The Challenges of Standardization
Standardization is an important concept in lean methodology. It is the concept that everyone who processes the same thing should do it in the same best way. This helps to reduce variability in quality and process time. This is especially important in an operating environment where variability is frowned upon. As such, many organizations come up with numerous tools such as process maps, step maps, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other such documents to outline how something should be done. Furthermore, some come up with standardized templates that employees should use during the process. Up until this point, organizations seem to be doing all the right things to ensure process standardization. So, why is it that the following things are so commonly observed?