Progressive 5S: We re Not Talking Trash

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1 white paper Progressive 5S Progressive 5S: We re Not Talking Trash By Mike Serena, Ed.D., Managing Director, TBM LeanSigma Institute With so much emphasis these days on becoming lean in the workplace, it is hard to believe that most people still refer to 5S as simply housekeeping. More properly defined, 5S is a process for creating and maintaining a safe, organized, clean, high-performance workplace. Promoting 5S doesn t mean just picking up the trash, though that s certainly a part of it. But the emphasis is on being organized, designating a place for necessary items, and on being disciplined, ensuring that all items and equipment are always returned to their proper place. In many organizations, 5S is implemented as an afterthought another element of continuous improvement to be employed regarding the checklist of lean transformation. However, 5S must be viewed as a key prerequisite in preparing the culture for the necessary repeatability of standard work. But the simple truth is that if an organization is unable to manage 5S and that includes maintaining it then it s unlikely they ll be able to manage the rest of a lean journey as well. When I was with Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corporation, we often trained to do our line jobs blindfolded. Initially, this was done not only to ensure the sequence and repetition of the job but also to ensure that all of the necessary tools and equipment were in their designated place and properly presented for use. If this was case, then would there ever be a need to look or search for a tool or piece of equipment? We lived by the maxim Each area aligned, as if for the blind. And in a lean organization with an emphasis on productivity and lead-time reduction, it s a maxim that can differentiate your organization from the competition. It s especially crucial in organizations that operate on more than one shift as the people on subsequent shifts are not required to waste time searching for items that were used (mislaid) by someone on the previous shift. Even in organizations with just one shift, a great deal of time can be wasted while workers search for the tools, equipment and materials they need to do their jobs effectively. Productivity and 5S Toyota didn t rise to the top just by chance. Toyota is engaged in a never ending pursuit of waste elimination. Toyota understands that the largest, single contribution to increased productivity is eliminating nonvalue-added time. A clean, well-organized workplace is therefore the foundation upon which all other lean activities and productivity achievements are based. Implementing 5S has multiple benefits in that it: creates the proper environment for standard work. is a prerequisite to perfect quality. encourages visual control. helps identify waste. places a high value on safety. promotes employee satisfaction. Historically, 5S, was derived from the Japanese words that describe the five steps to creating an organized workplace: Seiri: Segregate and discard Seiton: Arrange and identify Seiso: Clean and inspect daily Seiketsu: Revisit frequently Shitsuke: Motivate to sustain This classic approach to 5S is often quite difficult to implement, audit, and sustain. When an organization takes the traditional approach to 5S, it tends to mix and match all five levels at once, which often leads to confusion and incomplete implementation of the program. Even if an organization can be reasonably successful with such an approach, the subjectivity of audits still presents a significant roadblock. For example, if an evaluator audits a particular area within a plant and records a 5S score of 2.5, what exactly does that mean? How does it compare to another auditor s score of 2.5 for a different area of the plant? Auditing progress and sustainment under a traditional 5S system often results in a wide range of scores LeanSigma, TBM and the TBM logo are registered trademarks of.

2 that places both the program and its success in questionable standing with regard to effectiveness and credibility. clear roadmap as to what will be required to progress up to the next level. Progressive 5S What if, instead, we reviewed those five steps and refocused them into language that divides them into levels that indicate key activities and behaviors that needed to be performed? Would it not be significantly easier both to implement and to monitor results? In short, we could not only reduce the amount of time to progress up the ladder to full compliance, but also be able quantify results to aid in sustainment. Progressive 5S can be broken down into its essence so that each step can be paired with the specific task or activity along with a key discipline or behavior that would need to be performed for that step, as the chart below illustrates: Step Activity Behavior Sort Red tag Remove unnecessary items Set Assign and label Designate a home for every item in the work area Sustain Return Put it back where it belongs after use Simplify Productivity Eliminate nonvalue-added effort Standardize Plantwide Expand ownership to everyone to leverage the gains This plain language approach offers one big advantage: it allows practitioners to concentrate on their 5S implementation one level at a time until the step is fully implemented and sustained. At each level, there is a clearly defined activity and a learning or behavior that corresponds to that activity. This makes the whole process more acceptable from the perspective of the workforce as well as more manageable from a plantwide perspective. If people understand the required behaviors needed to perform at a particular level, it s much easier for them to incorporate those behaviors a regular part of their routines, which of course then drives 5S at that level. The underlying logic to progressive 5S is that successes and opportunities can be quantified at each step thus providing a LeanSigma, TBM and the TBM logo are registered trademarks of. So how does one move or progressively improve from one level to another? One key advantage of progressive 5S is the simplicity of scoring at the various levels. Level 1 With Level 1, as with all of the 5S steps, ten categories are specifically defined, along with examples that detail what items in an audited area are considered necessary to its operation. Each of the ten categories can be specifically tailored to any given area be it on the production floor or in an office. Of course, a clear definition of necessary and unnecessary items must be discussed and agreed upon. For example, one item in the list of 10 might apply to furniture and equipment, another might refer to personal safety equipment and a third might audit documentation and instructional guides, and so on. If only the items that are supposed to be in that category are there, then the area gets a score of 0.1 for that category. However, if an item that shouldn t be there appears in the area, then the score for the category will be a 0, and the auditor will list those extraneous items on the sheet so it is clear as to what needs to be removed. No category can receive a score of 0.1 if any violations are observed in that category. By using the defined ten categories and a simple scoring system of 0.1 for areas that meet the criteria for that category and 0 for areas that do not, it s easy to keep track of where an area stands with respect to the initial first step of 5S, or Sort. When an area has achieved a score of 1.0 (that is, a perfect score of 0.1 in each of the 10 categories), then it is understood to have mastered that level and is ready to progress to the next 5S step. Each level s score is added to the previous level, so if an area has achieved a score of 1.0 at level one, when level 2 is scored, the area can attain a possible cumulative score of 2.0, all the way up to 5.0 for all five levels; however each step must be mastered before moving on to the next higher level. Level 2 At level 2, Set, everyone in an area agrees where each item in that area will live. This is especially crucial for areas that

