WFS = 1 − (value-add time ÷ total elapsed time)
A WFS of 80% means 80% of the time this workflow takes is not adding value. Most knowledge work workflows score 70–90% before redesign.
The WFS does not tell you what to fix — it tells you the size of the opportunity. Session 1's analysis names where to focus.
<20% minimal · 20–40% low · 40–60% moderate · 60–80% high · >80% critical
FM1 Automating a broken process
FM2 AI at the symptom, not the cause
FM3 Centaur mismatch — AI takes the judgment, human takes the execution
FM4 Adoption ceiling — governance change must come first
FM5 Measurement void — no leading indicator defined
Each intervention is checked against all five before proceeding to the pilot.
Value-add — Work the customer would pay for if they could see it.
Non-value-add — Waiting, handoffs, approvals, rework. Eliminate first.
Necessary waste — Required for compliance or governance. Can't be eliminated, but can sometimes be compressed.