5S: The Antidote to Clutter

Reading about “Lean Programming” techniques, I came across the term “5S” for the first time today. I had to look it up.

Introduction to 5S

5S is a philosophy and a way of organizing and managing the workspace by eliminating waste.

The 5S is a list of five Japanise words that begin with ‘S’: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke. The closest English equivalent is Sort, Straighten, Shine, Systemize (or Standardize) and Sustain.

5S is customarily implimented in connection with a Kaizen, lean manufacturing, or continuous improvement program. However, 5S can be a stand-alone programOften, 5S is discussed in the context of Kaizen, Lean Production or Continuous Improvement techniques as used in manufacturing. Nevertheless, the 5S should work in any environment: the workplace,  your home, your PC filing system or even your own head.

Defining the 5S

1. Seiri (整理) Tidiness, Organization (Clearout and Classify)
2. Seiton (整頓) Orderliness (Configure)
3. Seiso (清掃) Cleanliness (Clean and Check)
4. Seiketsu (清潔) Standards (Conformity)
5. Shitsuke (躾) Discipline (Custom and Practice)

The Benefits of 5S

• Greater efficiency in achieving goals
• Greater readiness for new tasks
• Fewer hazards
• Less spending on replacing lost or damaged items
• Less stress
• Greater self-esteem
• More space

Seiri: Tidiness

The Practice of Seiri

Sort through everything in the workplace / home:

• Keep the essential.
• Store the useful.
• Discard everything else.

Discarding should be without regret, for everything that is left should promote productivity.

The Benefits of Seiri

• Fewer hazards
• Less clutter to interfere with productive work
• Simplification of tasks
• Effective use of space
• Careful purchasing of items

Seiton:  Orderliness

The Practice of Seiton

“A place for everything & everything in its place”. 

Organise and designin your home / workplace to promote efficiency. Arange tools and meterials in assigned places where they can be accessed quickly, thus promoting work flow.

• Keep tools and equipment where they will be used.
• Order items to eliminate ‘extra motion’.
• Allocate a location to each item.
• Label each location to identify what is kept there.

The Benefits of Seiton

• Good workflow -> Achievement.
• Things can be found -> Less frustration.

Seiso: Cleanliness  

The Practice of Seiso

Keep your home / workplace clean as well as neat.

See your environment workplace through the eyes of a visitor: keeping a high standard of cleanliness to make a good impression.

• Maintain cleanliness daily, not just occasionally.
• Make cleanliness a part of the work, not an extra.
• Cleaning is done by everyone.
• No area should be missed.

The Benefits of Seiso

• A good impression
• Better health
• A better quality of life
• Improved self-esteem

Seiketsu: Standards

The Practice of Seiketsu

• Operate consistently.
• Everyone must know their responsibilities.
• Use your five senses:
  • Make it easy to spot anomalies.
  • Detect abnormalities and correct them immediately.

Examples of using senses (sometimes called “Visual Management”):

• Color-coding.
• Outlining tools on a tool board.

Shitsuke: Discipline

The Practice of  Shitsuke

Finally, maintain standards. Learn not to need reminding about the 5S way.

• Make 5S’s a way of life.
• Focus on the 5S way.
• Eliminate bad habits.

The Benefits of  Shitsuke

• No gradual decline back to the previous way of operating.

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Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• 5S (Seiri Seiton Seiso Seiketsu Shitsuke)
• 5S (methodology)
• Sikap Kerja 5S
• Cluttered Cubicles Go Lean With 5S Rules