HKSM
waste
Work or steps that use time, effort, or resources but produce no value for the customer or product.
Key Points
- Waste is anything that does not contribute to customer or product value.
- Common forms include waiting, rework/defects, unnecessary features, excessive handoffs, and context switching.
- Reducing waste improves flow, shortens cycle time, and increases throughput and quality.
- Use value stream mapping, WIP limits, retrospectives, and root cause analysis to expose and remove waste.
Example
A Scrum team spends hours each sprint producing a long status report that no stakeholder reads. The report consumes team time without improving outcomes, so it is waste. Replacing it with a brief, automated dashboard recovers time and still informs stakeholders.
PMP Example Question
Which activity best represents waste in an agile project?
- Pair programming to improve code quality
- Maintaining extensive status reports that no stakeholder reads
- Automating regression tests to speed feedback
- Refining acceptance criteria with the product owner
Correct Answer: B — work that consumes resources without adding value
Explanation: Producing detailed reports no one uses takes time and effort but does not create customer or product value, so it is waste.
