Implementing Lean

Chapter 15

Creating Standard Work

Why Are Standards Important?

Imagine a world without standards. How would one measure an inch or a cm? How could you make any recipe without a cup or a liter? Without standards, we have nothing to consistently measure our progress or our results. In effect, we have no quality. The Holy Grail of Lean is standard work. Without standard work, there can be no real sustainable improvement, flexibility, or guarantee of quality. Standard work must be the foundation of every process throughout the organization to create a continuous improvement environment.¹

Standard work is defined by Ohno² as three items:

1. Work sequence—Each operator must be trained and must execute the process steps in proper order for each operation ...