Method guideOperations

Waste Analysis

A practical method guide: clarify prerequisites and materials, understand the complete process, and look up outputs, pitfalls, and stop criteria.

ComplexityLow

Time45-120 min

Participants2-8

FormatWorkshop

MaturityCanonical

Plan Waste Analysis

Prerequisite

What needs to be finished first

Complete firstClear boundary

Set one concrete value stream, customer, and desired outcome; observe actual work at gemba.

Without a boundary, cases, periods, or variables become mixed.

Complete firstEvidence access

Customer value, observed process, time/motion/inventory data, Muda-Mura-Muri matrix, and action log

Missing sources remain visible as uncertainty.

Preparation

What needs to be ready before start

Materials

Customer value, observed process, time/motion/inventory data, Muda-Mura-Muri matrix, and action log

People / roles

Frontline team · process/value-stream owner · customer perspective · facilitator · action owners

Pre-read

Set one concrete value stream, customer, and desired outcome; observe actual work at gemba.

Time needed

60–120 minutes for a bounded value stream; add gemba observation.

Setup

Prepare a workspace with Value · Observe · Classify · Prioritise · Test; separate example from live data.

Core question

The one question this method answers

Which work creates customer value, which waste is immediately avoidable, which is currently necessary, and which unevenness or overburden produces it?

Flow

Phases with goal, actions, output and pitfall

The flow is read along its value creation so wasteful activities can be distinguished from the actual contribution. Friction and detours become structural signals rather than individual blame. The analysis provides a basis for reducing effort while protecting quality.

Waste Analysis · working structure

Fictional example

Fictional values show the actual method fields.

Waste Analysis · working structure
Activity	Evidence	Muda	Mura	Muri	Cause	Test
Unit searchAdd evidence and rationale.	avg 7 min; 94m walk	Type 2	worse with slot clustering	lifting under time pressure	no presorting	pilot slot cart
Safety checkAdd evidence and rationale.	1.8 min; legally required	Type 1	stable	none	mandatory control	retain

1. Evidence
Unit search
avg 7 min; 94m walk
Safety check
1.8 min; legally required
2. Muda
Unit search
Type 2
Safety check
Type 1
3. Mura
Unit search
worse with slot clustering
Safety check
stable
4. Muri
Unit search
lifting under time pressure
Safety check
none
5. Cause
Unit search
no presorting
Safety check
mandatory control
6. Test
Unit search
pilot slot cart
Safety check
retain

All values are fictional.

Reference · original teaching example

1
Value
Value criterion
Goal
Value criterion: Define customer, outcome, and conditions under which an activity creates value.
Inputs for this step
- Set one concrete value stream, customer, and desired outcome; observe actual work at gemba.
- Customer value, observed process, time/motion/inventory data, Muda-Mura-Muri matrix, and action log
Actions
- Define customer, outcome, and conditions under which an activity creates value.
Output
Value criterion
Define customer, outcome, and conditions under which an activity creates value.
Quality check
Is value defined by the recipient rather than internal utilisation?
Pitfall
Every internally necessary activity is automatically called value. Test activity against customer outcome, transformation, and first-time-right.
Timing: 15–20 minutes
2
Observe
Observed flow
Goal
Observed flow: Capture steps, times, paths, inventory, interruptions, and strain in actual flow.
Inputs for this step
- Value criterion
Actions
- Capture steps, times, paths, inventory, interruptions, and strain in actual flow.
Output
Observed flow
Capture steps, times, paths, inventory, interruptions, and strain in actual flow.
Quality check
Were data gathered directly over several cases?
Pitfall
Workshop memory replaces observation. Walk several cycles with operators and mark gaps.
Timing: 30–45 minutes
3
Classify
Waste register
Goal
Waste register: Classify non-value work as Muda type 1 or 2, unevenness as Mura, and overburden as Muri.
Inputs for this step
- Observed flow
Actions
- Classify non-value work as Muda type 1 or 2, unevenness as Mura, and overburden as Muri.
Output
Waste register
Classify non-value work as Muda type 1 or 2, unevenness as Mura, and overburden as Muri.
Quality check
Is every classification evidenced by concrete behaviour and effect?
Pitfall
Eight wastes are checked off without system relation. Examine Muda with Mura and Muri; link cause and consequence.
Timing: 20–30 minutes
4
Prioritise
Priority
Goal
Priority: Assess risk, frequency, time, and relationships; choose system cause rather than visible symptom.
Inputs for this step
- Waste register
Actions
- Assess risk, frequency, time, and relationships; choose system cause rather than visible symptom.
Output
Priority
Assess risk, frequency, time, and relationships; choose system cause rather than visible symptom.
Quality check
Does priority address customer effect and system cause?
Pitfall
Largest time item is removed in isolation. Check dependencies, safety, and downstream effect before selection.
Timing: 15–25 minutes
5
Test
Improvement test
Goal
Improvement test: Run a small countermeasure with prediction, owner, guardrails, and review.
Inputs for this step
- Priority
Actions
- Run a small countermeasure with prediction, owner, guardrails, and review.
Output
Improvement test
Run a small countermeasure with prediction, owner, guardrails, and review.
Quality check
Does the test reduce waste without new Mura or Muri?
Pitfall
Local saving shifts work or overburden elsewhere. Compare end-to-end measures and strain before and after.
Timing: One or more operating cycles

Artifact

What comes out at the end

Sketch: what the artifact looks like

Lean Waste · 7 Wastes (TIMWOOD)Einen Prozess entlang typischer Verschwendungsarten beobachten, markieren, priorisieren und in Verbesserungen übersetzen

Form

Waste register with value relation, Muda type 1/2, Mura, Muri, evidence, cause, and prioritised experiment.

