What Is Standard Work?
Also known as: standardized work, standard operating procedure lean, work standard
Definition
Standard work is the documented, current best-known way to perform a task, specifying the work sequence, the time for each step (takt and cycle time) and the standard stock on hand, serving as the baseline for improvement.
Standard Work Explained
In lean, standard work has three core elements: takt time, the work sequence, and the standard work in process needed to keep the operation flowing. It is usually captured on a work combination table and a standard work chart showing manual time, machine time and walking.
It differs from a traditional SOP in purpose. An SOP often describes what must be done for compliance. Standard work is built and owned by the people doing the job and is meant to be changed. Without a standard there is nothing to improve against, since any change would be compared to an undefined starting point.
ERP carries the planning-level version of standard work. Routings and operations with setup and run times (routing and operation records in Infor SyteLine, routings in SAP and Infor LN, routings and work centers in NetSuite) drive scheduling and costing. If shop floor standard work improves cycle time but the routing is never updated, the plan and standard cost drift from reality, so a feedback step from kaizen to routing maintenance is essential.
Common mistakes include writing standards at a desk without observing the work, never revisiting them, and using them to police rather than to teach.
Why It Matters
- Reduces variation between people and shifts, improving quality and predictability.
- Provides the baseline that kaizen improves on.
- Speeds training and cross-skilling.
- Keeps ERP routings and standard costs aligned with actual methods.
In Practice
An assembly operator performs nine steps with a 6.5 minute cycle against a 7 minute takt. After observation, a kaizen team reorders steps to remove walking, bringing the cycle to about 6 minutes. The standard work chart is updated, the operator is trained, and the routing run time is revised so the schedule and cost roll-up reflect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the elements of standard work?
Takt time, the work sequence, and the standard work in process or stock on hand needed to run the operation.
How is standard work different from an SOP?
Standard work is created by the operators, is meant to be improved and is built around takt and cycle time. An SOP is often a fixed compliance document.
Who should write standard work?
The people who do the job, with supervisors and engineers supporting, after observing the work at the gemba.
How does standard work relate to ERP routings?
Routings hold planned setup and run times used for scheduling and costing. They should be updated when standard work changes.
Related Terms
Takt Time
Takt time is the rate at which a process must complete one unit to meet customer demand, calculated as available production time divided by demand for that period. It sets the pace a line must sustain, not the speed it can achieve.
Cycle Time
Cycle time is the actual elapsed time a process takes to complete one unit, measured from the start of work on that unit to the start of work on the next. It describes what the process does, not what the customer requires.
Routing
A routing is the ERP record that defines the ordered sequence of operations required to manufacture an item, specifying for each step the work center or machine, setup time, run time per unit, move and queue time, and any outside processing.
Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)
Kaizen is the Japanese term for continuous improvement: a habit of making many small, frequent changes to processes, led by the people who do the work, rather than relying on occasional large projects or one-off redesigns.
Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing is a production philosophy derived from the Toyota Production System that maximizes customer value by systematically identifying and eliminating waste, defined as any activity that consumes resources without adding value the customer would pay for.
Go Deeper
Takt Time Calculator
Compute the takt time your line must hit to meet customer demand, plus the required hourly rate for supervisors and schedulers.
Free ToolCycle Time & Capacity Calculator
Translate cycle time, parallel stations, shift pattern, and realistic utilization into hourly, daily, and annual production capacity.
Aligning Lean Manufacturing with Your ERP
Align lean manufacturing with ERP: kanban and MRP coexistence, backflushing, value stream costing, pull signals in SyteLine and LN, plus AI-driven kaizen.
SyteLine Production Costing Configuration Guide
Configure SyteLine production costing. Standard cost setup, variance tracking, cost rollups, and WIP accounting for manufacturing cost management.
Working with Standard Work in a live environment? Our engineers do this every day - and our AI agents automate most of it.