Cut Waste, Save Time, and Drive Project Results
We’ve all experienced the type of project frustration where everything seems stalled, even though the team is busy., Everyone is working hard, but progress is sluggish, and productivity just isn’t where it should be.
More often than not, that’s one of the 7 types of waste in action. Not only can they quietly drain time, energy, and resources from your projects, but they can seriously derail a project’s overall momentum.
The good news? Lean principles provide a proven framework for identifying and eliminating these wastes before they sabotage your project’s success. Let’s take a closer look at some of these types of waste and explore practical ways you can take action to keep your projects on track.
Waste #1: Overproduction
Overproduction is one of the most sneaky types of waste in project management. It shows up when teams create more than what’s needed or do so too early. They might be generating extra deliverables, preparing reports that aren’t needed, or working on tasks “just in case”, and it can lead to wasted effort.
While it might seem efficient, overproduction ties up resources, overloads the team, and creates a ripple effect of issues, including unnecessary handoffs, rework, and delays.
Lean principles emphasize focusing on value-added work – activities that directly move the project forward and deliver value to the customer. Overproduction creates noise without progress, and by eliminating it, projects can see faster cycle times, less rework, and more capacity for meaningful work.
Waste #7: Inventory
Inventory waste occurs when your project holds onto more than it needs – whether it’s excess materials, outdated templates, or backlogged tasks. This adds unnecessary clutter, consumes resources, and demands attention just to manage it.
On projects, inventory waste often shows up as over-ordered materials, tech tools no one uses, or software subscriptions that are never tapped into. While it might seem like a good idea to buy in bulk or keep extra “just in case,” it eats into your budget and adds work that doesn’t bring value.
Lean principles push us to avoid holding onto anything unnecessary and focus only on what’s needed when it’s needed. Reducing inventory waste helps projects stay lean, focused, and on track for delivery, rather than being bogged down by storage and excess.
More Types of Waste
There are five more types of waste that Lean principles can help identify and eliminate from your projects, and I break them down in detail in my latest video. It explains:
- How extra work can slow your team down without adding value
- Why mistakes and errors can derail your project’s progress
- The hidden costs of unnecessary movement and transfers
- How delays in your workflow can hold up the entire project
- The impact of inefficient processes that drain time and energy
Follow me over to YouTube to watch the full video and learn how Lean can help you eliminate these wastes and boost project efficiency in your organization!
Cheers,
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management™
Whatever your project needs, here are 5 ways we can help.
- Webinar: Check out my free webinar to learn five things to do at the START of every project to bring it to success.
- Online course: Want a practical, step-by-step guide to managing projects? Check out my SLAY Project Management online course.
- Project coaching: Check out SLAY PRO.
- For corporations: My SLAY Corporate Project Management Program helps companies fix project-related issues and start making organizational gains.
