5S

5S was one of the first things I learned when I started to get involved with Lean and it's the one that automatically comes to mind when I am looking at a new project. There are slight variations to some lists that represent this acronym, but most generally include: 1) Sort, 2) Straighten, 3) Shine, 4) Standardize, and 5) Sustain. I'll elaborate a little on each one.

Sort: We all have done this at some point...purging the garage of stuff that we don't use, boxing up those clothes that don't fit anymore, culling out the expired food from the kitchen cabinets. We aim to keep only the essential tools and things we use, freeing up work space and storage space. Doesn't it feel great to have this fresh, clean start? I know I'm more productive and willing to take on a project when I have a space that is free of clutter.

Straighten: The next logical step is to neatly arrange the things we still need and are going to keep. Key to the success of this step is to strategically place items right where they will be used, but will not restrict the flow of any other process.

Shine: Simply stated, clean and keep it clean. In the factory, we painted our machines and ventilation hoods white so you could always see the dirt. The idea was that you should never see dirt.

Standardize: Create a procedure and follow it. Make sure everyone involved knows it and understands their role. Promote interchangeability for seamless adaptation to unexpected scenarios.

Sustain: Plan, in advance, for failure. This ensures all bases are covered and success will be the end result. Make every effort to foster an environment where the 5S efforts will be accepted and promoted.

From my experience, a lot of workers thought it was pretty ridiculous to waste time doing these things when we could be running production instead. To help promote the improvements, we asked how many times they had to look for the 5/8" wrench to adjust their machine? Or, if they ever needed a pen to fill out their paperwork and couldn't find one? They all had a story. So, I made many shadow boards like the one pictured below. By creating a place for every tool and utensil that each worker needed, then affixing them to the exact location where the tools would be used, we saved a lot of time that could be better used for production. At the end of every shift, the workers would make sure all their tools were accounted for with a quick glance. A lot of us already do this in our garages....think pegboard or the case for the socket set. If we let this spread to the kitchen, think how many arguments could be avoided if no one ever had to look for the scissors or can opener?

Photo courtesy of: www.5sleanmanufacturing.com