5S Lean Methodology, Systems & Principles - Training & Research Page

What Is 5S?

5S is a systematic form of visual management utilizing everything from floor tape to operations manuals. It is not just about cleanliness or organization; it is also about maximizing efficiency and profit. 5S is a framework that emphasizes the use of a specific mindset and tools to create efficiency and value. It involves observing, analyzing, collaborating, and searching for waste and also involves the practice of removing waste.

5S includes five terms that all start with the letter "S."

What Does 5S Stand For?

5S, sometimes referred to as 5s or Five S, refers to five Japanese terms used to describe the steps of the 5S system of visual management. Each term starts with an S. In Japanese, the five S's are Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke. In English, the five S's are translated as Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.

Before and After 5S Implementation

5S Methodology

The 5S methodology is a systematic approach to workplace organization. This method includes the five steps of Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Generally speaking, the steps of 5S involve going through items in a workspace, removing what's unnecessary, organizing items, cleaning, performing maintenance, and making sure these things become habits. These steps should occur in this order, and there must be a plan in place for performing the tasks associated with these steps on a regular basis. At the end of of a 5S implementation you will see characteristic things such as policy manuals, glow-in-the-dark tape or photoluminescent tape on the floor, colored bins, red tags, and 5S walks taking place. In the end, it should all add up to efficiency.

The 5S methodology originated in Japan and was first implemented by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The methodology was developed as a way to make just in time (JIT) manufacturing possible. This type of manufacturing intends to produce only the amount of a product that is needed, when it is needed. Having an organized workplace that utilizes visual cues to maintain itself allows JIT manufacturing to proceed more smoothly; in this type of environment, it's easier to see problems and move materials efficiently.

Origin of 5S

Toyota Production System

The 5S methodology traces its lineage to post-war Japan, where the leaders of a burgeoning Toyota Industries (neé Toyoda Automatic Loom Works) were seeking to reduce manufacturing waste and inefficiencies. Their solution, dubbed the Toyota Production System, encompasses a number of methodologies that would become famous in their own right, including Just-In-Time manufacturing, Jidoka, and the core concept of the visual workplace.

Initially, the Toyota Production System was a closely-guarded secret, but the massive economic boom Japan experienced in the 1980s drew intense interest from foreign corporations wondering how Toyota, the shiniest jewel in Japan's manufacturing crown, was able to build so many products, so quickly, at such a high quality level. As a gradual, international exchange of ideas began to take shape, author and ULVAC Inc. executive Hiroyuki Hirano devised the five pillars of the visual workplace, a concept that would metamorphose into the 5S methodology as we know it today.

The 5S methodology has gained importance throughout the years and is now one of the basic foundational elements of Lean, along with other Lean processes and practices such as:

• Visual Workplace
• Six Sigma
• Kaizen
• Kanban
• Gemba
• TIMWOOD
• Lean Manufacturing

Quick Answers about 5S

What is the 5S methodology?

What is the purpose of 5S?

What does 5S stand for?

What is the 6th S?

How does 5S relate to kaizen?

What Is Lean? 5S Principles

Lean, often called Lean manufacturing, is a method used to identify and eliminate waste from a manufacturing process. Lean aims to remove anything from the production process that does not add value to the end product or service the customer purchases. The Lean manufacturing principles of eliminating waste and streamlining processes originated with the manufacturing industry in Japan in the mid-twentieth century, and in the late twentieth century grew popular with American businesses.

5S is a Lean manufacturing tool that serves as the foundation for all other Lean endeavors. 5S creates a visual logic in the workplace and puts things in order so waste can easily be identified.

5S Lean Manufacturing

The term 5S is often paired with Lean because 5S is a foundational part of Lean manufacturing. Implementing 5S in a workplace makes it easier for people to navigate, find what they need, and keep things organized. Once a sustainable 5S system is in place, other Lean manufacturing initiatives such as kanban or kaizen can be implemented more successfully because the workplace is already easy to work in. Without 5S to keep everything in order so problems are easily identifiable, other Lean efforts often see less success. In many cases, 5S is what makes the rest of Lean possible.

