7 Types of Waste - Lean Six Sigma Glossary

Lean methodology is a process improvement approach that emphasizes the elimination of waste and the maximization of value in order to improve efficiency and productivity. One of the key concepts in Lean is the identification and elimination of seven types of waste, often referred to as the “Seven Mudas”. These 7 types of waste are non-value-adding activities that consume resources without providing any benefit to the customer. By identifying and eliminating these wastes, organizations can improve their processes and performance.

The 7 Types of Waste are;

Overproduction
Waiting
Defects
Excess Inventory
Motion
Over processing
Transport

The 7 Types of wastes are briefly described below.

Overproduction

When an organisation produce more goods or services than needed, it leads to overproduction. Such overproduction can lead to increased costs and inventory, and can also cause delays in delivery. In addition, overproduction can result in lower quality, as defects may go unnoticed in an excess of goods. To prevent overproduction, organizations should aim to produce only what is needed and only when it is needed.

Waiting

Waiting occurs when there is a delay between different stages of a process, causing a bottleneck and slowing down the overall flow of the process. Such waiting is the result of lack of resources, equipment breakdowns, or poor communication. It leads to increased lead time, higher costs, and lower quality. To reduce waiting, organizations should aim to improve communication and coordination between different stages of the process and to have a reliable supply of necessary resources.

Defects

Defects are errors or mistakes that occur during the production process, leading to wasted time, money, and resources. Such defects can also lead to dissatisfied customers and lost business. To reduce defects, organizations should aim to identify and eliminate the root causes of defects, by implementing quality control processes, and regularly monitoring the production process for errors.

Excess Inventory

Excess inventory is the excess of raw materials, work-in-progress or finished goods inventory that are not immediately needed. It leads to increased costs and can also create safety hazards and take up unnecessary space. To reduce excess inventory, organizations should aim to reduce lead times and implement just-in-time (JIT) inventory management techniques.

Unnecessary Motion

Unnecessary motion occurs when employees make unnecessary or excessive movements in the course of their work. It leads to wasted time and energy, and can also lead to injuries. To reduce unnecessary motion, organizations should aim to optimize the layout of the workspace, and to design the process in such a way that the employees are moving in the most efficient way possible.

Over-processing

Over-processing occurs when processes use more steps or resources than are necessary to produce a product or provide a service. This can lead to increased costs and lower quality. To reduce over-processing, organizations should aim to streamline processes, and eliminate any steps that do not add value to the product or service.

Unnecessary Transport

Unnecessary transport occurs when products or materials are moved more than necessary in the course of the production process. It leads to wasted time, energy, and resources. To reduce unnecessary transport, organizations should aim to optimize the layout of the workspace, and to design the process in such a way that products and materials are transported only when necessary.

Overall, the identification and elimination of the 7 types of waste is a crucial aspect of Lean methodology. By reducing these 7 types of waste, organizations can improve their processes, increase efficiency and productivity, and provide higher quality products and services to their customers. They should aim to focus on the process, continuously improving it by identifying and eliminating waste from the process. Moreover, it’s important to implement a culture of continuous improvement, where we encourage everyone in the organisation to identify and eliminate waste in their daily work.

8^th Waste

Initially, these were 7 Type of wastes. The 8^th waste, Non Utilisation of talent, was recently added keeping in mind the adoption of Lean methodology in service industry and the current business scenario. Please read about the 8^th waste here (opens in a new tab).

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Sachin Naik

Passionate about improving processes and systems | Lean Six Sigma practitioner, trainer and coach for 14+ years consulting giant corporations and fortune 500 companies on Operational Excellence | Start-up enthusiast | Change Management and Design Thinking student | Love to ride and drive