TIMWOODS: The 8 Wastes of Lean Explained with Examples

In Lean methodology, waste (or "muda") is any activity that consumes resources without adding value for the customer. The TIMWOODS acronym captures all eight categories of waste.

T — Transport

Unnecessary movement of materials, products, or information between process steps. Example: shipping parts between factories when co-location would eliminate the need.

I — Inventory

Excess stock, work-in-progress, or finished goods beyond what is needed. Inventory hides problems and ties up capital. Example: maintaining three months of safety stock when demand is stable.

M — Motion

Unnecessary movement of people. Example: walking across the factory floor to collect tools that could be stationed at the workbench.

W — Waiting

Idle time when work is not being processed. This is often the largest source of waste. Example: a work order sitting in an approval queue for 48 hours.

O — Over-Processing

Performing more work than the customer requires. Example: polishing a surface that will be hidden inside the final product.

O — Over-Production

Producing more than is needed, or producing it earlier than needed. This is considered the worst waste because it triggers all other wastes.

D — Defects

Products or services that fail to meet specifications, requiring rework, scrap, or warranty claims. Example: data entry errors that require manual correction downstream.

S — Skills (Unused Talent)

Underutilising people's skills, knowledge, and creativity. Example: experienced engineers spending time on data entry instead of problem-solving.

Identifying Waste with MapVS

MapVS automatically classifies waste types in your value stream map and highlights stages with the highest waste impact. The analysis engine flags waiting waste, defect hotspots, and non-value-add steps that are candidates for elimination.