Standard Work is a vital concept in Lean Manufacturing. Without standard work, a lean manufacturing system will not be sustainable. Standard Work is a system for standardizing the work procedures developed through Lean.

Throughout most of the business world, there are procedures and systems in place but not adhered to in practice. Often, in plant settings, the procedures are set on a shelf somewhere and employees are left to “do it the best they know how.”

Some businesses today have procedures which are followed but include many of the eight wastes identified in Lean Manufacturing.

Standard Work is the system of developing the best known method for performing the work in a Lean method. Once the best known method is developed, those involved are constantly trying to improve them. Once improved, they are re-written and standardized again. Standard Work means every person performing the job does it the same way, following the procedure for the best known method, without fail. An example of Standard Work in our daily lives is the red light system. Everyone knows you stop or red, go on green. The system is standardized. Yellow could use some improvement since it means hurry up to some and slow down to others.

The course module on Standard Work teaches how to develop, implement, and sustain Standard Work procedures throughout the business.

Standard Work is utilized in the application of many lean manufacturing concepts. The 5S concept has standardize as the fourth S. There is a certain best method of cleaning and organizing the work site, and once it is developed, standard work provides the impetus to complete the tasks the same way every day. Setup reduction (SMED) also uses standard work. Once the best known method is developed for setting up the machine, it is followed precisely every order.

BPR’s lean manufacturing certification online courses can be completed at your convenience 24/7. Simply log in and begin the course. You can stop any time and come back to where you left off. Once the course is successfully completed, the certification will be mailed to you.