How to find work that should not exist.

The Problem

Processes accumulate. A mistake happens in 2021, a rule is created to prevent it, and in 2026, 50 people are still filling out a form every day to prevent a mistake that the current software makes impossible anyway. This work is invisible because it looks like "just doing our job."

What to Look For

Look for high-frequency internal reporting, multi-stage approvals, status meetings where no decisions are made, and data entry that is immediately exported to a spreadsheet.

Questions to Ask

To find work that should be deleted, run these five questions against any suspected process:

1. If we designed this business today, would we add this step? (The legacy test).
2. Who uses the output, and what decision do they make with it? (The utility test. If the answer is "no one" or "no decision," kill it).
3. What happens if we just stop doing it for two weeks? (The courage test).
4. What exact risk does this actually control? (The paranoia test. Is the cost of the control higher than the cost of the risk?).
5. Who pays the time cost? (The friction test. Usually, the person demanding the work is not the one doing it).

One Small Thing to Try

Declare a "Report Amnesty." Tell the company that for the next two weeks, no internal reports will be generated. Wait to see who screams. If no one screams, the report is permanently dead.

What to Measure

Measure the hours recovered. More importantly, measure the psychological relief of the team.

What Not to Damage

Do not delete compliance, financial controls, or safety checks. Challenge them, but do not delete them without rigorous legal and financial review.

What to Do Next

Take your recovered hours and protect them. Do not let them turn back into a new status meeting.