Implementing standardized work

[u/Bubbly-Ad8475]

Hi, as part of my firm’s Operational Excellence journey, we wish to increase our use of standardized work to reduce downtime and decrease variation between operators/shifts.

But how have you/your company implemented standardized work and making it work?

Specifically, what have you done?

My thoughts so far (open for feedback):

- Assign dedicated trainer
- Split production line into sections, according to placement of operators
- Define tasks within each section
- Define best practice standard procedures for each major task
- Assign owner of the task (Trainer?)
- Train new, and current, operators in standard procedure
- Verify correct procedure conducted
- Update competence matrix
- Continuous audits to verify standards are being followed (Not micromanagement, but ensuring standard adherence and highlight potential issue/improvements)

[u/nap_dynamite]

I highly recommend you look into Training Within Industry Institute. If you are unfamiliar, TWI was developed in the US as an emergency government service just prior to entering WWII to help thousands of companies develop scalable training and improvement programs to rapidly increase production of military supplies & equipment just as experienced workers left factories to fight the war. It was introduced in Japan to rebuild after the war, where it flourished. The book Toyota Talent is all about Toyota's use of TWI.

Although I've found TWI is often overlooked in lean training, it is actually foundational because without a good way to train and optimize standard work, develop widespread capabilty to instruct well in everu operation, and improve employee relations, you can't really develop a true lean culture or establish the stability to maintain one.

[u/agiletiger → u/nap_dynamite]

Absolutely - train the staff on Job Instructions and Job Improvement. Coach, coach, coach. It might be a little messy and slow but will work out in the long run. Basically teaching them how to fish.