HOW DO YOU BECOME
STANDARDIZED?
Before going very far down
the standardization road,
some key questions must be
asked and answered. The
first is how to decide what
to standardize and what not
to worry about. To answer
this question, you must
document
the benefits of
standardizing a given
process versus
the pain. Another key
consideration is whether,
once
made, the change can be
instituted across the board
or
if the change will need to
be evaluated every time it
is
implemented. Another
question is how to leverage
consultants
and technology. One
technology may be able
to be used in multiple
places but another, "better"
technology
may only be used in one area
or requires substantial
modifications to duplicate
elsewhere. Some of the
benefits versus cost for
standardization:
Benefits:
•
No confusion on what is the
process/system
•
Reduced training
•
Don't pay for product
duplication—often by the
same
supplier
•
Outputs can be compared
against different locations
and people.
Cost:
•
Time to complete—everything
stops?
•
Time commitment of people
doing standardization—
usually only added to their
current tasks
•
How do you standardize
multiple initiatives—both
systems and their processes
simultaneously
•
Systems drive processes and
vice versa but you are
attempting to standardize
both in a semi-vacuum.
Standardization can only be
successfully accomplished
if cross-functional teams
are used. The makeup
of the team is very
important. There must be
enough
functional areas covered so
that an informed decision
can be made and accepted by
areas that must feel they
were represented. The other
important part of the team
makeup is an appropriate
management level of the members.
They must be fairly high up
in the corporation so
the decisions are not
continually being
second-guessed
and the decision of the team
holds power. If experts are
needed to make a decision,
they should be used as part
of a subcommittee, not as
part of the main team.
What must be realized is
that this is not a quick
process—it
takes time and resources.
The pain stated above
is real and there is
considerable burnout that
can occur.
Whenever I complete a
standardizing initiative, I
say that
I have made one person happy
and everyone else unhappy.
The corporation reaps
substantial benefit, but
an individual person, plant,
or department may suffer
substantial cost and timing
penalties. There must be a
certain amount of rotation
on teams or ambivalence
occurs with the continual
time commitments and
difficult decisions being
made.
Continued