5 S

[claudiamag]

Does anyone's company follow the 5S system?  Do you feel its helped you at all?

For those who have never heard of it, here goes the "quick" description:

The concept of 5S’s or Short Kaizen refers to the creation and maintenance of clean, organized and secure work areas.  In other words, it gives any job “better quality of life”.   5’S refers to Japanese terms that we use in our everyday lives and are not an exclusive part of a “Japanese culture” foreign to us.  In fact, all or almost all human beings have a tendency to practice or have practiced 5’S" without realizing we’ve done so.

The 5S are: Sorting, Set in Order, Systematic Cleaning, Standarize, Sustain.

My company uses this concept or process religiously for all areas/departments.  When I first started here I thought it sounded totally crazy.  I'm a huge pack-rat by nature, so I just didn't see how this would be at all possible or useful.  I was totally wrong!  It's such a great concept.  I can't even begin to tell you all how much it has helped me not only at work but also at home.  I love it.

So anyone else use it?

[Atlanta Z3]

I've never heard of this but I have to admit to staying far away from Six Sigma type energies.  My only intro into it was extremely painful.  On the plus side my hubby could be a black belt without trying.

The 5S are: Sorting, Set in Order, Systematic Cleaning, Standardize, Sustain

I think I already do this just don't quantify in this method. 
I set up my day (to do list) sorting/set in order
Systematic cleaning - I'm a bit of an organizer fanatic and will limited storage space out with the old (to off site storage for example) and on with the new. The same for processes: questioning the old "that's the way it's always been done" often.
Standardize  - six years in current position, I have a system in place to maintain and be flexible to sustain goals!

[claudiamag]

I thinking care for the Six Sigma system, but I've found that 5S really "goes" with my personality - maybe its that engineering mindset I've been accused of having 

I used a lot of the steps before as well but never really looked at it as a method, just sort of did things as I saw the need.  I think the 5S method really focuses on following the steps systematically before the actual need arises.

Anyway, I really like it and its helped me at home too.  The only place I can't quite implement it complete yet is with my computer files, but I'm working on it.