Page 9 - FLL Virtual Binder 2018

How:
By assigning everything a location, time is not wasted by looking for things and it is quickly obvious when something is missing from its designated location. The benefits of this methodology come from deciding what should be kept, where it should be kept, how it should be stored and most importantly how the new order will be maintained. To be truly effective the decision making process must come from a dialogue about standardization which builds a clear understanding, between employees, of how work should be done. Employee involvement from the beginning of the planning stages promotes employee engagement and ownership of the process.
The 5S's are:
Sort: Go through all the equipment, suppliers, tools, materials, information etc., in the work area and keep only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded. Don’t forget to include information stored on computers and networks as we waste a significant amount of time looking for information there as well.
Set in Order: Arrange the supplies, tools, equipment, information and parts in a manner that promotes work flow. The focus here is on efficiency. For example, tools and equipment should be kept where they will be used (i.e. straighten the flow path), and the process should be set in an order that maximizes efficiency. For everything there should be a place and everything should be in its place. Shine: Keep the workplace clean as well as neat. This includes both physical and virtual workplaces. At the end of each day or shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place. This makes it easy to know what goes where and have confidence that everything is where it should be. The key point is that maintaining cleanliness should be part of the daily work - not an occasional activity initiated when things get too messy.
Standardize: Operate in a consistent and standardized fashion with standardized work practices. As a rule of thumb, it should take 30 seconds or less to find what you are looking for including both physical and electronic items.
Sustain: Maintain and review standards. Once the previous 4S's have been established, they become the new way to operate. Maintain the focus on this new way of operating, and do not allow a gradual decline back to the old ways of operating. However, when an issue arises such as a suggested improvement, a new way of working, a new tool or a new output requirement, then a review of the first 4S's is appropriate.
And finally......
Safety is often included as the 6th “S”.
Front Line Leadership: Continuous Improvement
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