Standardized Work is the “current best way” on how to complete a process: safest, highest quality, and most efficient. The standardized work team utilizes the template and describe the step by step actions in the appropriate sequence on how to execute a work process. The team comes up with the steps and every member of the team is encouraged to make suggestions to the standardized work.

Creating Standardized Work

A team of people who do the work comes into a consensus on what is the best way on how to complete a process. The team utilizes a template:

• Standardized Work Template – One Column – used for standardized work that does not require additional details within processes.
• Standardized Work Template – Two-Column – used for standardized work that requires more details and subprocesses.

Standardized Work Training.

Once standardized work has been written, teams can use the document as a training tool as shown below:

Standardized Work Observations

“Where there is no standard, there can be no Kaizen (Improvement)” – Taiichi Ohno

Standardized work observations allow the team to identify opportunities for improvement. Below is an example how providers utilize standardize work observations to emphasize that if a step is missed (or frequently missed), the team is encouraged and empowered to provide suggestions on how to ensure that processes are safe and effective.

Standardized Work Auditing

Auditing validates the steps written in the standardized work while at the gemba (where the work takes place). It is a team-based way of identifying opportunities for improvement. Team members are highly encouraged to observe colleagues and provide value added feedback and their ideas for improvement.