
68 ◾ Lean Production Simplified, Third Edition
Labor Density
Thus, in the Lean system standardized work is focused on human move-
ment. We seek to develop people-centered processes that flow smoothly and
safely. Our measure of efficiency is labor density defined as follows:
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Labor density = Work/Motion
Customer demand determines the numerator. Toyota’s approach is to con-
tinually reduce the denominator.
Why Standardized Work?
Standardized work provides great benefits:
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1. Process stability: Stability means repeatability. We need to meet our
productivity, quality, cost, lead time, safety, and environmental targets
every time.
2. Clear stop and star