7 Wastes Field Identification Card (with prompts)

Purpose

Use this card on the shopfloor or during process walks to make waste visible, record meaningful evidence, and convert observations into owned experiments or Kaizen suggestions. The front is a rapid recognition guide. The back gives practical prompts for what to record and how to act.

Front — Quick recognition (one-line descriptions and field prompts)

• Transport — Unnecessary movement of materials or products between places.
  Look for: repeated trips, long travel routes, double handling.

  Data to capture: origin → destination, distance/time per trip, frequency per shift.

  Low-effort countermeasures: relocate staging, combine trips, add temporary trolleys.
• Inventory — Excess raw materials, WIP, or finished goods beyond demand needs.
  Look for: long queues, stacks, batch build-ups, hidden storage.

  Data: quantity, days on hand, where held, reason for buildup.

  Countermeasures: limit kanban, small batch flow, quick lot releases.
• Motion — Unnecessary movement by people (reach, bend, search).
  Look for: repetitive reaching, tools out of place, excessive walking.

  Data: steps per task, distance to tools, time lost per cycle.

  Countermeasures: 5S, tool shadow boards, reduce workstation footprint.
• Waiting — People, machines, or materials idle waiting for the next step.
  Look for: queues, idle operators, blocked machines.

  Data: wait time, frequency, dependency causing delay.

  Countermeasures: buffer adjustments, cross-training, quick changeover.
• Overproduction — Producing more, earlier, or faster than needed by the next process.
  Look for: large batches, early start waves, push signals.

  Data: batch size, time between releases, downstream demand.

  Countermeasures: pull signals, takt-based release, level scheduling.
• Overprocessing — Doing more work or higher precision than the customer requires.
  Look for: rework loops, unnecessary inspections, extra features.

  Data: added steps, time spent, specification vs customer need.

  Countermeasures: specification review, simplify work steps, eliminate non-value steps.
• Defects — Parts or outputs that do not meet requirements and require repair or rejection.
  Look for: scrap, repairs, quality checks failing.

  Data: defect type, frequency, location in process, rework time.

  Countermeasures: mistake-proofing, immediate containment, root-cause experiment.

Back — Field prompts (what to capture)

Record simple, useful facts so the observation becomes actionable. Use photos liberally.

• What: short description of the waste observed (1–2 lines).
• Where: process step, machine, cell, or area.
• When: date, time, and shift.
• Who: observer and any operator(s) present.
• Evidence: count, time lost, distance, number of items, photos or short video.
• Impact: immediate consequence (delay, cost, quality, safety), estimated magnitude if known.
• Probable cause (quick note): suspected reason or constraint.
• Quick idea / temporary fix: a low-effort action to test.

Coaching cues — Convert observation into a Kaizen suggestion

Use this short template to turn a field observation into an owned experiment:

1. Problem (one sentence): What is happening and where?
2. Evidence: key data points or photo reference.
3. Quick experiment: a small, time-boxed countermeasure to try within 1–2 shifts.
4. Success measure: one metric to watch (e.g., cycle time ↓ 20%, WIP ↓ 5 units).
5. Owner & timeframe: who will run the test and for how long.

Example (filled)

Problem: Painting cell accumulates 12 unfinished parts on the rack between machining and painting each morning (Transport / Inventory).

Evidence: observed 12 parts in queue at 08:10, average wait 45 minutes, photo ref #123.

Quick experiment: move temporary upstream buffer rack next to painting station and limit queue to 4 parts for 2 shifts.

Success measure: average wait time ↓ to <15 minutes and queue ≤4 parts by end of shift.

Owner: Line Lead (name) — test for next 2 shifts, review with team at shift handover.

How to use during a gemba walk

1. Walk with curiosity. Ask operators what they would change first.
2. Capture one clear piece of evidence per observation (photo + single metric or count).
3. Prioritize quick experiments that can be tested in one or two shifts.
4. Record owner and measurement on the spot; schedule a short follow-up within 48 hours.

Prioritization quick tip

For each observation, ask: How big is the impact? How easy is the test? Prefer high-impact, low-effort experiments first.

Field card checklist (compact)

• Type of waste: __________
• Where: __________
• When (date/shift): __________
• Evidence (count/time/photo ref): __________
• Quick idea / test: __________
• Owner & review time: __________

Image search phrase: lean waste icons