Does anyone have experience documenting 5S guidelines?
I'm being asked the 'best method' to document the 5S standards developed in the sales department. (Basically, it was an office 5S) I was given a powerpoint and a word document with notes, and I want to combine the two as an overall guideline.
Are there best practices already in place for this?
Please advise.
Documentation of the methods and tools used in your 5S program should be done in the clearest and most usable manner. The thinking and planning behind determining the 5S methods could/should also be applied to the documentation format. Instructions should be descriptive enough to effectively remind the user how to perform a task, or where the form is (or whatever) even if it is rarely used.
For example, a poster by the copy machine showing how to use the different features would be a great idea. If the poster is difficult to decipher, and an employee has to ask another employee what something means ("What the heck does collate mean?"), or where the button is, etc. the poster is not good enough. Documentation methods may need to be determined with input from the group, using the same focus the group used to develop the 5S methodologies. One part of 5S is that instructions are
used. Otherwise they are wasteful and should be removed.
Sometimes you will see a website or use a program that has help features. A “What Does This Mean?” button or description of a form field on-hover is a 5S instruction incorporated directly into the tool you are using to perform a task. These types of instruction reduce the need for a more formal documentation of a 5S program. Also, there are times when a well planned form can make an instruction obsolete.
Labels and signs can be used to help organize a work room or station. The labels, if effective, are the documentation. A sign on a cabinet that states, “Office Supplies”, won’t be effective. Signs can serve two purposes, 1) they are instructions or labels, and 2) they play a part in the fifth S, Sustain. They can be reminders or reinforcement of good 5S behaviors. Effective signage and labeling can reduce the need for a more formal document.
Why a specific tool or method is used may not always be obvious. When this is the case, be sure to include the reason in the instruction
How any group utilizes the 5S principles will be completely unique to your office, the work being performed and the tools used. The same is true for documentation of instructions. It will be difficult to determine
the best method to document your methods without firsthand experience in your office. A photo of a work station with circles and arrows and a description of what each tool is may all the formal documentation you need. After all, a well planned station can make it obvious to even an outsider what and how something is done. Your group can work together to determine the best methods of documentation for your system. If you use this method, it is likely you will find areas for even more improvements. A Power Point presentation and/or Word documents can be effective. If you want to document your entire 5S program in one presentation or Word file, do so in a manner consistent with your training practices. Your 5S training program could then also be the instructions or reference material.
The bottom line is to keep it simple. Have only what your group needs. After all, that is the point of 5S.
