Activity without value

A non-value-added activity is any step that is so inefficient or unnecessary that it makes no contribution to the process of producing and/or delivering products and services to customers.

Examples where non-value-added activity might be found includes:

- Walking: people moving from place to place
- Moving: conveying parts or paper from place to place
- Reviewing/testing: checking work that has already been done
- Waiting: parts, paper or information languishing at points along the way (time = money)

Non-value-added activities are costing you profit opportunities and could actually put your business' future in peril.