It's easy to mix them up, as an organization can have both.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are a regulatory compliance requirement that organizations must conform to when carrying out tasks.

On the other hand, Standard Work is a concept that aims to document the most efficient arrangement of people and materials for the highest accuracy and uniformity.

Standard Work is best used for tasks that involve a high level of skill or attention to detail, to manage micro-tasks or cycle times, or those with issues with a recurring error. Standard Work requirements might also be in a Work Instruction or Test Method, but these documents don't typically manage the efficiency element of production.

For example, your Bill of Materials (BOM) will list all the materials and how much are needed in the batch. The batch instructions will describe how to make the batch. But neither of these documents will cover all the planning, timing with other activities (room cleaning, line clearances from another batch, number of operators required at each stage etc.)... this is where Standard Work comes in, so that the facility is efficient. Not just compliant.

But we all want to see both, right? Does your organization have standard work that is different to an SOP or WI? Why is this important? Because being clear on your Standard Work helps your team engage and identify continuous improvement.