The document discusses process improvement and identifies some common topics discussed by "gurus" or experts in the field. It notes that while gurus often disagree and write books on different aspects like statistics, bottlenecks, stakeholders, or measurement, the real secret is actually quite simple - to stop doing "stupid stuff." It further explains that "stupid stuff" is anything customers would be unwilling to pay for. The document then outlines seven types of waste or "stupidity" identified by process expert Tim Woods, including transportation, intellectual, motion, waiting, overproduction, overprocessing, and defects. It notes an 8th type added by others is excess stock. The summary is to stop waste and focus on customer value to

1. How to be a Process Guru.
Even a boring occupation can be interesting
when your goal is to do it better. ~ R. Half
flickr.com/drainrat

2. The gurus have written
lots of books about
process improvement:
flickr.com/azrasta

3. Some talk about statistics,
flickr.com/adrian_s

4. some talk about bottle necks,
flickr.com/moominmolly

5. flickr.com/kheelcenter
some talk about
Stakeholders…

6. flickr.com/50826080@N00
culture…

7. flickr.com/spacesuitcatalyst
measurement…

8. or control.
flickr.com/tunnelbug

9. But there is one secret the gurus keep
to themselves
All these
guru’s
have a
Secret.
flickr.com/b3ni

10. Process improvement is really
• Really
• Really
flickr.com/cedwardbrice
processes
is…
Improving

11. Process improvement is really
• Really
• Really
flickr.com/cedwardbrice
processes
is…
Improving
really

12. Process improvement is really
• Really
• Really
flickr.com/cedwardbrice
processes
is…
Improving
really
really

13. Eeasy
flickr.com/wakimita

14. EEeasy###### Asy!
flickr.com/wakimita

15. flickr.com/emdot
(But that doesn’t sell books.)

16. The secret to process
improvement is to…
flickr.com/demandaj

17. stop doing stupid stuff!
flickr.com/e_notagain

18. flickr.com/thenakedalien
all that is left is perfection.
When you stop the
stupid stuff…

19. flickr.com/proimos
So who
defines
stupid?

20. Is it you?
flickr.com/light_seeker
Is it
you?

21. flickr.com/flowtastic
Is it
your
boss?

22. The woman who
owns the company?
flickr.com/jimlandover3

23. Or the man who owns the bank?
flickr.com/faby74
Or the man
who owns
the bank?

24. No it is your customers!
flickr.com/brizzlebornandbred

25. No it is your customers!
flickr.com/brizzlebornandbred
If they are not prepared to pay for what
you are doing, then it is fair to say…

26. flickr.com/tonioskipper
It is Stupid!

27. flickr.com/tonioskipper
It is Stupid!
Why do something
your customers
wouldn’t pay for?

28. flickr.com/12023825@N04
To help you see
the stupid stuff

29. flickr.com/joie86
a clever man
(called Tim Woods)

30. found seven types
of stupidity.
Though he called them waste not stupidity…
flickr.com/geezaweezer

31. That was more
politically correct!
flickr.com/treyerice

32. flickr.com/maxbisschop
So here are the
7 wastes:

33. 1. Transportation
Moving things that don’t need moving.
flickr.com/s_volenszki

34. 1. Transportation
Moving things that don’t need moving.
flickr.com/s_volenszki
Land fill that’s shipped to China.

35. 1. Transportation
Moving things that don’t need moving
flickr.com/s_volenszki
Land fill that’s shipped to China.
Delivering paperwork to Glasgow.

36. 2. Intellect
Not using your employee’s brains.
flickr.com/h-k-d

37. Wasted qualifications…
flickr.com/h-k-d
2. Intellect
Not using your employee’s brains.

38. and the world’s most tedious
conference call.
flickr.com/h-k-d
2. Intellect
Not using your employee’s brains.
Wasted qualifications…

39. flickr.com/marcobaldanza
3. Motion
People moving further
than they should.

40. flickr.com/marcobaldanza
3. Motion
People moving further
than they should.
Double keying data or

41. flickr.com/marcobaldanza
3. Motion
People moving further
than they should.
Double keying data or
endless walks to
the photocopier.

42. flickr.com/-mrgt-
4. Waiting
Wasting your time.

43. flickr.com/-mrgt-
4. Waiting
Wasting your time.
Your call is important
to us.

44. flickr.com/-mrgt-
4. Waiting
Wasting your time
Your call is important
to us.
It will be with you in
7 to 10 days.

45. flickr.com/29487672@N07
5. Over Production
Making more than you need.

46. flickr.com/29487672@N07
Running the machine at full speed.
5. Over Production
Making more than you need.

47. flickr.com/29487672@N07
Interviewing job candidates
“just in case”.
Running the machine at full speed.
5. Over Production
Making more than you need

48. 6. Over Processing
Doing more than
you really should.
flickr.com/raedqutena

49. 6. Over Processing
Doing more than
you really should.
Quality assuring
the quality assurers.
flickr.com/raedqutena

50. 6. Over Processing
Doing more than
you really should
Quality assuring
the quality assurers
Gift wrapping the
gift wrap.
flickr.com/raedqutena

51. 7. Defects
Things gone
Wrong.
flickr.com/carowallis1

52. 7. Defects
Things gone
Wrong.
We don’t have this
where I work.
flickr.com/carowallis1

53. 7. Defects
Things gone
Wrong.
How about you?
We don’t have this
where I work.
flickr.com/carowallis1

54. 8. Stock
Piles of stuff nobody needs.
flickr.com/rogersmith

55. 8. Stock
Piles of stuff nobody needs.
flickr.com/rogersmith
Big write off costs…

56. 8. Stock
Piles of stuff nobody needs
flickr.com/rogersmith
Big write off costs…
but it’s OK, we got a bulk buy discount!

57. flickr.com/joie86
There you have it…
Tim Woods and the 7 wastes:
Transport
Intellect
Motion
Waiting
Over Production
Over Processing
Defects
Stock

58. flickr.com/artisrams
The very astute
will have noticed…
This is 8 wastes
Not 7.

59. Gurus rarely
agree!
flickr.com/yourdon

60. Don’t worry too much
about the gurus.
Process
improvement
is easy…
flickr.com/wakimita

61. Just stop doing stupid stuff!
flickr.com/e_notagain

62. Then you will have the
perfect process.
flickr.com/drainrat

63. There is just
one small
problem!
flickr.com/aturkus

64. flickr.com/bengtham
You have to find the
fool…

65. Who designed in the
stupid stuff in the first
place…
flickr.com/colalife

66. flickr.com/nicolopaternoster
And persuade
him to
take it out
again!
One way…

67. flickr.com/pagedooley
or another.

68. When I work out
how to do that,
I will write a
book and call
myself a Guru
as well.
flickr.com/shutterhacks

69. To learn more about process improvement visit
www.squawkpoint.com
Based on the “Lean Thinking” ideas of Womack and Jones.
flickr.com/streetwrk