112 THETOYOTAWAYFIELDBOOK
you can begin the creative progression of continuous improvement. As we’ve
shown in the previous chapters, the work of developing standards begins early
in a lean implementation and is a common thread throughout the development
of lean operations. The creation of standardized processes is based on defining,
clarifying (making visual), and consistently utilizing the methods that will
ensure the best possible results. As such, standardization is not applied as a
stand-alone element at specific intervals. Rather, it is part of the ongoing activity
of identifying problems, establishing effective methods, and defining the way
those methods are to be performed. And it is drivenby people, not done topeople.
People doing the work understand it in sufficient detail to make the biggest con-
tributions to standardization.
We have stated throughout that our objective is to teach the core philosophies
and concepts of the Toyota Way. Again, this is not intended to be another “how
to” lean tools book. The process Toyota refers to as “standardized work” is so
important to the overall production system that one third of Toyota’s internal
TPS Handbookis devoted to it.^3 Quite simply, standardized work and other work
standards are the baseline for continuous improvement.
This is another one of those misunderstood points about TPS. Until standards
are defined in any operation, it is not possible to truly make improvements. Think
about it this way: If a process is not standardized (it is random and chaotic), and
improvements are made, what was improved? Did you improve the randomness?
Or did you just add one more version of how the work can be done to further
increase the chaos? If a person creatively improves the work but it does not become
a standard, then the work is only improved while that particular person is doing it.
And nobody else will build on that improvement. If the improvement was to create
standardization, then you created a platform from which to enable teams to contin-
uously improve the process. You have the foundation for a learning organization.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon in our work with companies that are imple-
menting lean processes to be asked to “do standardized work” as if it were a
stand-alone tool to be applied according to an implementation schedule (“Our
road map says we need to do standardized work now”). One such request went
something like this: “We need to get standardized work done by October.” To
which was replied: “We can certainly do that, but standardized work is a tool,
and like any tool, it has specific uses and is used to accomplish specific objectives.”
In one company, standardized work was behind schedule according to the
lean implementation plan. The solution: Hire a schoolteacher over the summer
to write out the standardized work for all jobs. The result: very nice looking,
posted standardized work that no one followed. If you just want to fill out sheets,
laminate and hang them in the work area and create no real value, you can do
that. If you are interested in using standardized work to reduce waste, define a
(^3) TPS Handbook, 1989 by Toyota Motor Corporation.