One of the basic concepts in Lean thinking, if not thé underlying concept, is the concept of “waste”. A recent discussion on LinkedIn made me rethink the way in which I treat this important notion when working on improvements with client teams. The discussion centered around the translation of the word “muda” meaning “unnecessary”, and whether this should be the criterion for labeling an activity as “waste”. In my work I do look at “necessary” vs “unnecessary” but I do not consider it the main criterion for identifying targets for improvement, thereby lowering cost and reducing lead times. I will try to explain my standpoint in this post.
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