ASOSA Step 4: Standardize

“If everyone does it differently, you don’t have a process, you have chaos with a logo.”

This is the step where we go from “this works for me” to “this works for everyone.”

Standardizing doesn’t mean making people robotic. It means aligning on the best known way to do something so we can scale, measure, and improve it.

What “Standardize” really means

It’s the point where the process becomes the rule, not the suggestion.
You build the templates, define the quality bar, and make sure everyone plays the same tune.

How to do it without becoming a bureaucrat

Create templates and checklists.
They save time and brains. Nobody should reinvent the wheel each Monday.
Train the new standard.
Communicate why the new way is better, not just that “management said so.”
Monitor compliance gently.
The goal isn’t policing, it’s helping people not fall back into chaos.
Iterate.
Standards are alive. When reality changes, update them.

Why it matters

Standardization is what makes growth sustainable.
Without it, every new hire introduces new entropy; with it, you build consistency and the foundation for real automation.

Standardization isn’t about killing creativity, it’s about killing confusion.

Previous: ASOSA Step 3 – Organize

Next: ASOSA Step 5 – Automate

Or return to the overview: The ASOSA Methodology