CREATING OPERATIONAL STANDARDS

by Chip Chapados

IS: A standard is a documented agreed upon way of completing a task.

Maasaki Imai, (1997) often called the “Father of Continuous Improvement,” identifies two key standard types in business:
Management Standards are those used to define how people behave culturally in a company, to include: administrative procedures, personnel policies, job descriptions, etc. Imai makes the point that if management standards do not exist, operational standards are hard, if not impossible to create and sustain.
Operational standards are those used to define how a person does a job to satisfy customer demand. Defining how a person does a job involves meeting three criteria:
A clear description of the desired result
A clear description of the necessary equipment, tools, materials,
information that needs to be present to successfully complete a job
A clear description of the steps to be followed in order to successfully
complete a job

DOES: Operational Standards helps to assure:
That a job will be successfully completed
The desired result can be consistently and repeatedly achieved
The result will be achieved in a predictable manner and time
The safest and easiest way to do a work task is described needed knowledge and
skills are preserved there is an objective way for measuring performance
The cause and effect of actions taken to complete a job are described
can be further studied to achieve improvements in the operation
Has a basis for identifying training objectives and needs
Has a good basis for designing job training
Has a way for auditing work performance, diagnose problems, and identify
improvement opportunities
Has as few errors as possible and as little variability as possible.

HOW:

HOW TO USE STANDARDS TO STABILIZE WORK RESULTS:THE SDSA PROCESS

SDSA: Standardize, Do, Study, Act
Standardize: Standard is described
Do: Do the work to the standard
Study: Determine that the work is done to the standard and make sure that the work does what is intended and make any needed revisions
Act to implement the standard

Make the description of standard available
Train People
Provide proper support
Normalize the standard (the standard is the new norm).

STANDARDS CHECK STEPS
Every time an abnormality occurs in an existing process
1. Did it happen because we did not have a standard?
2. Did it happen because the standard was not followed?
3. Did it happen because the standard was not adequate?
4. Only AFTER work performance meets 1 -3 do you have a foundation for
further operational improvement

TWI JOB IMPROVEMENT METHODS

STEP 1: Break Down the Job
List all the details of the job exactly as done by the present method
Be sure details include:
Material Handling
Machine Work
Hand Work

STEP 2: Question Every Detail
Use these types of questions
Why is it necessary?
What is the purpose?
Where should it be done?
Who is best qualified to do it?
How should it be done (the “best way” to do it)
Also question the
Material
Machines and Equipment
Tools
Production Design
Layout
Workplace
Safety
Paperwork
Housekeeping

STEP 3: Develop the new method
Eliminate unnecessary details
Combine details when practical
Rearrange for better sequence
Simplify all necessary details
Make the work easier and safer
Preposition materials, tools, equipment, and information in the
immediate work area
Let both hands do useful work
Work out your ideas with others
Write up your proposed new method

STEP 4: Apply the New Method
Sell your proposal to your boss.
Sell the new method to the operators.
Get final approval of all concerned with
safety
quality
quantity
cost
Put new method to work. Use it until a better way is developed.
Give credit where credit is due.

VISUAL WORKMANSHIP STANDARDS

IS: Clearly written and illustrated descriptions of what material should look like after every step where it is modified, and what the final product needs to look like.

DOES: Establishes product standards that help people understand how the
material is transformed into the final product and how to make or modify the product correctly the first time quickly, cost effectively and safely.

HOW:
1. Analyze the process and identify every step where material is modified.
2. For each step, determine and take a picture of what the material should look
like if the step is done correctly.
3. Identify all possible process mistakes: Make a list all the ways in which the step could be done wrong and what the material would look like for each potential process mistake.
4. Take pictures (video, digital camera etc.) to identify the right and wrong way to do each step.
5. Provide a written description for the visuals made for when the process step is done right.
6. Provide a written description to of what the mistake was for the visuals that show process mistakes (What the mistake was, e.g. “Line thick and uneven.”)
7. Provide a written description of what was done wrong for the visuals that show process mistakes. (How the mistake was made, e.g. “Uneven temperature,
wrong welding material.”)
8. Get feedback from people in the work area.
9. Determine a standard format for each workmanship standard. (Layout).
10. Determine how to make the Standards available to the operators at each station.
11. Develop the Standard.
12. Make the Standards Available.

VISUAL WORK INSTRUCTIONS

IS: Clearly written and illustrated step-by-step descriptions of how to perform all the operations of a given process.

DOES: Establishes clear standards that help people understand how to transform the raw material into the final product and how to do it correctly the first time, quickly, cost effectively and safely.

HOW:
1. Analyze the process and identify all tools and every step where material is modified.
2. For each step determine all the tools and tooling needed for modifying the material.
3. Take a picture of each tool and tooling needed at each station.
4. For each step, determine all the actions (including tool setup) that take
place to modify the material.
5. Do a brief written description for each step in the order it occurs in the
process.
6. Take a picture or draw the key steps within the process when the step in done
correctly.
7. Provide a written description of the key step performed correctly.
8. Identify all possible mistakes for these key steps.
9. Take a picture or make a drawing to identify the wrong way for each key step.
10. Provide a written description for the visuals that show process mistakes.
(What the mistake was).
11. Provide a written description of what was done wrong for the visuals that
show process mistakes. (How the mistake was made).
12. Review the Work Instructions with people in the work area and integrate
their feedback.
13. Determine a standard format for each Work Instruction. (Layout).
14. Determine how to make the Work Instructions available to the operator at
each station.
15. Make the final Work Instructions.
16. Make the Work Instructions Available by posting them at the work station
where visual and easily reached.

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