Seven Wastes

Definition: the Seven Wastes is a key concept within the Toyota Production System and Lean Manufacturing and Total Quality Management philosophies.
The main objectives of TPS are to design out overburden (muri) and inconsistency (mura), and to eliminate the seven categories or types of waste (muda):
1. Transportation
2. Inventory
3. Motion
4. Waiting
5. Over-production
6. Over-processing
7. Defects.
Together these 7 form the acronym TIMWOOD.
An 8th source of waste is under-utilized Skills (TIMWOODS).

Learn more about the seven wastes

More on manufacturing: 5 Whys, Changeover, Contract Manufacturing, Cradle to Cradle, Experience Curve, more...

MBA Brief offers accurate and concise definitions of MBA concepts, frameworks, methods and models.

We love to keep things really short, but provide links to learn more about your subject and to similar concepts.