A methodology for identifying and eliminating waste in office environments

The Methodology for identifying and eliminating waste in office environments is a set of strategies integrated to improve an office environment from a current state to a desired future condition. It is an organized collection of activities that describe “what” must be done to identify the waste in the office processes and “how” those things must be done to eliminate the waste. The methodology is developed under the criterion that the lean principles can be applied to remove waste in office processes. A lean office guidebook is developed to guide the application of the method.; The methodology is composed of four main activities: Define Problems, Identify Waste, Eliminate Waste, and Measure and Evaluate Improvement. The methodology begins with the definition of the problems that the office environment aspires to eliminate. Define Problems transforms the information about office environment into identified and selected problems and expectations. The problems are discussed and identified as culture, process, and technology problems. Identify Waste transforms the selected problems into identified culture, process, and technology waste. An interview instrument is prepared and an agenda is set for interviewing the office workers. The office workers who participate in the interview generate data. Data are analyzed to obtain the interview results. Interview results are interpreted and waste is classified to identify the presence of waste. Eliminate Waste transforms the identified culture, process, and technology wastes into implemented solutions. A plan is developed; the lean techniques that are going to be used to eliminate waste are selected; and office workers are trained. Measure and Evaluate Improvement creates an impact of solutions. This process also generates feedback to show that the office process can be improved again if it is necessary. The results are communicated, and decisions are taken for future action.; The lean office guidebook gives an implementation approach for the methodology. This consulting book includes a series of formal tools to assist the implementation process. It is not a strict prescription of activities that the user must follow, but a suggested sequence of activities that can be modified to fit the needs of the office process attempting improvement.