---
title: "Lean thinking and waste"
course: "OPMT 130 · Run operations that work"
unit: "Improving the system"
lesson: 28 of 37
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/lean-thinking-and-waste
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Lean thinking and waste

Lesson 28 of 37 in **Run operations that work** (OPMT 130), unit "Improving the system". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Identify value-adding versus non-value-adding steps in a small-business workflow from the customer's point of view.
- Name common categories of operational waste (waiting, overprocessing, defects, extra motion, excess inventory) using familiar small-business examples, and spot at least three forms of waste in a described workflow.

## Teaching notes
Use the Tasklane scenario — separate value-adding support from waste (repeated explanations, duplicate tickets, rework, unnecessary escalation, waiting).

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 28 complete: Lean thinking and waste."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Root cause analysis" (lesson 29 of 37), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/root-cause-analysis.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Quality designed in, not inspected in
Next lesson: Root cause analysis