Lean in cannabis · the whole operation · walk sheet
The 8 wastes of a grow
paulducey.com/cannabis
DateBatch or strainWalked by
Follow one batch from clone to counter. For each waste, write what you saw, where, and how often. No solutions yet. That comes after you've looked.
| Waste | What it looks like in a grow | Where to look, what to ask | What I saw |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDefects | Failed micro or pesticide tests, mold, remediation, a wrong weight or label, a tag that doesn't match. | Test results, remediation log, compliance fixes.What did we rework or destroy, and where did it start? | |
| OOverproduction | Strains nobody reorders, grown anyway. Pre-rolls made ahead of orders. | Sell-through by strain, the vault.Which strains from last cycle are we still holding? | |
| WWaiting | Trimmers idle until the dry room releases. A lot sitting after its results are back. A room not turned. | Staging areas, the vault, empty rooms.Where does a batch sit with nobody touching it? | |
| NNon-utilized talent | Growers doing data entry. The trimmer who knows why bin weights drift, never asked. | Whoever does the work.Who already knows the answer, and has anyone asked? | |
| TTransportation | Carts and plants moved more than the process needs. Flower in and out of the vault between steps. | Room-to-room moves, vault check-ins.How many vault trips before a batch ships? | |
| IInventory | Flower aging in the vault, losing weight and terpenes. Biomass waiting on extraction. Packaging for old SKUs. | Vault aging, the packaging cage.How old is the oldest lot, and why is it here? | |
| MMotion | Trimmers walking for bins, scales, totes. Techs hunting for tools. Reaching for every unit. | Trim room, nutrient room, packaging tables.How many steps to finish one bin? | |
| EExtra processing | Hand-trimming flower bound for pre-rolls. Weighing more often than compliance requires. | Trim, weigh stations, reports.Which steps would a customer never pay for? |
After the walk: circle the two wastes that cost the most. Which one did you see more than once?
Bring it back: who on the team should see this sheet before anyone proposes a fix?
Paul Ducey · Lean in cannabisFree to copy and use. paulducey.com/cannabis