Implementation Phases of the 5S System

This section discusses in more detail the five phases of the 5S system implementation.

Phase 1: Sorting/Cleaning Up

The main objective of the first phase is getting rid of junk mail, documents, clutter, and unneeded tools, fixtures, and equipment. In a software development environment, this also means broken and unneeded hardware, including equipment that has not been used in a long time and that is unlikely to be used in the future.

5S can be applied to electronic as well as paper documents. Unneeded documents cause you to waste time when you have to shuffle through them, looking for a needed document. They also occupy physical and memory space. By getting rid of such unused items, you can free up space, reduce the number of obstacles to productivity you have to walk around, and find important items quickly. Often people debate whether a particular item can be thrown away. Such items can be "red-tagged" with a date. The item is disposed of if it is not used by that date (normally one to six months from now).

After sorting has been carried out, the stage is set for tidying the workplace.

Phase 2: Straightening/Orderliness

This phase involves keeping documents, tools, and equipment in the right places. The key consideration is ease of access and use for all personnel concerned, with due consideration to safety and security of equipment, documents, data, and users. Aesthetics as well as ergonomics should be taken into account when items are placed in various locations. Consideration should also be given to weight, size, and the items' value.

Phase 3: Shine/Cleanliness

This phase of 5S concerns maintaining the newly found order after the unneeded items and rubbish have been disposed of and everything has been rearranged. A major shift here is that now the owners of the workplace (this includes the physical work space as well as the "virtual" work space on the screen) assume the responsibility for keeping it clean and orderly. They understand that this means devoting 5 to 10 minutes daily to cleaning and tidying-up routines. They are responsible for their own work areas, and responsibility for common areas is shared. A simple written procedure is established, with input from all concerned during the procedure development process. Employees are adequately trained and clearly understand what it takes to keep the workplace tidy.

Phase 4: Standardize

This is a crucial phase of 5S. It is important not to underestimate the likelihood of people reverting to their old ways. This phase is simply about maintaining the routine established in the first three phases. It is quite challenging to maintain the new standards. Needless to say, appropriate training is important. To keep from losing the gains that have been made, companies should carry out regular, detailed, established audits. Such audits should be followed by appropriate feedback and corrective measures if needed. Left to themselves, people will backslide. Often companies link such audits to regular performance reviews, but this approach can breed resistance if not handled properly. On the whole, the success of the initiative depends on the value it creates for the employees and their correct perception of the same.

Phase 5: Sustain/Discipline

In this phase the objective is to further improve. This means kaizen, or continuous improvement. The previous phases of 5S dealt with creating and maintaining a clean and orderly working environment. This phase of 5S is about further improving the 5S implementation. It means understanding the causes of a disorderly workplace and clutter. What causes the workplace to be disorderly and dirty in the first place? This requires making observations and keeping records of problems. A Pareto analysis could help prioritize and identify the most important issues that need attention.

To sustain a 5S system, the organization must deal with people's mind-sets, and that's the toughest part. Often this involves initiating measures for bringing about transformative changes based on systematic methodologies (see Chapter 5). Accepting meaningful changes and embracing continuous improvement is powerful indeed. But as Fujio Cho, former president of Toyota Motor Company, has said, "You have to address employees' fundamental way of thinking." This clearly requires commitment and leadership.