A Case for Standards

Standards help us maximize the use of our time in producing the highest quality product or service at the best possible cost. Often, problems are eliminated by just improving standards. The first of Kaizen's seven concepts is called SDCA to PDCA. SDCA (Standardize-Do-Check-Act) means Standardize the process, Do or execute the process according to the standard, Check to see if the desired results were obtained, and then take Action accordingly. All this should be done before attempting to improve the process.

Are there any standards?

Am I aware that they exist?

Am I enforcing the standards?

Am I following the standards?

Has there been adequate training on the standards?

Do the standards need to be revised?

Is it so easy to make a mistake that we need to fool-proof the process?

Management has to ask these Kaizen window questions to prevent problems from occurring. It is important to look at the product from the customer's viewpoint. It is important to recognise how knowledge and learning spread through standards, ultimately making processes more consistent in quality and delivery, and leading to better customer satisfaction and increased competitiveness.

The affinity of the manager toward the Gemba and wanting to make changes to standards. At Toyota 'Gosei' (supervisor), literally takes off his/her normal brown hat for 30 minutes each day. During this time the supervisor wears a worker's white hat as he/she goes to the Gemba and talks to workers about how well their standards are working and whether or not they need to be changed.

Westerners traditionally believe that the only workers who can establish standards are the technical people. Yet the people who must use the standards are the workers in the Gemba.

The trust that management will take care of every employee and have a job for him/her even if revision of the standard renders him/her no longer necessary for the process.

Often, standardisation shows that a process has many operations that can be eliminated, thus not requiring as many people. In Japan this is recognised as a natural outcome not only of standardisation but also of many Kaizen activities. It is very hard for people to get involved in improving or standardizing their own processes if they feel threatened with a negative impact on their personal job security. Although simple in concept, standardisation really requires a shift in thinking in order to be effective.