problem solving using 5s

5S Lean - Common Problems (And What You Should Do About Them)

Although 5S is generally considered to be one of the fundamental building blocks in a lean process , it is also, in my experience, easily misinterpreted and poorly implemented.  By exploring the problems with 5S, maybe we can address some of the underlying issues and produce better results in the future.

What is 5S Lean?

5S lean is a term used to describe workplace practices aimed at improving visual control in a factory and helping to reduce waste. The name 5S itself is based on the 5 Japanese words for the stages of the process which all start with the letter S. They are:

• Seiri (Sort)
• Seiton (Set In Order)
• Seiso (Shine)
• Seiketsu (Standardise)
• Shitsuke (Sustain)

The 5 stages of 5S Lean

The aim of this stage is to verify what is needed to complete the job based on the standard work. Anything that is not required should be red tagged and removed from the area. Material or tools that are used infrequently should also be removed and identified for local storage (ie not directly in the work area).

Common problems at this stage include:

• Not removing all unnecessary items (material, tools etc) from the work area.
• Not designating a red tag area.
• Not completing the red tags and/or documenting what was removed.
• Not getting approval to remove red tagged items from all 3 shifts.
• Not having an independent adjudicator to settle any disagreements.

Tips to avoid these problems:

• Train all operators in 5S and its benefits.
• Designate a safe area, large enough to store all of the anticipated red-tagged items.
• Explain the importance of completing the tags for recording purposes.
• Designate one team member to control the red tag area. They should not allow anything into the area unless it is tagged properly.
• Give all operators across shifts a chance to review what has been tagged.
• When a disagreement occurs, don’t compromise: if in doubt, move it out! That said, respect that this is somebody’s workplace and apply reasonable judgement when it comes to personal possessions. Better to allow them to feel like a part of the change than to disengage them completely.

During the set phase of a 5S lean implementation, the team find locations for all of the remaining items after the red tagging. Anything that is left has been deemed necessary to do the job and therefore needs a storage location.

• Not adhering to ergonomic design principles
• Not locating each part in the optimal position
• Not making it easy to return parts to their location
• Not using visual management principles
• Adhere to ergonomics guidelines
• Locate parts based on frequency of use. The more frequently it is used, the closer at hand it should be.
• Utilise spring balancers for tools, so the operator can just let go to return it to it’s location.
• Use labelling, colour coding and shadow boards to help any operator identify where things go.

The third phase of 5S lean is shine. This is where the team clean the work area and all the equipment, not only for the sake of cleaning, but also to inspect the condition of equipment.

• Cleaning may have been neglected for a long time, meaning that a day spent cleaning by the team is not sufficient.
• People only clean what they can see.
• Belief that this is just cleaning for the sake of it.
• Belief that cleaning isn’t part of their job.
• Belief that this is a one-time activity / something to do when the line is down.
• Initially, it may be beneficial to get equipment deep cleaned by a specialist company.
• Train operators to clean above, behind, below, inside and around.
• Explain that the point of cleansing is to inspect equipment for any abnormal conditions, such as leaks. By doing this regularly, it is possible to reduce machine downtime and improve productivity.
• Explain that it is everybody’s responsibility to maintain a clean and tidy work environment. Putting the responsibility onto the people who work in the area makes them more likely to keep it tidy and take pride in their workplace. This also applies to management and office areas.
• Make 5S a regular part of everybody’s daily routine. Schedule 15 minute clean-up sessions at the end of every shift and include the maintenance team.

Standardise

The fourth phase of the 5S lean process is to standardise. This means taking the three previous stages and making them consistent across all areas of the factory. The benefit of doing this is that as operators move around different work stations, they know what to expect when they get there, where to find tools and work instructions etc. This reduces the time they spend acclimatising to the new station, ultimately making them more productive.

• Islands of excellence – some areas deploy 5S better than others.
• Kaizen events only focus on one station which results in the rest of the assembly line not adhering to the standards.
• Use job rotation to get operators who are well versed in 5S to support areas that are struggling.
• Create a kaizen event schedule. Aim to get around all the stations as quickly as possible without sacrificing the quality of the results.
• Create simple checklists for operators to follow.
• Make 5S part of the new starter induction training. Explain that 5S is the way we work around here.
• Use consistent visual controls in the Set stage. Keep the colour coding consistent across the facility to avoid confusion.

