Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed?

[aotiel]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

Standardized work, per se, is not a document, but there is documentation involved, or there's no basis for standardization.



ISO requirements aren't (or shouldn't be) imposed by auditors--they're verified by auditors. Like I said before, if the documentation system is inefficient, it's a prime target for Lean improvement. If you feel a need to circumvent the documentation system, it's a sign that the documentation system is poorly designed.

You're a Quality guy, aren't you?

Try the 5-why's process to determine why people circumvent the documentation system. The answers may surprise you.

 

[howste]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

The documents are available for change at any and all times through kaizen by the operators. They embody the true spirit of Lean, continuous improvement at the source. When documents are controlled, they now have to go through a change/audit process, contradictory with Lean continuous and instantaneous improvement. Organizations who are true die-hards on Lean will prefer (almost demand) that Standardized Work be written in pencil, so changes can be easily and readily made.

So, for instance, a temporary employee who's been working on the job for 5 minutes can change the standardized work documents? How will this person know what an improvement to the process would be?

 

[Jim Wynne]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

You're a Quality guy, aren't you?

Try the 5-why's process to determine why people circumvent the documentation system. The answers may surprise you.

Actually I wear two hats in my present position--quality and manufacturing engineer. I can name that tune in two "whys"--people circumvent the system because there are problems with consistency in establishing priorities (creating "constancy of purpose," in Deming's words) or the system is poorly designed. Both are management issues, but Lean hasn't been fully implemented until those issues are addressed. You can work on local problems in spite of the system, or create an efficacious system that doesn't encourage sidestepping.

I also understand that sometimes systemic improvement is out of the reach of mere mortals like us, and we do what we have to do. That doesn't change the underlying principles, however.

 

[aotiel]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

I need to understand the audience here on this forum. How familiar with Lean are most of you? It will help me not only with responding to questions, but also with leading (questioning) posts.

 

[howste]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

I'm new to Elsmar Cove. Can you post attachments? If so, how? Then I could post a sample Standardized Work sheet.

Click on the

button or the "Go Advanced" button on the bottom of the page. Find the "Manage Attachments" button below the main window. It should be intuitive from there.

I need to understand the audience here on this forum. How familiar with Lean are most of you? It will help me not only with responding to questions, but also with leading (questioning) posts.

You'll find a pretty mixed bag here. Some are experts, and some don't even know how to spell lean. Everybody has their own background and experience. I find that generalizing leads to trouble - principles are principles and the truth doesn't change with the audience.

 

[wmarhel]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

I need to understand the audience here on this forum. How familiar with Lean are most of you? It will help me not only with responding to questions, but also with leading (questioning) posts.

aotiel, I think you'll find some very knowledgeable people on this forum about quality, lean and many other subjects. It is a diverse group and I would suggest that you present your comments and opinions as best you can. Be assured that the discussions can be vigorous and insightful, even if we don't always agree.

Wayne

 

[aotiel]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

Having worked with Lean/Cellular Manufacturing in a small/medium electronics business, a subsidiary of G.E., Honeywell Defense and Space, and now Regal-Beloit, I've seen my share of "versions" of Lean. I've worked with outside consulting firms, internal "experts", and managers who simply read a book and decided they knew Lean.

The last two+ years in Regal-Beloit, I've worked with an external consulting firm made up of past Toyota (TMMK and TSSC) managers and executives. I've learned exponentially more with them than with any other internal or external organization. In this instance, I believe we have truly gotten what we paid for. Learning from those who have been hands-on and fully engulfed in the system is irreplaceable.

New operators have to go through an extensive (compared to most Western businesses) training period...even once they are selectively hired. Therefore, a new operator does have the ability to request a change to standardized work, but he or she does not have the ability to arbitrarily change things. Even long-term employees have to test the change, demonstrate its benefit to others, then the Standard Work becomes an agreed-upon practice among the cross-shift operators and the supervisor.

 

[howste]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

Having worked with Lean/Cellular Manufacturing in a small/medium electronics business, a subsidiary of G.E., Honeywell Defense and Space, and now Regal-Beloit, I've seen my share of "versions" of Lean. I've worked with outside consulting firms, internal "experts", and managers who simply read a book and decided they knew Lean.

The last two+ years in Regal-Beloit, I've worked with an external consulting firm made up of past Toyota (TMMK and TSSC) managers and executives. I've learned exponentially more with them than with any other internal or external organization. In this instance, I believe we have truly gotten what we paid for. Learning from those who have been hands-on and fully engulfed in the system is irreplaceable.

It sounds like you have a wealth of knowledge. I look forward to learning from you!

New operators have to go through an extensive (compared to most Western businesses) training period...even once they are selectively hired. Therefore, a new operator does have the ability to request a change to standardized work, but he or she does not have the ability to arbitrarily change things. Even long-term employees have to test the change, demonstrate its benefit to others, then the Standard Work becomes an agreed-upon practice among the cross-shift operators and the supervisor.

It sounds like you really do control the documents then. It's just not in a way you're used to seeing in the "ISO" registered systems you've been exposed to.

Remember that ISO standards require the organization to define their own document control methods. If it doesn't make sense to do it in a certain way, choose a better way!

 

[Stijloor]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

<snip> HOWEVER, the way 98% of organizations function within ISO is wasteful.

Source?

Stijloor.

 

[DanteCaspian]

Re: Are 'Standard Work Documents' used by "All" who implemented LEAN & Control Needed

Our current change to using "modern leaner" standard work sheets, we have taken old work instructions that were 2-6 pages long and made them into one simple visual page. It actually has more information, like work station layout and process photos, but less fluff and easier to read.
Further, by consolidating family products into one standard work sheet, we are estimating that our 930 old "work instructions" will be come closer to 300. This make updating documents a breeze.