Versioning / ownership

Record date, owner, source state, and review date; preserve prior versions.

Tool alternatives

Gemba observation sheet
Muda-Mura-Muri register
Experiment and effect tracking

waste-analysis-working-template.md

Set subject, evidence, roles, flow, and review.

Waste Analysis: Worksheet

Question

To be confirmed

Desired outcome

To be confirmed

Scope

Complete run Time: 60–120 minutes for a bounded value stream; add gemba observation.

Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Materials: Customer value, observed process, time/motion/inventory data, Muda-Mura-Muri matrix, and action log
Roles: Frontline team · process/value-stream owner · customer perspective · facilitator · action owners
Advance information: Set one concrete value stream, customer, and desired outcome; observe actual work at gemba.
Overall time needed: 60–120 minutes for a bounded value stream; add gemba observation.
Setup: Prepare a workspace with Value · Observe · Classify · Prioritise · Test; separate example from live data.

Prepare for the work steps

Value: Value criterion

Set one concrete value stream, customer, and desired outcome; observe actual work at gemba.
Customer value, observed process, time/motion/inventory data, Muda-Mura-Muri matrix, and action log

Observe: Observed flow

Value criterion

Classify: Waste register

Observed flow

Prioritise: Priority

Waste register

Test: Improvement test

Priority

Waste Analysis · working structure

Activity	Evidence	Muda	Mura	Muri	Cause	Test
Unit search
Safety check

Unit search: Add evidence and rationale.
Safety check: Add evidence and rationale.

The blank worksheet contains prompts only.

Reference · original teaching example

Value: Value criterion

Expected artifact: Value criterion

Define customer, outcome, and conditions under which an activity creates value.

Entry:

...

Is value defined by the recipient rather than internal utilisation?

Observe: Observed flow

Expected artifact: Observed flow

Capture steps, times, paths, inventory, interruptions, and strain in actual flow.

Entry:

...

Were data gathered directly over several cases?

Classify: Waste register

Expected artifact: Waste register

Classify non-value work as Muda type 1 or 2, unevenness as Mura, and overburden as Muri.

Entry:

...

Is every classification evidenced by concrete behaviour and effect?

Prioritise: Priority

Expected artifact: Priority

Assess risk, frequency, time, and relationships; choose system cause rather than visible symptom.

Entry:

...

Does priority address customer effect and system cause?

Test: Improvement test

Expected artifact: Improvement test

Run a small countermeasure with prediction, owner, guardrails, and review.

Entry:

...

Does the test reduce waste without new Mura or Muri?

Open questions and next steps

...

Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/waste-analysis/run-sheet

Example output

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional example for orientation. Counts and timings describe this case and are not universal requirements.

waste-analysis-beispiel.md

Concrete filled scenario, fictional example

Fictional teaching example: Waste Analysis · working structure

Activity	Evidence	Muda	Mura	Muri	Cause	Test
Unit search	avg 7 min; 94m walk	Type 2	worse with slot clustering	lifting under time pressure	no presorting	pilot slot cart
Safety check	1.8 min; legally required	Type 1	stable	none	mandatory control	retain

Pitfalls

Recognize symptoms and steer against them

Quick overview, the full text is in the matching phase in the flow

Value criterionEvery internally necessary activity is automatically called value.View in phase
Observed flowWorkshop memory replaces observation.View in phase
Waste registerEight wastes are checked off without system relation.View in phase
PriorityLargest time item is removed in isolation.View in phase
Improvement testLocal saving shifts work or overburden elsewhere.View in phase

Stop criteria

When to pause, resolve prerequisites, or choose another approach

Stop Value: Is value defined by the recipient rather than internal utilisation?

Stop Observe: Were data gathered directly over several cases?

Stop Classify: Is every classification evidenced by concrete behaviour and effect?

Stop Prioritise: Does priority address customer effect and system cause?

Stop Test: Does the test reduce waste without new Mura or Muri?

Where to go next?

Operations

Kaizen Event

Bundles the prioritized waste into a focused improvement event.

Operations

Standard Work Analysis

Anchors the tested countermeasure as the new binding standard.

View in playbookSystematically Solve a Recurring Operations ProblemMove from direct on-site observation through a structured DMAIC treatment to a new, anchored standard.

Finished the method guide?

Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.

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Waste Analysis · working structure

1. Evidence

2. Muda

3. Mura

4. Muri

5. Cause

6. Test

Value criterion

Observed flow

Waste register

Priority

Improvement test

waste-analysis-working-template.md

Waste Analysis: Worksheet

Question

Desired outcome

Scope

Preparation for this scope

Method setup

Prepare for the work steps

Value: Value criterion

Observe: Observed flow

Classify: Waste register

Prioritise: Priority

Test: Improvement test

Waste Analysis · working structure

Value: Value criterion

Observe: Observed flow

Classify: Waste register

Prioritise: Priority

Test: Improvement test

Open questions and next steps

waste-analysis-beispiel.md

Fictional teaching example: Waste Analysis · working structure

Value criterion

Observed flow

Waste register

Priority

Improvement test

Where to go next?

Finished the method guide?