Group Exercise: Identifying Waste in an IT Organization (Lean Thinking)

Objective:

Work in groups to identify types of waste that could arise in IT or software projects, using Lean principles from manufacturing as a basis. Each group will be assigned one or more waste categories and discuss relevant analogies in IT.

Instructions:

1. Form groups and receive your assigned waste category (or categories).
2. Discuss how the assigned waste might manifest in an IT organization.
3. Brainstorm examples of waste in processes such as development, infrastructure, or team collaboration.
4. Present your findings to the class, including:
   • The type of waste.
   • Example(s) from IT.
   • Suggestions for reducing the waste.

Example of Wastes in Manufacturing:

1. Overproduction: Producing more goods than needed, leading to excessive inventory or unsold stock.
2. Waiting: Idle time when machines or workers are waiting for the next step in the production line.
3. Transport: Moving products or materials inefficiently across the factory floor.
4. Extra Processing: Performing unnecessary steps, such as polishing a part beyond the required specifications.
5. Inventory: Excess materials or products stored, waiting to be used or sold.
6. Motion: Workers walking long distances to retrieve tools or materials.
7. Defects: Producing items that don't meet quality standards, requiring rework or disposal.

Your Task:

Find analogies for these types of waste in IT projects. How does overproduction or waiting happen in software development, for instance? Discuss ways to reduce these inefficiencies.