"War on Waste" is about reducing the cost of doing things wrong by focusing on "Quick Wins" which are improvements made by individuals, teams or work units that address obvious problems, wasteful activities or waste that lend themselves to quick, easy, and direct solutions that have little or no cost.

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One of the advantages of the Quick Wins approach is that everyone in the organization can actively take part in achieving excellence that goes beyond carrying out assigned responsibilities. It is a simple way to create an organizational environment that reflects "We are all in this together" and contributing to Continuous Improvement. It is a way to ensure that the Right Things are done in the Right Way and that everyone is working towards achieving an Ideal Work System by:

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·     Providing Services and Products customers want.

·     Serving Customers at a Rate they expect.

·     Serving on Time, every Time.

·     Serving with Quality.

·     Serving to promote Continuous Improvement of Work Processes and expected Outcomes.

·     Serving in Ways that enhance the Development and Motivation of People.

·     Serving with No Waste of Labor, No Excess Materials, No overuse of Equipment, No Excess Complexity and No Waste of Time.

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The War on Waste through Quick Wins process is primarily focused on 10 Areas of Critical Waste that can be reduced or eliminated easily when we all join in on a regular basis to reduce unnecessary costs.

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Examples of the 10 Critical Wastes

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1.  Waste of Materials. Using more materials than necessary. 

2.  Waste from Errors. Doing something 2 or 3 times to get it right.

3.  Waste of idle inventory. Overstocking for"just-in-case" reasons. 

4.  Waste of Time. Process or method "cycle time"out of control. 

5.  Waste of Transportation. Moving things unnecessarily or over too great a distance. 

6.  Waste of Energy. Use of electrical power when not needed.

7.  Waste of Space. Inappropriate space utilization. 

8.  Waste of Overproduction. Making or doing more than the customer requires.

9.  Waste of Labor. Too many people on a job. 

10. Waste of Complexity. Doing the right thing, the wrong way.

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The cost savings made by reducing the costs of waste can then be used to support programs and services that directly benefit those we serve. The cost of living with these critical wastes in organizations has been estimated at between 15% and 40% of operating costs.

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