The fifth and final phase is sustain. This is the most difficult part and the one where most problems occur. Ideally, once the first four phases are complete, the team should operate in the environment and stop to fix any abnormal conditions that arise. These will be easily evident because of the standards established earlier on.

• Losing focus on 5S after the team adjourns when the kaizen event finishes.
• New team members start and current team members move on.
• The 5S end of shift time becomes less disciplined and eventually stops altogether.
• Management get distracted by firefighting and neglect to enforce 5S discipline.
• Standards do not get updated as improvements are made, making them less relevant until they become ignored.
• Conduct regular 5S audits to uncover abnormal conditions.
• Conduct root cause analysis to determine why the abnormal condition occurred.
• Implement a countermeasure to prevent the root cause from occuring again.
• Implement layered audits so that the team leader audits the line. The supervisor then audits to check the team leader is completing their audits correctly. The manager then audits to check the supervisor is doing their audits correctly.
• Recognise the good behaviours that you wish to promote.
• Where necessary, use disciplinary procedure to enforce how important 5S is to the business.
• Involve everybody in 5S lean – make it part of the culture.

Photo Credit: Jurvetson

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What Is the 5S Methodology?

The 5S methodology is best summarized by the philosophy, “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

You may have heard of “KonMari,” a home organization system invented by Marie Kondo. The KonMari method transforms cluttered homes into tidy and simplified living spaces. The 5S principles are similar to KonMari. However, saying that 5S is just about tidying is like saying successful manufacturing is just about speed - there is much more depth. So, let’s explore the true intent and meaning of 5S.

5S Japanese Words

5S originated as 5 Japanese words:

5S Meaning in English

In English, these 5S meanings are:

• Sort (Seiri): Eliminate that which is not needed.
• Straighten (Seiton): Organize what remains after sorting.
• Shine (Seisou): Clean and inspect the work area.
• Standardize (Seiketsu): Write standards for 5S.
• Sustain (Shitsuke): Consistently apply the 5S standards.

At their core, these 5S activities build the discipline needed for substantial and continuous improvement by creating (and sustaining) efficient and effective work areas.

Why Is 5S Important in Manufacturing?

While 5S was first developed in the context of the automotive industry, it is now widely considered an essential step for any lean manufacturing program, regardless of industry.

Embedding 5S as part of daily tasks within your company means much more than improved organization, sustained cleaning routines, and efficient activity flows. By using the 5S methodology, operators are encouraged to improve their overall work environment and reduce muda or waste .

Adherence to 5S standards is considered the foundation of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and an integral part of the Toyota Production System (TPS) . 5S also creates a stable platform from which Kaizen activities can be launched.

The bottom line - 5S is a low-investment, high-impact lean manufacturing tool that is predicated on people. It engages operators in “owning” their workspace and helps to instill a culture of quality, productivity, and improvement.

What Are the 5 Benefits of a 5S System?

The key benefits of a 5S system include:

• Creating space within your facility by removing unnecessary tools and equipment
• Reducing waste from unnecessary motion by organizing the workspace
• Reducing downtime and improving quality by consistently maintaining equipment
• Engaging operators by granting them more responsibility for their work environment
• Creating a safer work environment by ensuring it is clean and well-maintained

Now that you have a better understanding of why 5S is important and how it can benefit your manufacturing operations, let’s learn more about each of the 5S steps.

Sort (Seiri)

What is sort.

The Sort step separates items in your workspace that you know you need from items that you do not or may not need. Move the latter to a “red tag” holding area.

Why Do You Need Sort?

Sort enables you to have a more productive workspace by removing unneeded clutter (and eliminating distractions). It also is a first step towards opening up space that can be used for other things.

How Do You Implement Sort?

Separate necessary items (e.g., tools, parts, and materials) from unnecessary items. We recommend sorting items into four categories:

• Items needed in this work area. These are items you know that you regularly use in the context of this work area and thus will stay in this work area.
• Items needed in another work area. These are typically misplaced items. If an item is used in another work area, “sort” it into that area by delivering it to the team member responsible for that work area.
• Items you may need. For items you are unsure about, use the 5S “red tag” system. Mark such items with red tags, which at a minimum, should include the name of who tagged the item, why it is thought to no longer be needed, a proposed review date, and the name of the manager who must approve of disposal. Move the item to a red tag holding area, which should be organized by review month to make it easy to manage the area.
• Items you do not need. These are items that you are 100% confident are not needed. They should be immediately discarded, recycled, or donated, or sold if in good condition.