3 have multiple users placement of tools and equipment should make sense for their intended use, with frequency of use and ergonomics being given main consideration. Once a location has been determined, the location should be clearly labeled. The label can include information such as item description, part number, minimum and maximum quantity, and so on. It s helpful to identify and label fire containers, equipment, and furniture; desktop and flat-surface items; aisles; storage containers; and tools, jigs, and fixtures. In most cases, each facility will have designated specific color codes to mark specific floor locations for enhanced visual control. For example, red marking tape might surround areas that contain hazards, while green might indicate first aid equipment, and white or yellow might mark aisles or walkways. A universal color code and communication process will ensure that everyone in a facility is mindful of what types of items might be encountered in a particular location. It is important to note that when an area is scored for compliance at the second level of 5S, it s possible to get a total score of 2.0, that is, all unnecessary items have been removed and all items have a designated home, yet this score does not indicate or ensure that employees will actually place the items in the areas that are so designated following use. This behavior is evaluated in third step of Progressive 5S. Level 3 At level 3, Sustain, the scoring categories highlight those items that are actually located where they are supposed to be when not in use. In this step, the importance of creating and sustaining operational steps or standard work becomes critical to the consistency and sustainment of planned operations. Of course, with any abnormality that might occur, a rapid response to the issue as well as the teaching and coaching of the preferred standard is always recommended to prevent a recurrence of the abnormality. Initially, areas should be audited daily by the area supervisor to ensure that all standard work is adhered to. Level 4 Level 4, Simplify, addresses eliminating nonvalue-added effort. Originally, when we launched the Nissan facility in LeanSigma, TBM and the TBM logo are registered trademarks of. Smyrna, Tennessee, we were allotted a ten minute clean-up period at the end of each shift. But at level 4, we were challenged with the question, What is it that requires ten minutes of clean up every day? If workers have the discipline to keep their work area organized throughout a shift, then how much time would really be required to clean up at the end of a shift? With this mindset, discovering the source of an oil leak or investigating why trash is dropped on the floor will lead to significant decreases in the time required to clean up at the end of a shift. By taking this view at Nissan, we were able to add nine minutes back to each day, and those minutes contributed to increased productivity. To implement level 4, the root cause(s) of any recurring 5S issues or reactive maintenance activities must be discovered and then effective countermeasures must be implemented to eliminate recurrence along with the associated nonvalue-added activity. Of course, eliminating nonvalue-added activity is only a prerequisite to the most important step of substituting a value-added activity in order to realize true productivity improvement. Level 5 Level 5, Standardize, expands the view from a particular area to the entire organization. This includes evaluating the spaces between work areas, both on the shop floor and in office areas as well as the surrounding plant property, including the parking lot, the loading dock, and other neutral areas. If people in specific areas begin to take on these outside areas, or the spaces where their areas actually interface, then the entire site takes on a greater responsibility and ownership of promoting a philosophy of organization and discipline. Further, this emphasis on plantwide 5S improvement creates a significant impact to those site visitors (i.e., clients and potential customers) whose first impression is often the most lasting memory of the entire visit. Level 5, like all previous steps, consists of its own audit form with ten distinct categories for evaluation. At level 5, the entire organization, including the status of companywide communication, training, auditing, and adherence to standard work, is under scrutiny.

