Unlocking the True Value of the Last 2 S’s
If you have experience in manufacturing or field-operations industries, you have certainly heard of 5S. Many of you can likely recite them by heart: Seiri (Sort), Seiton (Set in Order), Seiso (Shine), Seiketsu (Standardize), and Shitsuke (Sustain).
However, many companies admit, “We struggle to reach the full 5S… we are finally just managing 3S.” Whether it is 5S or 3S, that is perfectly fine. In practice, the steps naturally fall into two phases: the first three (Sort, Set in Order, Shine) come first, followed by the remaining two (Standardize, Sustain). Even companies successfully running 5S likely follow this sequence.
But why re-emphasize this now? Because the meaning and purpose of the “First 3S” and the “Latter 2S” are fundamentally different.
The First 3S: Practical Operational Processes
As you can see, Sort, Set in Order, and Shine describe human actions. They are practical operational processes.
- Sort: Distinguishing between what is necessary and what is not.
- Set in Order: Arranging items for efficiency and disposing of waste.
- Shine: Cleaning the workspace.
The core of this phase is the repetition of these physical movements and behaviors. However, “repetition” here doesn’t mean simply leaving it to individual discretion. It means the organization must implement these actions appropriately and periodically. To achieve that consistency, you need the latter half of the framework.
The Latter 2S: The Standardization Process
The remaining two steps are Standardize (Seiketsu) and Sustain/Discipline (Shitsuke). Unlike the actions of the first three steps, Standardize refers to a state or condition. It is the state of cleanliness achieved after sorting out the unnecessary items and finishing the cleaning. Furthermore, Sustain (Shitsuke) essentially means education. In plain terms, it is information sharing.
But what information should be shared? You must share the process of how you sorted, organized, and cleaned. This includes sharing the logic behind the physical actions:
- Criteria: How did you judge what was necessary versus unnecessary?
- Disposal: How were the unnecessary items discarded?
- Storage: How are the necessary items currently stored?
- Methods: What tools or specific methods were used during cleaning?
In other words, you want to explain to your colleagues: “I watched out for these specific points when doing 3S,” or “I thought through this logic to create this current state.” The Result: By sharing this, members of the workplace gain access to the methods others used to tackle 3S—methods they may not have known before. They can then utilize this shared knowledge to improve the efficiency and quality of their own work. In short, by connecting the cycle all the way to the final 2S, you complete the process of organizational business improvement.
Don’t Limit 5S to Just “5S”
Have you realized the true nature of this framework? The 5S methodology is actually a Business Improvement Process.As you know, business improvement is not limited to environmental maintenance or keeping the floor clean. Essentially, what must be improved are the core business tasks, the operation of supporting equipment, the management of tools and fixtures, and the education of new employees.
Everyone working within a company is likely thinking every day about how to find better ways to handle these tasks. From now on, try applying your thinking and review processes to the 5S framework. You may find the hints you need to ensure that once a task is improved, it doesn’t slide back to its old state, and that the quality of work doesn’t vary depending on who is in charge.
