How does Standard Work apply to IT?

The purpose of Standard Work is mastery.  This is what we currently believe is the best way to do it and therefore a deviation is either...

• a mistake - an opportunity for individual improvement; OR
• an innovation - an opportunity for everyone to improve

For people in IT operations, this is a better way to see Standard Operating Procedures, as an engine toward excellence versus an anchor toward mediocrity.

What about development?

If we look at the best developer on the team, how is s/he approaching the situation? Is it distinct from how less effective developers are approaching it?  How?  This probably includes how s/he is thinking about it.

How should we capture the approach the best developer takes?  Examples?  Patterns?  Cognitive Themes?  How do we detect when we deviate from this approach indicating a mistake or an innovation?

Answer those questions if you want to understand how Standard Work applies to IT.  Don't just glance at and/or copy Toyota standardised work sheets and then conclude that it's not applicable and there's nothing to learn from it.