What Are Some Examples of Sort?

• Remove waste (or muda) from your workspace.
• Discard broken or old parts using 5S red tags.
• Responsibly recycle materials and papers.
• Separate everyday tools from special-case tools.
• Avoid overfilling your workspace with excess materials.
• Create an overflow area outside of the workspace for duplicate materials, tools, and parts.

Straighten (Seiton)

What is straighten.

The Straighten step thoroughly organizes the items that remain after sorting, making frequently used items easily accessible and providing every item a clear and easy-to-find home.

Why Do You Need to Straighten?

Straighten enables every item to have a specific home where it can be easily found and to which it can be easily returned. It reduces the waste from excess motion, as items are placed in more ergonomic locations. It is also the second step on the path to opening up space that can be used strategically toward the goal of improving production.

How Do You Implement Straighten?

After you’ve sorted items, it’s time to decide how you want to organize them. We recommend the following methodology:

• Provide easy access to frequently used items. The key to reducing waste from excess motion is to place frequently used items within easy reach.
• Group like items. Group the remaining items into logical categories and brainstorm the best way to organize and store each of these categories.
• Utilize visual designs. For each group, decide on the best way to make it clear when an item is missing or misplaced. A classic example is creating a shadow board for tools.
• Use containers. If it is appropriate for the type of item, consider organizing it within a container.
• Unleash the labeler. If an item is too big to put into a container, consider giving it a frame and putting a label on the item in addition to the frame.
• Be agile . Your initial straighten pass will likely deliver a significant improvement - but you are also likely to overlook some potential improvements. Plan a 5S team meeting with a focus on straightening at the one and two week points, and brainstorm further improvements as part of your initial implementation.

What Are Some Examples of Straighten?

• Give every item a distinct “home.”
• Use color as a way of organizing and creating meaning.
• Integrate shadow boards and other visual indicators into the plant floor.
• Dedicate a surface or area entirely to shadow boxes and tool storage.
• Dedicate another surface or area entirely to working.

Shine (Seisou)

What is shine.

The Shine step elevates the work area by ensuring thoroughly cleaned and inspected tools, equipment, and other items. It also can include routine maintenance on equipment, which is one of the ways it flows directly into TPM .

Why Do You Need to Shine?

Shine creates a work environment that engages and empowers operators by giving them more responsibility and agency over their work area. It also helps them to identify problems before they interfere with production. For example, in a clean work environment, it is much easier to spot emerging issues such as fluid leaks, material spills, metal shavings from unexpected wear, hairline cracks in mechanisms, etc.

How Do You Implement Shine?

After you’ve straightened items, it’s time to elevate the work area by cleaning, inspecting, and in some cases, performing routine maintenance. We recommend the following:

• Grab the metaphorical spray bottle. Using appropriate cleaners and cleaning tools, make the work area sparkle. With every sweep, mop, brush, wipe, wash, and wax, strive to return your workspace to its former glory. Be Miyagi.
• Find the source. The guiding principle of this 5S step is “clean to understand”. If there are any signs of leaks, spills, or unexpected debris, strive to understand the source. It is likely an early warning of a future problem.
• Inspect. After cleaning each item, take a moment to look it over and examine its condition. Does it need updating, maintenance, or repair?

What Are Some Examples of Shine?

• Wipe down equipment.
• Examine the wear of your tools.
• Disassemble larger objects to inspect the state of their parts.
• Investigate a recurring unclean spot or mess.
• Make sure to follow proper cleaning procedures to prevent damage to equipment.

Standardize (Seiketsu)

What is standardize.

The Standardize step is a bridge between the first three 5S steps (Sort, Straighten, Shine) and the last step (Sustain). In this step, your goal is to capture best practices for 5S as standardized work for your team.

Why Do You Need to Standardize?

Standardize makes 5S repeatable. It transforms 5S from a one-off project to a reproducible set of activities.

How Do You Implement Standardize?