Visual Management

Visual management, sometimes called visual control, is a method of managing a business that uses visual signals to communicate important information. These visuals can include diagrams, pictograms, color-coding, floor markings, photographs, and more. This type of management allows people to quickly understand the information being conveyed. In many cases, visual management techniques make it possible for everyone in the workplace to understand the current state of work processes. For example, a green andon light shows a process is moving smoothly, while a red light calls attention to a problem with a process.

5S is a form of visual control that focuses on organization and can improve productivity. Visual markings in a storage area can help workers return materials to their proper locations, floor markings can create boundaries around work cells, and signs on the floor can point out the proper locations for trash and recycling bins. Using visual tools like these allows a business to communicate information to workers without needing to actually say anything.

Visual Workplace

A visual workplace is a workspace where visual tools provide people with the information they need to complete their work. These visuals explain the workplace so people do not need to ask unnecessary questions. A visual workplace is often described as being "self-explaining, self-ordering, self-regulating, and self-improving" because the visual signals it uses allow it to operate with minimal extra effort from users. A workplace that uses 5S is often called a visual workplace because 5S is a method for making an organizational system visual.

Why Lean 5S?

There are many benefits associated with the implementation and continued use of 5S. Some of the top reasons to begin 5S include:

Employee Involvement

Employee involvement is an absolute must for successful 5S implementation. In fact, many people may argue that a company simply cannot be successful in 5S without total employee involvement.

Employees should be involved in nearly all stages of 5S implementation and should also be involved in all tasks involving 5S practices and/or procedures. For instance, employees should participate in the decision-making process regarding the red tagging of unneeded items. Employees should also be utilized as a valuable resource when it comes to overall organization. It is the employees who are out on the work floor each day, engaging in processes and noting both the pitfalls and peaks of each work process.

Another large component of employee involvement includes education. Employees should not be expected to understand and comply with the methodologies of 5S if they do not understand them or the overall purpose.

Employee buy-in plays a huge role in the success of any 5S effort. It is critical that both employees and management are educated on the value of 5S as a "tool" instead of just simply as a philosophy. When 5S is viewed as a "tool," staff will begin to believe in the processes involved, which will help promote greater levels of efficiency, quality, and staff flexibility.

Costs Involved with 5S

There are two main costs involved when starting and continuing 5S. These two costs are:

How to Get Started With 5S

Starting any project that involves the potential for large changes can be somewhat daunting. However, there are a few ways to help establish a rich soil for abundant levels of growth.

One thing that is critical to the success of any 5S endeavor is employee buy-in. Employee buy-in essentially means that the employees are open, willing, and committed to making contributions to make the endeavor a success. Some helpful ways to develop employee buy-in include:

• Educating employees.
• Providing examples and a framework for success.
• Allowing employees to discuss the potential barriers and pitfalls of the recommendations.
• Providing insight about how the 5S process will actually operate to help alleviate some of the unknowns that could hinder the process.

Throughout the employee buy-in process, many teams will show excitement and interest when it comes to discussing the pitfalls and barriers associated with the new changes. However, as this is done and details are hashed out, great insight and information with be gathered on how to best approach the team in the future. When pitfalls and barriers are met with a positive mental attitude, even some of the most intimidating tasks can be conquered. It is important to remember that positive attitudes are contagious.

5S System

The 5S system of visual management has improved organization and efficiency in many workplaces including manufacturing environments and offices. This system consists of five pillars—Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain—that make maintaining the workplace in good condition a visual process. Employees throughout an organization must contribute to the system by performing routine housekeeping tasks throughout their workdays.

Thinking of 5S as a system—rather than just an initiative a business is trying out—can help make it sustainable. 5S becomes part of work processes rather than something separate. It changes the way the workplace is organized and it can change the way work is performed. In a 5S system, employees perform 5S tasks as part of their regular work.

