5S is a method of “workplace organization” that when done properly can benefit an organization in so many ways. It is a great starting point in any “lean” implementation because it is a way to get the entire organization engaged in change and making improvements in their own areas. However, an organization has to make sure that 5S is applied to every area of the organization, including maintenance shops, QC labs, administrative offices, etc. for it to be successful.

If 5S isn’t applied everywhere, the shop floor begins to question why they have to do 5S if other areas of the organization aren’t. It’s a lot like telling your children to keep their rooms clean, but the rest of the house is a mess. They may do it, but with resentment and when you need their help in making other changes, the active participation usually doesn’t exist.

There is much “waste of motion” spent walking around looking for things that people need to do their jobs, both in production as well as offices. The concept of 5S is simple in that you have a “place for everything and everything is in its place”. However, the discipline to follow the rules is the most difficult part. The steps of 5S are as follows:

Sort - (Seiri) Clearly distinguish between what is needed and what is not needed to perform a given work process.
Set-to-Order - (Seiton) Organize those things that are needed, making it easy for users to locate, use and return them.
Shine - (Seiso) Clean all aspects of the area, including floors, machines and furniture.
Standardize - (Seiketsu) Revisit frequently to maintain and improve the first three S’s in addition to personal orderliness and neatness.
Sustain - (Shitsuke) Motivate to achieve the discipline or habit of maintaining the correct 5S procedures.

An organization has to be consistent and persistent in the application of 5S or it will not work because the employees develop the attitude that it is just another fade that will go away. However, when done properly 5S becomes the bases for the implementation of all the other “lean” tools.

Visual Management is the concept of managing an organization visually. One should be able to walk through the organization and without asking a question anyone understand if things are under control or not. This is done by what the organization chooses to measure and how it chooses to display the results of those measurements. The way the organization chooses to manage processes and equipment is also a huge part of visual management.

We help organizations understand the power of 5S & Visual Management and teach them how to use these two valuable tools to better manage the business. We have some clients that frame every improvement around the concepts of 5S & Visual Management and have made huge gains in the process.

The benefits an organization can expect to gain with 5S & Visual Management are as follows: