8 Wastes

The DOWNTIME acronym is a widely used mnemonic to remember the 8 wastes of Lean manufacturing. Originally, Taiichi Ohno identified seven wastes as part of the Toyota Production System, but an eighth waste—non-utilized talent—was added as the methodology evolved.  

How to Spot Wastes 

To identify these in your own work, you can perform a "Waste Walk" (also known as a Gemba Walk). This involves observing the actual work process in person and asking "Does this step add value for the customer?". If the answer is no, it likely falls into one of the DOWNTIME categories. 

Example of 8 Wastes in Various Sectors

Sample of Gemba walk check list