5S Program

Many businesses decide to implement a 5S program as a way to standardize procedures, increase orderliness, and improve efficiency. Generally, having a team design and implement a program is effective because people from different parts of the business bring unique perspectives. Using a team also removes the burden of starting and maintaining 5S—which can be a large project, especially in large organizations—from one person. The team will be responsible for tailoring 5S to the needs of the workplace.

Each 5S program will feature visuals best suited to the work environment and its employees. For example, a program could use floor markings that divide work areas from storage areas or shadow boards that highlight where tools should be stored. A 5S program should also assign specific responsibilities to employees such as cleaning a work surface daily or making sure all tools have been returned to the storage area at the end of a shift.

This framework can be adjusted over time to improve the program based on feedback from people in the organization.

5S Training

Employees at all levels of an organization must receive adequate training in 5S for the system to be effective. This includes upper management, supervisors, maintenance staff, and employees on the floor. In 5S, everyone is responsible for doing his or her part to maintain the system, and this occurs in workplaces where people understand the thinking behind 5S, not just the steps and tasks they must perform.

5S training should explain the pillars of 5S, its applications in the workplace, how 5S fits in with the company's goals, and what role each person will play in maintaining an effective 5S workplace.

Creating a Plan

A Lean mindset should be established before even starting the processes of 5S. Accountability along with setting expectations is vital. What is expected and who and what will benefit from the changes?

When creating a plan, it is most helpful to start out with an actual business case or reason for the changes to be made. How will the improvement affect or benefit the bottom line? For instance, is there time being wasted searching for something? Or is there a lack of organization or a need for visual management? Pinpoint some of the most relevant needs in the particular work environment.

It is important to avoid trying to get the best Standard Operating Practices (SOPs) immediately. Likewise, it is also just as important not to impose specific SOPs on the teams. When employees are forced into doing something without being asked for input or thoughts, the first natural reaction is to actually resist the change.

Furthermore, many employees harbor a wealth of knowledge that could be beneficial for coming up with possible improvements and ideas for change. Paul Dakin, Director at Hollybush Interim Management Services Ltd., suggests using the employees to generate the initial 5S standards. He states:

"Use the SDCA cycle (Standardize the work/Do the work to the standard/Check the work/Act to re-standardize) to tighten down the SOP's to get to best practice. In this way the teams own & self-manage the standards."

The team involved in doing the 5S tasks should include the members who actually work in the specific area. For instance, it would not make very much sense to take a team of office employees out onto the industrial work floor to implement all the 5S changes needed. The team working in the area should always be involved in the changes and improvements being made and/or considered for that specific area.

Tools for 5s

The following tools are examples of items that can be used for implementing a 5S program:

Understanding the Sixth S – Safety

Most people working for any type of warehouse or manufacturing company will recognize the term 5S and immediately know it is all about reducing waste and improving productivity. However, in addition to 5S, there is also a sixth S known as safety.

While the sixth S is not a part of the original Lean concept developed at Toyota, the implementation of it can help improve productivity and eliminate waste in many ways.

The 6S Controversy

Throughout the Lean manufacturing community there is some controversy about whether 6S should be a standard or not. The argument against 6S points out that safety should be a key component of each of the other S's, and therefore having a 6th separate S is actually redundant.

Nonetheless, those who like the idea of 6S believe that while safety should be a factor in each of the other S's, it is important enough to warrant its own category as well. There really is no right or wrong answer, but it is difficult to argue that safety is not one of the most important factors in reducing waste and improving productivity.

Hazards Are Inefficient

Here are some of the most obvious ways safety can help eliminate waste and improve productivity within any workplace:

Of course, there are dozens of other ways that safety can help improve the overall efficiency of a facility.

Incorporating Safety into Lean 5S

Whether it is called 5S or 6S, safety should always be incorporated into every Lean efficiency effort made. One of the best ways to do this is to take a look at how all efforts with any of the first 5 S's will impact safety. Every facility will have to come up with the specifics for how this is done, but many companies have found that making a simple chart can be helpful.

