Learning About Lean

Try It Yourself: Spot the 7 Wastes

The 7 Wastes (Muda) are common sources of inefficiency in work and life. They often go unnoticed — but once you learn to see them, you can start removing them.

This activity invites you to observe an everyday task and spot the types of waste that occur.

The 7 Wastes of Lean:

  1. Overproduction – Making more than needed

  2. Waiting – Idle time between steps

  3. Transport – Unnecessary movement of items

  4. Overprocessing – Doing more work than needed

  5. Inventory – Excess materials or information

  6. Motion – Excess movement by people

  7. Defects – Errors that require rework



Your Task:


  • Pick a process you know well (like getting ready for class, doing laundry, or grocery shopping).

  • Watch it in real time or think through the steps.

  • Write down where each waste might be happening.

Answer Key – 5 Whys Quiz

Q1: What is the purpose of the 5 Whys method?
✅ Correct Answer: To identify the root cause of a problem
📌 Asking “Why?” repeatedly helps move past symptoms and surface-level causes toward something actionable that can be improved.

Q2: When should you stop asking “Why?” during the 5 Whys process?
✅ Correct Answer: When you identify a cause that is within your control and can be addressed
📌 The goal is not to reach an arbitrary number or assign blame — it’s to reach the point where you can intervene meaningfully.

The 7 Wastes Answer Key

Q1: Which of these is a type of waste in Lean?
✅ Correct Answer: Overproduction
📌 Overproduction happens when more is made than needed or before it’s needed — leading to excess inventory, defects, or delay.

Q2: “Motion” waste refers to:
✅ Correct Answer: Unnecessary movement of people during a process
📌 This includes walking, reaching, or shifting frequently between tools or workstations — often overlooked but cumulative in cost.

Answer Key – Value Stream Mapping Quiz

Q1: What is the primary purpose of Value Stream Mapping?
✅ Correct Answer: To visualize a process and identify waste
📌 VSM maps out every step in a process to show how materials and information flow — highlighting delays, inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve.

Q2: Which of the following is least likely to appear on a value stream map?
✅ Correct Answer: Customer names
📌 VSM focuses on process elements like steps, inventory, wait times, and handoffs. Individual customer data is not typically included unless specifically relevant to process variation.

 

Answer Key – 5S Quiz

Q1:
❌ Incorrect Option: “Simplify”
✅ Correct Answer: Sort, Shine, Sustain are all part of 5S — Simplify is not.

Q2:
✅ Correct Answer: “Shine” means clean the workspace and inspect for problems.