| Chances are if you have attended a lean enterprise | | | | icons to guide you. Scan paper based documents and |
| workshop, read a book on lean or visited a world-class | | | | save them electronically. Identify common actions such |
| facility you've heard the term 5S. 5S, which stands | | | | as “replace” or “complete” with simple |
| for Sort-Set in order-Shine-Standardize-Sustain, is | | | | signals that don't require verbal or written instructions. |
| typically one of the first strategies an | | | | Make sure everything has a defined "home" location, to |
| organization adapts in their lean transformation. | | | | ensure that organization will be kept up. |
| A key componenet of 5S is the "visual workplace" | | | | Physical or virtual items that are used every day |
| where visual queues are used to help make conditions, | | | | should be stored within easy reach. This includes |
| instructions and actions instantly recognizable. These | | | | active files, equipment or information. Items with |
| can include simple signals such as color codes, signs or | | | | occasional use can be put away in less than ideal |
| demarcated spaces. In this article we'll focus on how | | | | locations such as external hard drives, storage closets |
| to apply 5S to an area that is very important to you - | | | | or high shelves. Make sure you label everything so |
| your desk. | | | | there is no guessing later on. |
| How many times have you heard someone say a | | | | The third S – Shine |
| cluttered workspace indicates a cluttered mind. This is | | | | As the word indicates shining is about cleaning up. |
| certainly not a message you want to send to your | | | | Purge out unnecessary files that are bogging down |
| co-workers and customers. So how can we tackle | | | | your hard drives, clean out dusty CPU’s and wipe |
| this problem? One way is to apply the 5S process to | | | | down the work area. As you’re doing this look |
| your own work area. Let’s look at how you would | | | | for anything that may be broken and either fix it, |
| systematically go about converting paper to electronic | | | | replace it or get rid of it. |
| files, cleaning out your hard drives, establishing visual | | | | Make it a habit to go through mail and incoming items |
| management to your filing systems and organizing the | | | | as they are received. Doing this right over a trash can |
| physical space with these five simple steps. | | | | will help you purge on a regular basis. |
| The first S - Sort | | | | The fourth S – Standardize |
| Start with a clean slate! Going through your belongings | | | | You will need to develop the rules and checklists to |
| can be quite a daunting task and all too often a | | | | maintaining the first three S's and ensure that the |
| stumbling block to getting organized. If your workspace | | | | requirements are as intuitive as possible. Consider how |
| has gotten so out of control that you don't know | | | | you use productivity tools such as Outlook. Do you |
| where to start, sorting is your first task. | | | | send yourself reminders and task schedules? Can |
| You will need some time to sort through your | | | | you develop a color coding system for these |
| belongings so a suggestion is to do it during non-work | | | | reminders and tasks that indicates priorities or other |
| hours. This is typically a good Saturday morning | | | | important information? |
| project. You will have to go through all those papers, | | | | The fifth S – Sustain |
| files, magazines, etc. Your goal is to get rid of as much | | | | This is perhaps the hardest function as it requires |
| as possible. Create three piles and label them as 1) | | | | discipline to keep your area organized. A good idea |
| things I need and use every day, 2) things I | | | | is to schedule a sorting day for each month. Try to |
| occasionally need, and 3) things I haven't touched in | | | | come up with creative ways to make 5S a daily habit. |
| over three months and have no need for | | | | One way you can accomplish this is to simply develop |
| If you haven't used an item recently and have no real | | | | a 5S audit. This can be done with software or simple |
| reason to keep it, get rid of it. The remaining items will | | | | paper forms. Regardless of the method you choose, |
| have to be stored appropriately. | | | | the idea is to hold yourself accountable. |
| The second S - Set in order | | | | As you can see 5S is all about organization and |
| We should all be thinking green these days and make | | | | efficiency. Start the 5S process in your office and it |
| every effort go paperless. Do you print out emails or | | | | will soon spread throughout the company. You will be |
| files? Try filing them electronically instead. The intent | | | | amazed at how 5S improves productivity levels and |
| here is to create a system that allows you to find and | | | | makes clutter a thing of the past. |
| retrieve items quickly, identify required actions and | | | | Don't put it off another day, get started on your 5S |
| understand where things belong. | | | | now! |
| Create an electronic filing system with color coding and | | | | |