Waste Reduction
In large companies, even a little waste by each employee adds up. Let’s dive into how to identify and reduce waste during this short post.
Waste in the Organization
The Lean Methodology is all about reducing waste. Waste happens every day, and in a myriad of ways. In any organization, this could be the duplication of work when team members unknowingly tackle the same task or creating reports that no one reads. This type of waste should be minimized. However, not all waste can be eliminated. For example, waiting for essential software updates or system maintenance may still be required despite causing delays in your workflow. The best we can do in this situation is to minimize the impact. In this section, you will learn to identify waste in your role and how to minimize or eliminate it.
Waste is anything that consumes resources but brings no value to the end customer.
Reducing Waste
Now that we know what waste is and how to identify it, let’s take it a step further and develop a plan to reduce waste.
- Recall the definition of “waste”
- Identify examples of waste
- Recall how you can reduce waste
How to Reduce Waste
| Step | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Waste Reduction |  | Waste is anything created that does not add value to the end customer. |
| Step 1 |  | To identify waste in your own role, think of where you spend the most time on a weekly basis. List out the steps needed to complete the task. |
| Step 2 |  | For each process step, consider the inputs and outputs. For example, if the process step is reaching out to the candidate to schedule an interview, the output is the successful schedule and your inputs are calendar times, email, availability with everyone involved, etc. |
| Step 3 |  | Review your process and ask yourself why it has to be done this way. Why do you do this step? Can it be done differently or more efficiently? Is part of your process reaching out multiple times to get information? Are there places in the process where you are doing rework? What causes defects/rework? Are you over-processing, etc.? These questions will help you identify waste in your role. |
| Step 4 |  | Once you have identified your waste, narrow down what you want to improve, brainstorm actions, implement, and then verify whether the updated process is in place. Measure your improvement to ensure progress. If you see that the improved process sustains, document your steps and celebrate your victory. If there is no change, repeat the above steps and find another solution. This process should continue iteratively. |
| Step 5 |  | When you identify a way to reduce waste, make sure you share the good news. Improved processes should be adopted across the organization. Work with your team and manager to figure out the best way to share your waste reduction. The only way to upskill your organization is to identify ways to reduce waste, and your contribution will be important. |
| Step 6 |  | There is always waste to reduce in a process. Even after you have completed your waste reduction effort, decide on an inspection mechanism. Make sure your process sustains and is still the right waste reduction solution at 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day check-ins |