---
title: 7 Wastes (TIMWOOD)
description: "You cannot remove what you cannot see. The seven wastes train your eye, so you spot non-value-adding work at the Gemba within minutes. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked…"
url: "https://skillagility.com/en/resources/7-wastes/"
updated: "2026-10-08"
category: 04 IMPROVE
---

# 7 Wastes (TIMWOOD)

You cannot remove what you cannot see. The seven wastes train your eye, so you spot non-value-adding work at the Gemba within minutes. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example and gives you a blank template to fill in.

Tool video

The short tool video will appear here.

[7-Wastes_Toolkit_EN](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/plugins/embedpress/assets/pdf/web/viewer.html?&file=https%3A%2F%2Fskillagility.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F10%2F7-Wastes_Toolkit_EN.pdf#key=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)

## 7 Wastes (TIMWOOD) in short

1. **Pick a process slice.** One product, one order type or one shift. Keep it small.
2. **Go and see.** Walk the process at the Gemba with this sheet in hand.
3. **Tag every waste.** Note what you see under the matching letter. Facts, not opinions.
4. **Estimate the impact.** Time, cost or quality effect. Rough numbers are fine.
5. **Pick the biggest.** Choose one or two wastes to attack first, linked to your root cause.

Key points

- Waste adds cost but no customer value.
- TIMWOOD names seven types.
- Go to the Gemba to see it.
- Attack the biggest waste first.

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