Concepts
Although the nature of their waste may vary, their underlying principles are the same. We will be discussing five forms of waste prevalent in product development, and how they correspond to the seven wastes distinguished in Lean manufacturing.
1. Assumptions Vs. Overproduction:
Assumptions can be the root of significant waste in product development. Assumptions often lead to over-engineering and gold-plating, which increase development time, cost, and complexity without necessarily adding value. This can be related to Overproduction in Lean manufacturing, where resources are wasted in producing more than what’s needed.
Example: By assuming a customer will want feature A, B, and C, a team may spend time and effort adding them to the product when the customer only really needed feature A. Similarly, a manufacturing firm may produce 10,000 units based on historical demand, ignoring the downward trend in recent months.
2. Waiting Vs. Waiting:
Waiting in both product development and Lean manufacturing holds a parallel position. Any period during which progress on a work item comes to a standstill corresponds to wastage.
Example: Code that sits idle waiting for review in product development slows down product delivery, comparable to parts sitting idle waiting for assembly in a manufacturing process.
3. Multitasking Vs. Transportation:
Multitasking can be seen as a form of waste in product development as it slows you down and reduces efficiency by splitting your focus. This is akin to the Transportation waste in Lean manufacturing, where unnecessary movements and transitions occur that do not add value to the product.
Example: A developer working on multiple features at the same time continually shifting focus. Comparatively, a nut is transported back and forth between two workshops when one location could have sufficed.
4. Rework Vs. Over-Processing:
Rework entails revisiting and tweaking finished or nearly finished work in product development. It parallels Over-Processing in Lean manufacturing when more work is done on a piece than what is required by the customer.
Example: A requirement might be misinterpreted and coded differently, needing redoing once the error is noticed. Contrarily, in manufacturing, perhaps too much time is spent polishing a component to a smoothness level unnecessary for its function.
5. Unseen Knowledge Work Vs. Defects:
The unseen knowledge work equates to the time and effort wasted when knowledge isn’t shared across all necessary parties. This corresponds to Defects in Lean manufacturing, where non-conformance leads to wasting resources on repairs.
Example: If a team member discovers a quicker way of doing a task and doesn’t share it, others are wasting time doing it the old way. In manufacturing, if a batch of products is defective due to a non-conformance issue, repairing or reworking becomes a waste of resources.
Now, here’s a tabular representation of the parallels:
| Product Development Wastes | Lean Manufacturing Wastes |
|---|---|
| Assumptions | Overproduction |
| Waiting | Waiting |
| Multitasking | Transportation |
| Rework | Over-Processing |
| Unseen Knowledge Work | Defects |
Identifying these wastes helps practitioners take corrective measures in both fields and improve efficiency. Remember, Continuous Improvement isn’t just about problem-solving; it’s also about problem identification and prevention. With the knowledge of these wastes, Certified Scrum Professionals and Lean Managers can encourage using resources more effectively, fostering a culture of productive and efficient work.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: In both Lean Manufacturing and product development, inefficiencies are classified as wastes.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Lean Manufacturing and other Lean methodologies map out inefficiencies in a process as “wastes.”
Which of the following would likely be considered a waste in product development?
- A. Prototyping
- B. Re-conceptualizing designs
- C. Miscommunication between teams
- D. Rigorous testing
Answer: C. Miscommunication between teams.
Explanation: Clear and constant communication is crucial in any development process. Miscommunications often lead to unnecessary work or defects, and consequently, a waste of resources.
True or False: Overproduction is a waste unique to Lean manufacturing and does not apply to product development.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Overproduction is a waste in any context, including product development. Producing more than necessitated by customer demand is seen as wasteful in Lean practices.
Which of the following can be categorized as waste in the Lean Manufacturing context?
- A. Inventory
- B. Motion
- C. Overproduction
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above.
Explanation: The wastes of Lean Manufacturing often referred to the original Toyota Production System’s seven wastes: overproduction, waiting, transportation, inappropriate processing, unnecessary inventory, unnecessary/excess motion, defects.
Is it accurate to say that waste of ‘defects’ in Lean manufacturing could relate to ‘bugs and errors’ in Agile software development?
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: The terminology differs, but the fundamental concept of something being wrong or not meeting the end-user’s requirements and expectations is the same.
In Lean Manufacturing, what could ‘waiting’ as a waste refer to?
- A. Waiting for machines to finish their task
- B. Waiting for the final product to be ready
- C. Waiting for a response or approval
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: “Waiting” as a waste might signify waiting for materials, waiting for information, waiting for approvals, machine downtime, and so on.
Which of these could be related to the waste of ‘transportation’ in Lean manufacturing?
- A. Shifting equipment in a factory to optimize workflow
- B. The flow of information from one team to another in software development
- C. The movement of finished products from the factory to the store
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: The waste of “transportation” refers not only to the physical movement of items but also the transportation of information, both of which can create waste if not managed efficiently.
True or False: Multitasking is a form of waste in product development.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Multitasking often leads to inefficiency due to task-switching overhead, i.e., the time required to mentally switch from one task to another.
Which of the following could be described as waste in both product development and Lean manufacturing?
- A. Over-processing
- B. Overproduction
- C. Both A and B
- D. None of the above
Answer: C. Both A and B.
Explanation: Over-processing and overproduction are wastes in any development or manufacturing process as they both entail doing more work than necessary.
In a Lean methodology, how does utilizing unnecessary resources in product development relate?
- A. It does not relate.
- B. It relates as a misuse of skills.
- C. It relates as over-processing.
- D. It relates as overproduction.
Answer: C. It relates as over-processing.
Explanation: In both product development and Lean manufacturing, utilizing unnecessary resources can be seen as ‘over-processing,’ which is a form of waste.
Is it accurate to say that waste in the form of ‘waiting’ in Lean Manufacturing can relate to the delay in getting feedback in product development?
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Any form of pause or delay in a process, including waiting for feedback, could be seen as a waste in Lean methodologies, as it prevents the efficient flow of work.
Which of these wastes in product development can be related to the waste of ‘defects’ in lean manufacturing?
- A. Bugs and errors in developed software
- B. Excessive time spent in meetings
- C. Misunderstandings that lead to the wrong part being manufactured
- D. Multiple rounds of testing
Answer: A. Bugs and errors in developed software.
Explanation: Both ‘defects’ in manufacturing and ‘bugs and errors’ in software impede the delivery of quality products to customers. Thus, they are considered wastes.
Great blog post on the seven wastes in Lean manufacturing! I’m curious to know how these wastes align with those in product development.
Absolutely, the concept of waste is quite similar in both contexts. For instance, ‘Overproduction’ in manufacturing is akin to ‘Feature Creep’ in product development.
Indeed! Another one is ‘Waiting’. In product development, it’s like waiting for feedback or approvals, which can seriously delay the project.
I also think ‘Inventory’ in manufacturing is very similar to ‘Work in Progress (WIP)’ in product development. Unfinished tasks can pile up and become a bottleneck.
Thanks, this really clarifies the concept for me!
Appreciate the post. It helped me understand the Lean manufacturing principles better.
Look, not all principles apply directly. For example, ‘Transportation’ in manufacturing doesn’t make much sense in product development.
I think ‘Motion’ in manufacturing can be related to ‘Context Switching’ in product development. Changing tasks frequently can reduce productivity.