Standardized Work is critical in any successful “lean” implementation, but its power and importance is often under stated by many organizations. Without standards, no improvement can be done, and thus standards are the basis of all improvements.
A standard is the best, safest, easiest way something can be done. They should be agreed upon, documented and followed consistently until a better method is identified. The process of developing standards is to break down the process into definable elements of work, identify the waste in each element, develop both short term and long term solutions for this waste, and then define the best, safest, easiest way the process should be done in order to meet the “Takt Time” of the product. Standards should not only identify the steps of the process, but also the amount of “WIP” at each step of the process.
Productivity
Solutions Consultants are experts in teaching
organizations how to properly use the Plan,
Do, Check (Analyze), Act (PDCA) method to develop
and improve any type of process standard. The
use of the PDCA method is critical in any successful
“lean” implementation and it’s
extremely important that everyone in the organization
understand and practice this methodology
The
benefits an organization can expect to gain
from “Standardize Work” are as follows:
