Standard Work Bulletin Board 1922

I was reading an old 1922 article about a factory in Osaka, Japan, that had a standard work bulletin board.

This shows that standard work bulletin boards have been valued for many years, well before Taiichi Ohno.

To evaluate the enduring relevance of standard work bulletin boards, I will analyze the article in greater detail.

The company, Dainippon Boseki Co., Ltd. (now Unitika), used a standard work bulletin board.

The board showed workers, roles, key points, and backups. For example, it listed the leader, lubrication, front, and back positions, along with tasks and reminders. The lubrication role supported the leader, organized belts, ropes, and tools, and covered absences. Notes included: “Lubricate at 9 AM. Lubricate cylinders twice daily. Fill the boxstand cup. Clean dirty machines immediately.”

The article highlights the need to prevent forgetfulness and maintain proper task sequences. It notes that small operational details can have a significant financial impact.

The article also highlights that the term “lubrication” was considered prestigious. Given the limited number of machines at the time, this role held considerable significance, a trend that persisted for decades.

Reflecting on the 1922 standard work bulletin board and comparing it to boards in 2026 highlights a shift in focus. While contemporary boards emphasize data and results—often highlighting past performance—the 1922 board outlined expected activities and roles in real time. This proactive communication of expectations remains an essential point today.

This distinction is especially relevant to the challenges I see today, such as tracking workforce presence. When I ask managers, they often struggle. Often, only part of the scheduled workforce is present. After investigating, the reasons appear: one was absent; another was retrieving materials despite a handler; another was in the restroom; another was behind a wall; and some were reassigned. These situations illustrate the complexity of workforce management.

Given these challenges, the core value of a standard work bulletin board is its ability to provide real-time clarity on roles and expectations—something digital systems often overlook. Maintaining a traditional board in 2026 can directly support workforce transparency by displaying personnel assignments and highlighting critical gaps.

The Toyota Production System further refined this method. A well-known story involves Taiichi Ohno telling someone to stand in a circle to observe operations. I don’t suggest this practice outside of Toyota, since many layouts don’t allow a full view from a single spot. In a U-shaped layout, standing at the entrance gives visibility of the whole line, while in scattered layouts, sightlines are limited. Also, material delivery is arranged to keep operators within their assigned areas, reducing the need to leave the line. Observing from one point can provide useful insights.

Place the standard work bulletin board next to the observation point to directly compare expected and actual activities.

To improve this, position the hour-by-hour production board next to the standard work board. These boards together display input-output relationships, supporting cause-and-effect analysis.

Taiichi Ohno started at Toyota Boshoku, a competitor of Dainippon Boseki. It is unclear if this method was used at Toyota Boshoku. Dainippon Boseki probably outperformed. Ohno later implemented standard work at Toyota Boshoku.

標準作業