There are 8 wastes of lean that an organization should be working to reduce or eliminate.   By eliminating waste an organization can not only cut costs but can free up resources to work on other higher value problems.  Waste is anything that does not directly add value in the eyes of the customer.

8 wastes of lean

  1. Defects: products or information that are incomplete or inaccurate.
  2. Overproduction: Making more of something or making it faster than is needed.
  3. Waiting: Waiting for information, equipment, materials, parts or people.
  4. Non-Utilized Talent: Not properly utilizing a persons experience, skills, knowledge or creativity.
  5. Transportation: Unnecessary movement of materials, information, people, or equipment.
  6. Inventory: Accumulation of parts, information, applications, beyond what is required by the customers real needs.
  7. Motion: Any movement by people that does not add to the value
  8. Excess Processing: Any steps that do not add value in they eyes of the customer.