It’s time to make sure all your hard work continues to pay dividends into the future. Set expectations for the future with a documented 5S process. To do so, we recommend that you:

• Document in pairs. Have one team member walk through each 5S task as another team member documents it to ensure nothing important is missed.
• Capture the essence. We are huge proponents of simplicity (and agile ). Capture the essence of each task and no more. Otherwise, your documentation will be difficult to maintain.
• Prefer checklists. Checklists feel easy. Short checklists feel even easier. A great format is providing a name for each task that serves as a quick reminder and a more detailed description for training.
• Organize to simplify. Organize your checklists by role, by shift, and by frequency (daily, weekly, monthly). This will make the 5S process much less intimidating to your team.

What Are Some Examples of Standardize?

• Write down your 5S practices.
• Create “implementation” checklists and “audit” checklists.
• Create “kits” that contain the materials needed to perform a specific task.
• Use photos and other simple visuals as part of your training materials.
• Build a schedule for tasks.

Sustain (Shitsuke)

What is sustain.

The Sustain step ensures that 5S is applied on an ongoing basis. It transforms your standardized 5S processes into regularly completed tasks.

Why Do You Need to Sustain?

Iterative 5S processes lock in your gains and ensure further and continued progress.

How Do You Implement Sustain?

Once you’ve standardized, it’s time to continually act upon those standards. We recommend you:

• Create a schedule. Embed 5S practices as scheduled tasks (by role, shift, and frequency).
• Teach through demonstration. Instruct employees on how to conduct 5S tasks through demonstration and training. Showing employees what is expected of them will prepare them to conduct tasks on their own.
• Supervise to solo. After initial 5S training for employees, gently supervise while they continue to form habits. It is easy to make mistakes or fall off course, so patiently and helpfully offer corrections when needed.
• Adapt as necessary. When giving or receiving feedback on tasks, see where changes can be made to make the tasks easier and more efficient. Standardized work is intended to be living documentation.

What Are Some Examples of Sustain?

• Hold a demonstration meeting to explain complex or multi-step processes.
• Perform periodic check-ins after initial training.
• Teach employees to run 5S audits.
• Respond to mistakes with additional training.
• Encourage supervisors and operators to communicate openly and constructively to find ways to improve your 5S implementation.
• Set quarterly audit reminders for reviewing the red tag holding area.

The Bonus S of 5S

Now that you know how to implement each step in the 5S methodology and foster a culture of continuous improvement in your factory, you are ready to learn the bonus S: Safety!

5S is meant to help you improve productivity in your factory, but it is also meant to help create a safe, positive work environment for your team. While preventing workplace injuries is very important - also important is that 5S will make your plant a great place to work. Everyone enjoys a safe, clean, and logically laid out work environment, and it will motivate your employees, leading to better results on the plant floor.

How Does Each of the 5S Steps Contribute to Safety?

• Sort removes items from the plant floor, creating more space. Of course, this space can be used to hold new tools and equipment, but it can also be used to create larger aisles and more open spaces in the factory, removing tripping hazards. Even something as simple as decluttering drawers can prevent injuries (e.g., accidental encounters with a sharp object when rummaging for the tool you need).
• Straighten gives every item a logical home near the location where operators will use it. This prevents operators from rushing around looking for what they need, avoiding chaos on the plant floor that could cause safety hazards. For example, operators could slip, trip, or bump into one another if they have to constantly hurry around looking for tools.
• Shine cleans the workspace and maintains equipment. This prevents leaks or spills from leaving slick spots on the floor and ensures operators have functioning tools so they don’t have to dangerously jerry-rig solutions.
• Standardize makes clear to everyone what needs to be done and to whom each task belongs so tasks are completed on a regular basis. Confusion regarding ownership of responsibilities can cause important jobs to be missed. For example, equipment that is not consistently maintained will likely create safety concerns.
• Sustain ensures your initial 5S efforts are not in vain, keeping your staff happy and on top of any new safety concerns as they arise. One of the most dangerous things you can have in your factory is unmotivated employees who do not care about maintaining the condition of their workplace. Ensuring their efforts to implement a 5S program are recognized and sustained will provide continued motivation.

Overall, the 5S process is worth the initial organizational work for the rewards in safety, production improvement, and employee motivation.

