IE Case Study - “Eyes of the operator” Approach - Implementing Standard Work - Issues

Case Study 28 of  Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course - Main Page
Industrial Engineering Case Studies Collection

Standardization is the process of implementing, communicating and improving the standards. Continuous improvement is better appreciated and understood when standard work practice is available and there is an improvement in the output due to change in the SWP or SOP.

Standard work is the best known method of producing goods or services. The main rule is to produce in effective and repeatable manner efficiently. Standard work specifies  human movements, machine movements and activity and  all aspects of work. Standard work allows every operator on the line and every supervisor to regulate and control the process.

Standard is the rule or example describing clear out expectations and process requirements. It has to be precise, specific, documented and followed.

Lessons Learned to Achieve Standardized Work Success
January 27, 2017
Chapter as published in “Practicing Lean” by Mark Graban

“Eyes of the operator” approach - Experience of Lesa Nichols as Trainer of Toyota Production System.

As a member of the Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC), I was assigned to improve the productivity of a work cell. The current condition of standardized work was recorded. But no clue was found to improve from this standardized work recording.  Her  mentor, sensed the frustration, and called all new improvement team members, and told them,  “You are not seeing the true condition. You are lost in the documents.”

He took them  to the line and told them to observe the eyes of the operators. When difficulty is experience in a particular motion, eyes will reflect it.  He explained, “The eyes are mirrors of our thoughts and concerns. When people are intently doing their work, they are not hiding anything. Please discover this on your own." Off we went.

This helped all the members of the new improvement team. With this newly focused lens, the team could see  variety of facial expressions and interpret them. Once incident that was highlighted, is that of  an operator appeared to be struggling with a bright light shining in her eyes while attempting to assemble a part. When Lesa went and sat in the operator's seat, she noticed that the operator  was working with an obstructed view of the area where she needed to attach two components to the main unit. She was attaching parts by feel and hence the discomfort. Team implemented this suggestion of  “eyes of the operator” approach. They were able to find and fix the specific struggles in each person's work. As these issues were solved, productivity improved. 

Lesa writes, without the barrier of a stopwatch, documents and clipboards, it is much easier to deeply observe the work the team member is doing. But standard work documents are necessary. If new standard work documents are not created,  there is nothing for worksite leaders to understand the new standard work practice  to ensure that new improvements are implemented and will continue.

http://www.lesanicholsconsulting.com/blog/2017/1/27/lessons-learned-to-achieve-standardized-work-success

“Without Work Standards There Won’t be Standardized Work” – Mr. Isao Kato.

This article is written by Oscar Roche and TWI Institute.
2020

You require quality standards, machine standards, system standards, and operator work standards.

Machine standards: Machine standard contains all the elements of the machine that impact the output  and gives “normal” settings. Based on the normal,  “normal / abnormal” of the current state for the machine can be indicated. The hypothesis is that if the machine elements are all “normal” then the output will be 100% to the output standard.

https://leanfrontiers.com/without-work-standards-there-wont-be-standardized-work/

http://www.lesanicholsconsulting.com/resources

Daily Work Management for Quality and Productivity Based on Standards

(Based on the book "Management by Quality" by Hitoshi Kume

Daily work management has to focus preventing abnormalities from standard work specified.

The main activities to be performed for effective daily work management.

1. Setting standards

2. Training people in the standard

3. Managing changes

4. Maintaining and sustaining the equipment

5. Taking action against abnormalities

2. Training people in standards

Standard work steps in processes will deliver standard output if they are observed or followed in the daily work. Education and training in standard processes are required so that people understand them and know how to put them in practice.

3. Managing changes

Changes in work systems happen frequently.

Some common types of changes are:

i) Changes in operators and persons in charge.

ii) Modifications to jigs, tools and machines

iii) Modifications to software programs

iv) Modifications  to work procedures

v) Changes in inspection personnel

vi) Modifications to measuring instruments and inspection equipment

vi) Changes in raw material from lot to lot or receipt to receipt

vii) Changes in contractors and suppliers

viii) Modifications  to packing formats and transportation methods

ix) Design changes

The changes may not cause defects directly. Defects occur when changes are not recognized and managed properly.

Standardized Work Instructions
https://world-class-manufacturing.com/Lean/swi.html

STANDARD WORK - Training Program
https://www.e-opex.pl/en/trainings/all-trainings/standard-work/

Updated 21 May 2021

Pub 15 June 2020