TL;DR: Standard work defines the current best method for a task. Standardized work signals that method is deliberately created, followed, and improved through kaizen — not fixed by rule. The distinction matters because it supports professional judgment over rigid compliance. Most people use “standard work” and “standardized work” interchangeably. They shouldn’t. One word implies a fixed set of steps you comply with. The other implies a method you create, follow, and keep improving — and … Continue reading The Real Difference Between Standard Work and Standardized Work