David Dodd
Well-known member
One thing that characterizes virtually all lean organizations is their attention to detail. The managers and employees of a lean company usually understand the small details of their company's activities and processes. One reason for this level of understanding is standard work - sometimes called standardized work. Standard work can be defined as the most effective method for performing a specific work activity using available people, equipment, technology, and material. Lean organizations create written documents that identify and describe the specific tasks required for an employee to perform the activity and the sequence in which those tasks are to be done. For some activities, these standard work documents will also include diagrams that depict workflow steps and quality checkpoints, as well as other information. A basic goal of standard work is that an activity will be performed the same way every time it's done.
Standard work produces several important benefits. First, it reduces errors and quality problems and lowers costs because, by definition, standard work defines the most effective and efficient way to perform an activity or process. And second, standard work makes the output of an activity more consistent and predictable.
Standard work applies to both manufacturing and non-manufacturing activities. In fact, many printing companies can realize significant benefits from using standard work for administrative and preproduction activities. For example, in the "Lean Office" thread, Craig Press described an activity called "Level 1 Preflighting." As described by Craig, the primary objectives of this activity are (1) to determine what the actual job is all about, (2) to check the customer's files for errors that may prevent further production, (3) to check the customer's files for missing components, (4) to determine if the customer's files are consistent with the job sold, and (5) to provide input for planning the job which will lead to a correct job ticket.
To create standard work for the "Level 1 Preflighting" activity, you would identify and describe all of the specific tasks that an employee needs to perform in order to complete the activity. You would also specify the sequence in which the tasks should be performed. Once the standard work is in place and being used, you will be able to evaluate the "capability" of the preflighting activity. In other words, if file problems or other issues are not being caught by the existing preflighting activity, this may indicate that the activity needs to be changed.
Are you using standard work in your business? If so, how did you go about defining and describing the standard work? Who was involved in that process? What benefits have you realized?
Standard work produces several important benefits. First, it reduces errors and quality problems and lowers costs because, by definition, standard work defines the most effective and efficient way to perform an activity or process. And second, standard work makes the output of an activity more consistent and predictable.
Standard work applies to both manufacturing and non-manufacturing activities. In fact, many printing companies can realize significant benefits from using standard work for administrative and preproduction activities. For example, in the "Lean Office" thread, Craig Press described an activity called "Level 1 Preflighting." As described by Craig, the primary objectives of this activity are (1) to determine what the actual job is all about, (2) to check the customer's files for errors that may prevent further production, (3) to check the customer's files for missing components, (4) to determine if the customer's files are consistent with the job sold, and (5) to provide input for planning the job which will lead to a correct job ticket.
To create standard work for the "Level 1 Preflighting" activity, you would identify and describe all of the specific tasks that an employee needs to perform in order to complete the activity. You would also specify the sequence in which the tasks should be performed. Once the standard work is in place and being used, you will be able to evaluate the "capability" of the preflighting activity. In other words, if file problems or other issues are not being caught by the existing preflighting activity, this may indicate that the activity needs to be changed.
Are you using standard work in your business? If so, how did you go about defining and describing the standard work? Who was involved in that process? What benefits have you realized?
