What does the methodology of lean specifically seek to eliminate within processes?

The methodology of lean specifically seeks to eliminate waste within processes. In the context of lean principles, waste refers to any activity that consumes resources without adding value to the product or service. Lean focuses on improving efficiency by identifying and removing these non-value-adding activities, which can include excessive inventory, unnecessary motion, waiting time, overproduction, defects, and unnecessary processing. By concentrating on waste, organizations can streamline their processes, enhance productivity, and ultimately provide better value to customers.

While the other options, such as costly procedures, redundant steps, and employee inefficiencies, may be related to waste, the primary focus of lean is the elimination of waste as a broad concept encompassing these specific areas. Lean seeks a holistic approach to improvement, concentrating on maximizing value by minimizing any actions or steps that do not contribute to the final outcome.