4 With this view, everyone shares in the upkeep and organization of the entire site, including the general maintenance of parking lots, grounds, and shipping docks, as well as simply picking up paper or other debris in the yard and surrounding areas. Performance Boards The strength of any area performance board is to highlight key success indicators. Often, 5S tracking is one of the initial measures that are part of an area SQDC (safety, quality, delivery, and cost) performance board. These boards are effective in that they display three distinct levels of information. Level 1 is the data collection line, where you might post the actual completed 5S audit form. Level 2 on a performance board displays the graph of the current data against a stated target so that trends can be identified. Level 3 is where countermeasures are listed, typically in a what, who, when format that is, what is to be done by who, and when will the task be accomplished. Further, it is imperative that every 5S program is specifically defined and communicated so that everyone is aware of expectations and their role in realizing a successful and effective 5S program. Audits and auditors should be trained and certified for consistency, and areas of ownership should be clearly established. Audits should be randomly scheduled but should occur weekly and should be spaced such that countermeasures can be administered as scheduled. 5S scores should be a topic of every area manager s weekly meeting, and area scores should be compared across the organization to ensure consistency and the communication of best practices. Often, many organizations will create a companywide target and celebrate the areas where 5S expectations and targets are met or exceeded LeanSigma, TBM and the TBM logo are registered trademarks of. leading by example, it s unlikely that any initiative will able to create the culture change within your organization that will ultimately allow you to leverage 5S to help drive your lean culture. How your actions or behavior mirrors what you say you will do will clearly determine your credibility and commitment to any initiative. If you step over a piece of trash, what s the message that your inconsistent action is sending to everyone who observes that behavior? Trying to transform into a world class organization while practicing inconsistent behavior that reflects Do what I say rather that do what I do is going to be counterproductive and often will result in a loss of credibility and lack of commitment. These may not be engraved on tablets of stone, but the following might represent the ten guidelines for a successful 5S program: 1. Communicate the 5S rationale, roles, expectations, and implementation strategy. 2. Get everyone involved. 3. Ownership, credibility, and leadership are critical success factors. 4. Management at all levels must be visibly committed. 5. Apply 5S principles consistently in all areas of the organization (plant and office). 6. Link 5S activities with all other kaizen activities. 7. Supervisors must ensure that their area meets 5S standards every day. 8. Ensure the quantification and display of 5S results. 9. Acknowledge and promote model areas and recognize successful teams. 10. Establish personal credibility to create a culture of If you drop it, pick it up and Never walk past or ignore an abnormality in the work area. At the end of the day, communication is the key and should be at the top of everyone s to do list. Both the rationale as well as the incentive for implementing any initiative must be clearly established and understood by all. If the perceived value of the program (i.e., what s in it for us as a company) is not clearly communicated with obvious benefits to all, the program is unlikely to reap any significant results. Go Forward Guidelines 5S can also apply to a lean journey in general and can be a key prerequisite to effecting culture change. As I stated before, if an organization can t manage 5S, it is highly unlikely that it will be able to sustain a lean journey either. One overriding need in all things lean is leadership. Without leadership and

5 At a minimum, a 5S communication plan should explain what 5S is, why it s important, and how it will be implemented. People who fully understand what is expected of them and what their specific role will be, especially in a company wide transformation, the higher the probability for success will be. The additional items on the list summarize the importance of credibility, commitment, involvement, and quantification of the program. If a culture is to change, then all of these must be more meaningful than just slogans that are used in presentations and in shop floor conversation. They must be practiced and demonstrated by all employees in all levels of the company. Desired behavior must be modeled, reinforced, and promoted throughout the organization. A House in Order Inconsistent audits, sluggish progress, and inflated scores under the traditional 5S system are subjective, and that very subjectivity ends up masking opportunities, diffusing effectiveness, and eroding management credibility. If you want to establish an effective and lasting 5S program, one that will enable your entire organization to move forward with great strides on your lean journey, consider implementing Progressive 5S. Progressive 5S is a logical, step-by-step approach to organizing a high performance workplace. Progress is completely quantifiable, which makes it easy for anyone to follow. With such a logical approach to building a foundation for high performance, who wouldn t want to put their house in order as they prepare to entertain the global marketplace? About the TBM LeanSigma Institute. is a leading global training and consulting company helping companies on five continents use LeanSigma methodologies to achieve dramatic levels of efficiency and productivity. The result rapid improvement in business performance and the removal of obstacles to realize their full potential of consistent, sustainable growth in sales and earnings. Their training arm, the TBM LeanSigma Institute, provides companies with essential, experiencedbased LeanSigma training through a wide variety of alternatives including classroom-style workshops, customized learning, user conferences and web-based online learning LeanSigma, TBM and the TBM logo are registered trademarks of.