Lean Waste #3: Waiting

“Please take a seat,” they say. “The doctor will be right with you.” Lies. Lies! It’s all LIES! They will not be right with you. They’re overscheduled and behind and even though you showed up early, you will WAIT until they are ready to see you. What a waste of your time!

All waiting is waste. Waiting for a client to sign an agreement. Waiting for the system to upload or reload. Waiting for your food. Waiting in line at the airport or the DMV. Waiting for a returned phone call or email. Waiting for a part or some data or a report or…All waste.

And it’s waste when you make someone else wait. Lean thinkers and lean practitioners focus on discover waiting, measuring wait times and reducing or eliminating them. The new practice is JIT, i.e. Just in Time. Not early (overproduction) and not after (waiting). Just when it’s supposed to happen. What waiting can your team eliminate?