideas”
“It’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys”

Be wary of Hanlon’s Razor:
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."