THE 8 WASTES OF LEAN

AND HOW TO GET RID OF THEM

Ivan Carillo
Do you want brilliant processes that:

+ Make simple flows

+ Waste minimum resources
+ Produce maximum output

At scale?

Then, start recognizing the 8 Wastes of

Lean - also referred to as TIMWOODS.

Waste is any action or step in a process that

doesn't add value to the customer.

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 Waste is any process that the customer
does not want to pay for.

Lean Thinking aims at reducing (or even

eliminating) waste from your processes.

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 1. TRANSPORT

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Transportation waste means moving
products or materials more than
necessary.

It doesn't add value.

It only increases the costs of the process.

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 Example:

Let's say you work in a restaurant, and

you want to make the process of making
burgers smoother.

You can keep all ingredients in one place.

Then, the cooks don't have to walk all

over the kitchen to get what they need.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?

Identify value streams

Optimize transport routes
Minimize product handlings
Adjust the physical layout and flow
Reduce moves from one area to others

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 2. INVENTORY

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 Inventory waste comes from excessive
stocks; it ties up your capital, and the
stock becomes outdated.

This means your:

+ Raw materials
+ Work-in-progress
+ Finished goods

sit unused while you make no profits from

them.

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 Example:

Picking up from the last example...

If you have too much, you're wasting

money on food that will eventually go to
waste.

If you have too little, you risk running out

of food as well as disappointing your
customers.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Eliminate unnecessary inventory
Emphasize just-in-time delivery
Implement inventory controls
Monitor customer demand
Implement pull systems
Reduce safety stocks

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 3.MOTION

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 It occurs when people or equipment
move unnecessarily during work
processes.

It leads to:

+ More fatigue
+ Low productivity
+ More quality errors

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 Example:

One way to reduce motion waste is to

design your kitchen so that everything is
within easy reach of your cooks.

This means they don't have to waste time

walking back and forth.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Standardize processes
Reduce manual handling
Minimize travel distances
Re-organize the workspaces
Train for efficient movements
Invest in ergonomic equipment

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 4.WAITING

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 This waste happens when people or
machines are idle due to delays in the
workflow.

It results in:
+ Lost time
+ Inefficiency
+ Increased lead times

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 Example:

Waiting waste is caused by waiting for

food to cook, for customers to order, or
for supplies to be delivered.

To reduce this waste, you could use a

point-of-sale system to take customer
orders and send them directly to the
kitchen.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Monitor & reduce waiting times
Unlock process bottlenecks
Enhance work scheduling
Use visual management
Set clear task priorities
Streamline workflows

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 5. OVERPRODUCTION

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 Overproduction occurs when you make
more of a product than the customer
needs or before the customers need it.

It leads to:

- Higher costs
- Excess inventory
- Wasted resources

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 Overproduction triggers other wastes to
appear.

That's the reason why it's called the King

of Waste.

Avoid this Domino effect at all costs.

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 Example:

During lunch hours, you might anticipate

a high demand for a specific type of
burger and make too many in advance.

One way to reduce this is to monitor

regular demand and then make the
burgers accordingly.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Avoid overstocking
Streamline processes
Implement pull systems
Monitor inventory levels
Use Just-in-Time methods
Optimize production schedules

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 6. OVERPROCESSING

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 This waste refers to:

+ Doing more work

+ Adding more components

+ Having more steps than required

It takes your focus off from activities that

add value.

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 Example:

When making burgers, you don't need to

grind the beef yourself.

You can buy pre-ground beef to save

time and money.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Implement standard operating procedures
Eliminate non-value-added activities
Tailor processes to requirements
Remove redundant steps

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 7. DEFECTS

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 Defects happen when there are mistakes
or quality issues in your product/service.

It leads to:
+ Rework
+ Delays
+ Unhappy customers

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 Example:

If you overcook a burger, you have to

throw it away.

Train your cooks properly and give them

clear instructions.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Implement quality control measures
Use mistake-proofing procedures
Identify & address root causes
Keep on monitoring quality
Train for error prevention
Promote standardization

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 8. SKILLS

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 This waste occurs when you don't
maximize your team's skills and ideas.

It’s like putting Lionel Messi on the bench

during the final half.

Example:

If you have a cook with experience

making gourmet burgers, you should put
them in charge of that task.

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 HOW TO GET RID OF IT?
Encourage cross-training
Support skill development
Match tasks to employee skills
Recognize and reward expertise
Foster a culture of continuous learning
Empower employees to suggest changes

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EXAMPLE SUMMARY
Transportation:
↳Move all of your raw materials to one
place.

Inventory:
↳Implement a just-in-time inventory
system.

Motion:
↳ Design your workplace with easy reach
in mind.

Waiting:
↳ Automate tasks wherever possible
Overprocessing:
↳Buy prerequisite material to save time
and money.

Over-Production:
↳Monitor demand and then adjust.

Defects:
↳Implement stand procedures and
quality checks.

Skills:
↳Put people in charge of tasks that
match their skills and experience.
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