I came across a great example of an application of standard work at home during a recent Lean leader coaching session. This dad helped his 7 year old daughter to set up a simple daily standard work sheet for her to organise and simplify the usual hectic morning scramble that is part and parcel of getting ready for school in most housholds.
Once the framework was set up, young Ava determined her own timing for each task and now she uses the sheet to record how long it takes to complete each task. Thereby settling into a standard routine and also using it as a visual check to ensure that no task is missed. I'm sure as she continues to use the sheet, improvement opportunities will become obvious and then that will become the new standard.
A simple standard work routine and tracking system that becomes the basis for continuous improvement - priceless!
