Standard Work for Lean Experts: Are You a Hypocrite?
Hypocrites? I cannot think of a better word. Let me explain. Many organizations fail to get full results from improvement efforts. To find out why, we must diagnose the root cause using Lean thinking. We will skip common culprits like lack of leadership, poor real-time problem-solving, and missing visual management. I have written about those before. Instead, let us discuss one reason, a critical lack of standard work for improvement project execution. Why Standard Work Matters Standard work underpins all Lean success and performance gains. Lean tools exist to make waste visible and eliminate it. Concepts like continuous flow, pull, and zero defects are well-documented. They successfully eliminate the seven forms of operational waste. However, that waste always returns if the remaining work is not standardized. Standard work represents the safest, easiest, and best-known way to do something. It is a precise recipe. When followed, it leads to the highest qu...