The 5S Method: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain

5S is a lean method for organising a workspace so that the right things are in the right place and nothing is wasted looking for them. The name comes from five Japanese words, usually translated as Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain.

It is one of the quickest lean methods to see results from, because searching is a waste everyone recognises. It works on a factory floor, but just as well on a van, a stores cupboard, a kitchen or a shared drive.

The five S

• Sort. Remove everything that is not needed in the area. If something has not been used in three months, tag it and decide on it within a week: keep it elsewhere, sell it or bin it.
• Set in order. Give everything that is left a fixed, marked place. Put the most-used items closest to hand. Shadow boards, labelled shelves and folder structures all do this.
• Shine. Clean the area, and use the cleaning as an inspection: a leaking fitting or a damaged tool is easier to spot on a clean surface.
• Standardise. Record how the area should look, ideally with a photo posted in the area, so anyone can put it back.
• Sustain. Check the area regularly, score it and act on the score. Without this step, every area drifts back within months.

Examples

These are illustrations of how 5S applies outside a factory:

• A van. Sort out obsolete parts and duplicates. Set a fixed bin for each common part, labelled, with a minimum quantity. Photograph the standard layout and check it every Friday.
• A shared drive. Archive files untouched for a year. Agree one folder structure (client, then year, then job) and one file-naming rule. Review it monthly.
• A stores room. Floor markings for incoming and outgoing stock, shelves labelled by part number, and a weekly five-minute check.

Score an area

Choose one area and score it honestly. The scorecard shows your weakest S, which is where to put your effort next.

How to run a 5S session

1. Pick one small area, such as one van or one cupboard. Finishing one area properly beats starting five.
2. Time how long it takes to find five common items before you start. Repeat afterwards; the difference is your result.
3. Work through the S in order. Do not set places for things you should have thrown out.
4. Involve the people who use the area. They know what they need and where they reach for it.
5. Photograph the finished standard and post it in the area.
6. Score it weekly for a month, then monthly.