Lean

Standard WorkStandardized Work

The documented current best method for a task, tied to takt time, sequence, and standard WIP — the baseline for improvement.

Standard work is the precise, documented current best method for performing a task. Its three classic elements are takt time, the exact work sequence, and the standard WIP needed to keep the sequence flowing.

It serves two purposes: consistency (everyone does it the safest, best-known way) and improvement — you cannot improve a process that isn't stable and standardized. Every kaizen raises the standard, which is then re-stabilized.

Go Deeper
Standard Work guide→Training Within Industry guide→
Related Terms
Takt Time
The rate of customer demand — available production time divided by demand — that sets the pace production must match.
WIP
Inventory that has entered production but is not yet finished — the lever that controls lead time via Little's Law.
Kaizen
Continuous, incremental improvement involving everyone — from daily small ideas to structured multi-day events.
Standard Operating Procedure
A documented, step-by-step instruction for consistently performing a routine task or process.
TWI
A set of structured supervisor skills — Job Instruction, Job Methods, and Job Relations — for training and improving work.

Put Standard Work into practice

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