The chart below shows how it works and how the sixth S may be adopted into use in the work facility.

The table above is a very simple depiction. However, it should provide an idea of how to take projects that were set for the traditional 5S steps and use them to make safety (6th S) improvements as well.

Each Step of 5S Defined

The 5S Cycle

5S is a powerful tool in the workplace and can be adapted to fit into any appropriate time scale (daily, monthly, yearly, etc.) as long as ongoing support is handled correctly. Below is an in-depth exploration of each step within the 5S process and how it can be utilized to ensure maximum effectiveness.

1) Sort / Seiri

Sort is the first step in any 5S process. The term sort is originally derived from the Japanese word Seiri. Each step in the 5S process has an associated goal that can be specifically outlined to help guide efforts. For the step of Sort, the goal is to remove unnecessary items from the room, station, or space being organized. Furthermore, the sorting phase also aims to provide a clean slate on which to build and carry out the other four steps.

Beginning the process of Sort starts out simply, as nearly everything should be removed from the target area. Even though taking items from one space and placing them into a big pile in another space seems like it may be making a mess, this is not true. Instead, this is the opportunity to really make decisions about what needs to stay and what needs to go so actions can be immediately taken for items that are no longer used or needed.

How It Works:

Industrial bins are needed for an accurate sort. Based on the standard approach, there are three to four "bins" or sorting categories used when conducting a 5S sort.

The three or four bins are:

Sort Tips

2) Set in Order / Seiton

The second step of 5S is "Set in Order" which is derived from the Japanese term Seiton. This phase focuses on placing the items deemed essential in the Sort phase back into the workstation or area in a specific, well-organized manner. More importantly, Set in Order is truly about finding the most efficient and sensible homes for the tools and items within that area.

Every time employees have to search around for a tool to complete their jobs, time is wasted and by extension, the business loses money. Setting items in order in an intentional and planned way is essential to minimizing these types of losses.

For example, imagine the importance of well-organized tools for EMTs. They need to have their most frequently needed tools and equipment on hand and easily accessible to help save the lives of their patients. Logical organization paired with knowledge of where tools and supplies are could literally make the difference between life and death. While the stakes may not always be as high in a production facility, every loss of efficiency does bleed a business' profits out little by little.

How It Works:

A good way to begin this step is to map out the area where the tools and equipment will be returned to. During this stage, it is critical to really think about the jobs being performed in or around each station. This knowledge should be used to map out the most convenient and comfortable areas for workers to go to or reach towards. Employees' most frequently used tools should reside in easy-to-access areas with the least restrictions possible. The goal is to minimize the need for employees to repeatedly reach over and between items by placing the most frequently used tools and supplies closest to the station operator, while opting to place less utilized items in other areas.

Set in Order Tips:

3) Shine / Seiso

Stemming from the Japanese term Seiso is "Shine," which means to sweep or sanitize. This is the third stage of a 5S project. First and foremost, the Shine phase is basically a complete and unapologetic cleaning of the entire workstation or space. In this phase, employees should be cleaning, dusting, polishing, sweeping, and vacuuming along with anything else needed to attain perfect order.

How It Works:

1. In nearly any case, a clean workplace is a safer workplace. For instance, keeping floors clear of dust and debris helps reduce the risk of trips, slips, and falls – an extremely common cause of workplace injury. A clean workplace also helps counteract any potential infections or other health hazards employees might otherwise encounter. Simply put, workplace accidents have the potential to destroy efficiency, and a good shining can help workers avoid them.
2. Cleaning can be used as an inspection tool. Clear expectations are necessary for positive employee interactions and, ultimately, results. When employees know what is expected of their workspace, they are more likely to keep things in that state. Posting imagery nearby that shows the fully cleaned or "shined" state of a workspace can be a helpful way to keep this communication alive even when no one is physically present to deliver it. Furthermore, an information board can even show step-by-step instructions for how certain areas or tools are meant to be cleaned at the beginning and/or the end of a shift.
3. A regular and thorough cleaning helps prevent tool and machinery degradation. Not only does this help with safety as described above, it can also ensure these items last longer. A longer natural lifespan means less costly replacement and maintenance in the future.

