Standardized Work: Foundations to Practice

Every team has a “best person”—someone whose results others can’t replicate. When that person is out, quality drops, managers firefight, and nobody knows why. The root cause is almost always the same: the work has never been properly standardized.

This workshop teaches you to fix that—not with rigid procedures, but with living standards built and owned by the people doing the work.

This two-day, hands-on workshop blends classroom instruction with live observation of real work. On Day 1, participants learn lean foundations—the three M’s (muri, mura, muda), the seven wastes, and what “standardized” actually means versus a static SOP—then take those concepts directly to a live work environment. On Day 2, participants learn to measure work using spaghetti diagrams and lap timing, build the three core standardized work documents (production capacity sheet, combination table, and analysis chart).

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Identify muri, mura, and muda in any work environment using direct, structured observation.
• Use spaghetti diagrams and lap timing to measure current-state work and select the lowest repeatable cycle time.
• Build a production capacity sheet, standardized work combination table, and standardized work analysis chart for a real process.
• Translate lean and standardized work principles to your own industry

Concepts introduced:

• three M’s (muri, mura, muda) 
• seven wastes
• takt time vs cycle time
• standardized work vs. work instructions 
• gemba observation 2 
• spaghetti diagrams
• time observation & lap timing 
• production capacity sheet 
• standardized work combination table 
• standardized work analysis chart 

Who Should Participate?

The training is for individuals responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining a standardized work program.

Prerequisites: None required. No prior lean experience necessary.

Discounts

• Register three or more students from your organization and save 12.5% off every registration. To receive a group discount, register as a group through the registration link and the discount will automatically apply.
• LEI Co-Learning Partners: Partners receive 25% off current pricing. No group discount can be applied.

Cancellation Policy

To cancel, please call LEI at (617) 871-2900 or email registrar@lean.org. 

• Two+ weeks before start date: full refund 
• Less than two weeks before the start date: $350 fee
• After the start date: no refund