Standard Work

Kaizen and Standardization with Dr. Robert Maurer

We spoke with Dr. Robert Maurer, author of “Spirit of Kaizen,” a leading expert in the field of psychology and organizational change, about Kaizen and the role of...

11 Benefits of Standard Work

Taiichi Ohno, a founder of the Toyota Production System (TPS), had this to say about Standard Work, “without standards, there can be no Kaizen.” As the foundation for all...

Inside the Mind of an ISO Auditor

Getting inside the mind of an ISO 9001 auditor is crucial to a successful ISO audit. Think of it like a gift — even the best of presents can be unappealing when wrapped in...

Embracing Waste in a Lean Culture

These days, waste gets a bad rap. ‘Eliminating waste’ is such a common phrase among lean and six sigma practitioners, the two words are practically inseparable. The problem...

In Conversation with John Allwood

Vienna Sausage: A Story of Standards and Tribal Knowledge

Imagine that you lost the ability to make your key product. What if your core revenue driver was suddenly different... And you didn't know why. We recently came across a ...

How to Perform a Time Observation

Without Standard Work, documented processes are often not used, or so out of date, that following them could become problematic. Standard Work is the foundation for any...

Top 10 Shigeo Shingo Quotes on Lean Manufacturing

Shigeo Singo: The Ambassador of Lean Shigeo Shingo was an industry leader of Lean manufacturing principles and philosophies. Originally brought on by Toyota to update their...

Navigating Processes: Standard Work vs. Work Instructions

The manufacturing industry is a professional arena with an overwhelming variety of industry terms and acronyms. We’ve tried to make a list of the most common Lean terms...