Shine Tips:

4) Standardize / Seiketsu

Seiketsu, Japanese for "Standardize," is the fourth step in the 5S process. This stage directly connects with some of the closing tips from the "Shine" section, and that's because it builds on the idea of auditing and checking in on 5S efforts regularly. Standardization is essentially "the bridge" between Shine and the final step of 5S, Sustain. By standardizing the approach to 5S, it can ensure organizational efforts are sustained in the long run. Failing to standardize procedures can lead to work becoming sloppy over time and a loss of efficiency.

Begin to standardize 5S operations by making the process more than a word-of-mouth agreement. This is the time to implement a clear, universally understood system so that employees are certain about what they are expected to do. One excellent way to do this is to design and print out 5S audit sheets that can be used by whoever is checking an area on a given day. A checklist that asks specific questions about the work area can help ensure that processes are carried out as intended.

Some questions on the checklist may include:

5) Sustain / Shitsuke

What Happens When Audits Don't Return the Desired Results?

One of the biggest concerns with standardization is that sometimes audits may come back consistently lackluster from a 5S'd area. This is a problem, but a common one that can be addressed with relative ease. In general, many times failure at this stage is due to failing to recognize one or more factors contributing to disorganization. Contributing factors may include:

The final step, which is known as Sustain or Shitsuke, focuses on taking all of the previous steps of 5S, including the standardized procedures, and transforming them into ongoing habits to ensure 5S continuous improvement. Just having a basic system in place is not enough, and the existence of the Sustain step is a testament to this. When workers are required to do something new in the workspace, it will not become an automatic habit right away; it takes people time to actually form longstanding habits.

How It Works:

1. Demonstrate. Anything expected of workers should be demonstrated correctly by a trained and knowledgeable professional. This is the portion where workers gain an understanding of what actually needs to be done.
2. Supervised undertakings. Employees need to be worked with closely so they know what is expected. In addition, employees should be monitored through their first few attempts to make sure the daily 5S habits that are being formed are the exact habits needed and desired. Workers shouldn't be coddled through this. Mistakes should be corrected.
3. Periodic check-ins. After the initial training, it is important to stay vigilant by utilizing the auditing techniques established in the standardizing step to regularly ensure that things are running smoothly. Having employees learn to properly do these checks can be helpful for positive habit forming as well.
4. Make changes as necessary. Sometimes continued undesired behavior or undesired results come about as a consequence of a faulty system. If this is the case, find the fault in the original setup and correct it as necessary.

Sustain Tips:

New Employee Training

When existing employees help train new employees, it helps refresh the tactics and practices of 5S. Thank you Marine Engineering Training for this photo.

5S & Lean Manufacturing

5S originated in manufacturing environments. While this visual organization system has been adapted for use in many workplaces including warehouses, offices, and healthcare facilities, many manufacturing facilities continue to benefit from 5S. When combined with other Lean practices, 5S often proves especially useful.

In a manufacturing facility where employees routinely need to use tools and obtain materials, 5S plays a significant role. Visual markings make it easier to obtain those tools/materials and return them to their storage locations after use. Visual cues such as floor markings (floor tape, floor shapes, signs, etc.) can also create boundaries around different areas such as those used for storing cleaning supplies, finished products, machinery, etc. In a fast-paced work environment, these markings can mean the difference between a messy workplace and an efficient one.

Each employee in the manufacturing facility is taught which 5S tasks to perform as part of his or her daily work, and this makes the system sustainable over the long term.

Common Misconceptions

As with many other Lean strategies, the practice and implementation of 5S also features some common misconceptions. In other words, employees and staff often confuse or misconstrue certain information and tactics related to 5S. This is very common, but can have a direct negative impact on 5S efforts and results. The below statements are some common misconceptions associated with 5S.

Because there are many misconceptions out there about the processes and tasks involved in 5S, it is important to not lose track of the basics.