Waste Log (8 Wastes)

How to use the Waste Log (8 Wastes)

The waste log records each waste you see against the eight wastes, often remembered as TIMWOODS: Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Over-processing, Defects and Skills (unused talent).

1. Walk the area and record each waste with its location and an estimate of time or cost.
2. Tag each entry with its waste type.
3. Review the totals by type to choose where to improve first.

Worked example

A 30-minute walk in a dispatch area logs 17 wastes: 6 waiting (no labels printed), 5 motion (tape guns kept in one place) and 3 transport (pallets double-handled). Labels printed at order release and a tape gun at each bench remove 11 of them within a week.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Logging wastes without any time or cost estimate.
• Treating it as a blame list.
• Recording office and admin wastes too seldom; they are often the largest.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 8 wastes of lean?

Transport, Inventory, Motion, Waiting, Overproduction, Over-processing, Defects and unused Skills (TIMWOODS).

Which waste is the worst?

Overproduction, because it creates most of the others: extra inventory, transport, storage and hidden defects.

Does the waste log work in offices?

Yes. Waiting for approvals, re-keying data and searching for files are all common office wastes.