5S can often still be dismissed as just getting the workplace clean - often by senior management who are not close enough to the muda to understand its impact. Even lean implementers can get complacent about it's importance - we assume it is at the base of everything we do but sometimes forget its real worth in removing blockers and helping the product to flow.
On a recent implementation, a large percentage of the kaizen activity was focussed on workplace organisation of a process which was changed over frequently. The area was full of unused equipment (one item had been there for months and was cleaned every week but not used). The workforce accepted as given that it took ages to find all the change parts to be able to change the line over.
The team really focussed on sorting the major items and designing new storage cabinets, labelled and organised. The team were also able to involve operators in the area in the 5S activity. The whole morale of the line lifted as the operators could actually find what they wanted.
The upshot was improved performance through reduced changeover time. Nothing more advanced was done that a good systematic approach to 5S.
It reminds us all we shouldn't forget the basics.
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