Lean teams use standard work as the baseline for improvement. Without a standard, you cannot tell whether a change helped or whether a problem is new. It also makes training faster and results more consistent across shifts.
Where it comes from
Standardized work is a foundation of the Toyota Production System, built on takt time, work sequence and standard in-process stock. Its training methods also draw on Training Within Industry job instruction.
At a glance
The three elements and a combination chart
Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.
How to apply Standard Work
- 1
Observe the current method
Watch several operators perform the task over multiple cycles. Note the steps, variation between people and any waiting or rework.
- 2
Break the task into elements
List each work element in order and time it. Identify key points that affect safety, quality or ease of work.
- 3
Agree on the current method
With the operators, choose the method that is safest and most consistent. Remove obvious waste before you write it down.
- 4
Document it visually
Create a standard work sheet or instruction with photos, sequence, timing and key points. Keep it short and post it at the point of use.
- 5
Train to the standard
Teach the method step by step and confirm each person can perform it. Track who is qualified on which tasks.
- 6
Audit and improve
Check regularly that work follows the standard. When someone finds a better way, test it and update the standard so the gain sticks.
Worked example (illustrative)
A machine shop finds that the same fixture changeover takes anywhere from 14 to 31 minutes, depending on the shift. Operators from each shift agree on one sequence and record it with photos and key points. Over the next month, changeovers fall in a range of 15 to 18 minutes, and the next kaizen starts from that shared baseline.
Common mistakes
- Having engineers write standards alone, so operators do not trust or follow them.
- Treating the standard as permanent instead of the starting point for improvement.
- Writing long text documents that nobody reads at the workstation.
When Standard Work is not the right tool
Rigid step-by-step standards fit repetitive work. Highly varied knowledge work needs lighter standards, such as checklists, definitions of done and agreed policies.
A standard written without the people who do the work rarely holds.
Standard work procedures
A standard work procedure documents the current best way to do a task: the sequence of steps, the time each takes and the amount of work in progress needed. It is written with the people who do the work, not for them.
Unlike a long SOP, standard work is short and visual. Photos, key points and the reason for each key point fit on one page posted at the workstation. When someone finds a better way, the procedure is updated, so the standard is the base for kaizen.
The three standard work forms
Manufacturing teams often use three forms. A process capacity sheet shows what each machine can produce. A combination table shows manual, machine and walking time against takt.
A standard work chart shows the layout, the operator's path and where stock is held.
Training to the standard
Training Within Industry job instruction teaches a standard in four steps: prepare the learner, present the job, try out performance and follow up.
Leaders keep their own routine too. Gemba walks are part of leader standard work.
Standard work and staffing: an example
This example is illustrative. A line with a 60 second takt has 330 seconds of manual work per unit across its steps.
330 ÷ 60 = 5.5, so the line needs 6 operators as it stands. The standard work sheets show 30 seconds of walking to a shared parts rack. Moving the parts to the point of use brings the work to 300 seconds, exactly 5 operators at takt, and the sixth person moves to the next improvement.
Guides on this topic
- Gemba walk checklist: questions, form and routinesA gemba walk checklist with before, during and after steps, question sets for flow, safety and quality, a simple form layout and mistakes to avoid.Read the guide
- 5S audit checklist: questions, scoring and a templateA 5S audit checklist with five questions per S for manufacturing, a shorter office version, scoring guidance and tips to keep audits from becoming box-ticking.Read the guide
- Lean healthcare: principles, tools and how to startLean healthcare applies lean methodology to patient care. See the principles, hospital wastes, tools, patient flow and how to start in a clinic or ward.Read the guide
- Lean training: formats, levels and how to build a programLean training teaches people to spot waste and improve work. Compare formats, levels and certification, and how to build an internal lean training program.Read the guide
Sources
Books and papers show their publication year. Web pages show the month we last checked them.
- 1.Jeffrey K. Liker, The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer (McGraw-Hill, 2004)
- 2.Donald A. Dinero, Training Within Industry: The Foundation of Lean (Productivity Press, 2005)
- 3.David Mann, Creating a Lean Culture: Tools to Sustain Lean Conversions (Productivity Press, 2005)