Defects & Overprocessing | Flow vs Friction Ch. 1
Savage Simplicity · 2026-02-18 · 18 min
Episode notes
In Chapter 1 of our February Flow vs Friction series, we examine two Lean wastes that often travel together: Defects and Overprocessing . When outcomes fail to meet expectations, teams respond by adding reviews, controls, and extra steps. But those steps don’t fix the root cause - they compensate for it. In this episode, we explore: Why defects are usually clarity issues, not capability issues How overprocessing emerges as a reaction to uncertainty Why waste compounds instead of appearing alone How to restore flow by removing ambiguity at the source This conversation reframes defects and overprocessing not as people problems, but as system design issues. The Lean Mastery Makers Space is now open inside the Savage Simplicity ecosystem - a free space for people who want to practice Lean thinking as a way of seeing, learning, and improving without adding noise. Explore here: LeanVerse is hosted by Bernadette Hill and Tatiana Sell. Episode programming and writing by Tatiana Sell. Produced and edited by Bernadette Hill.
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