waste
Define
- Defects. Errors, bugs, rework, failures, misunderstandings.
- Overproduction. Making more than needed or earlier than needed (extra features, unnecessary outputs).
- Waiting. Idle time when people or systems wait (blocked work, slow approvals, slow CI).
- Non-Utilized Talent. Underusing people’s skills, knowledge, creativity (manual tasks engineers shouldn’t do).
- Transportation. Unnecessary handoffs or transfers between people, teams, systems (Dev → QA → Ops loops).
- Inventory. Work-in-progress that isn’t delivering value yet (open PRs, backlogs, half-finished work).
- Motion. Unnecessary movement or context switching (searching for info, tool hopping, interruptions).
- Extra Processing. Doing more work than necessary (over-engineering, excessive documentation, duplicate checks).
or
- Sort (Seiri) – Remove everything that’s unnecessary from the workspace.
Keep only what is essential for daily work and eliminate clutter that slows you
down.
- Set in Order (Seiton) – Arrange all necessary items so they are easy to
find, use, and return. Everything should have a designated place, and that place
should make logical sense.
- Shine (Seiso) – Clean the workspace thoroughly and regularly. Inspect
tools and equipment while cleaning to catch early signs of wear, misuse, or
needed repairs.
- Standardize (Seiketsu) – Create clear, repeatable procedures, schedules,
and visual guidelines that ensure the first three S’s are consistently
maintained.
- Sustain (Shitsuke) – Build the habit of following the standards every
day. Encourage discipline, training, and continuous improvement so the system
becomes a natural part of work.
| Describe
Measure
- Metrics
Analyze
- 5 Whys
Improve
- Steps taken to improve
Control
- SOP
- Value Stream
- WBR
- Input Metrics
- Output Metrics
- Routine
- Control Charts
- Checklists