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A Practical Approach to the Successful Practice of 5S

Published: February 26, 2010 by Pradeep Kumar Mahalik

While some Lean Six Sigma (LSS) practitioners consider 5S a tool, it is more than that. 5S, abbreviated from the Japanese words seiri, seito, seiso, seiketsu, shitsuke, is not just a methodology, it is a culture that has to be built in to any organization which aims for spontaneous and continuous improvement of working environment and working conditions. It involves everyone in the organization from the top level to bottom. The Japanese developed this simple and easily understandable words religiously practiced the philosophy of 5S at every aspect of their life and have made it a world wide recognizable system.

Too often in LSS the 5S philosophy is confined to one classroom training session or, at best, used as a one-time implementation methodology that then dies its own death due to negligence. 5S is not a list of action items that has to be reviewed at some interval of time. Instead, it has to be practiced as a daily activity, which requires concentration, dedication and devotion for sustaining it and ultimately making it a company-wide culture.

A proper and step-by-step process has to be followed to make 5S a practice and a success.

Plan-Do-Check-Act Approach to 5S

The PDCA (plan, do, check, act), or “Deming cycle,” of implementing 5S is effective. This is a never-ending process and has to follow a process approach.

Step 1: Seiri, or Sort

Seiri is sorting through the contents of the workplace and removing unnecessary items. This is an action to identify and eliminate all unnecessary items from the workplace.

Actions items:

1. Look around the workplace along with colleagues to discover and identify items which are not needed and not necessary to complete work. 2. Develop criteria for disposal for not-needed items. 3. Take “before” photographs wherever it is required. 4. An effective method for recording progress is to tag the items not needed. This visual control of the not-needed items is often called red tagging. 5. While red tagging, ask these questions: 

• Is this item needed?
• If it is needed, is it needed in this quantity?
• If it is needed, how frequently is it used?
• If it is needed, should it be located here?
• Who is ultimately responsible for the item? (Verify from that person.)
• Are there any other not-needed items cluttering the workplace?
• Are there tools or material left on the floor?

6. Find a holding area to put red tagged items. 7. If it is difficult to decide whether an item is necessary or not, put a different tag and segregate it in the holding area. 8. Classify the items by frequency of use. 9. Items or equipment used hour by hour or day by day should be kept within arms reach of the point of use. 10. Items or equipment used once a week or once a month should be kept within the work area. 11. Items or equipment used less frequently should be stored in a more distant location. 12. Unneeded or unnecessary items should be stored in the holding area. 13. Individual departments should each have a holding area. 14. A holding area should be clearly visible and clearly marked to assure visual control of items. 15. Display pictures of items and place it on a public board visible to all. 16. Responsibility for the holding area should be assigned to some at the beginning of sorting activity. 17. The items in holding area should be kept for three or four months. If the items are not needed for work, then the items can be disposed. It is always necessary to verify plans to dispose of items with anyone who had been using these items in the past or are presently using the same or similar type of items. 18. Items should be moved to a company-level holding area before final disposal of the items. 19. The facility manager or an authorized person has to evaluate the items. 20. Disposal should be done in either of the following ways. 

• Move to other department/section where the items are required.
• Sell to someone outside the company.
• Discard and haul away.

21. Dispose all items which are broken or have no value. 22. Take “after” photographs wherever it is required. 

Step 2: Seiton , or Systematize

Seiton is putting the necessary items in their place and providing easy access. This is an action to put every necessary item in good order, and focuses on efficient and effective storage methods.

Action items:

1. Make sure that all unnecessary items are eliminated from the workplace. 2. Taking into account of the work flow, decide which things to put where. 3. Take “before” photographs wherever necessary. 4. Also decide with colleagues about which things to put where from the point of view of efficient operations. 5. This should be done as per the frequency of use of items. More frequentlyused items should be kept near the workplace (see Nos. 9, 10 and 11 under Seiri ). 6. Workers should answer these questions: 

• What do I need to do my job?
• Where should I locate this item?
• How many of this item do I really need?

7. Make a plan based on the principles and locate things accordingly. 8. Use 5Whys to decide where each item belongs. 9. Locate needed items so they can be retrieved in 30 to 60 seconds with minimum steps. 10. Make sure to inform everybody at the workplace about positioning of the items. 11. Make a clear list of items with their locations and put it on lockers or cabinets. 12. Label each locker/drawer/cupboard to show what is kept inside. 13. Outline locations of equipment, supplies, common areas and safety zones with lines: 

• Divider lines define aisle ways and work stations.
• Marker lines show position of equipment.
• Range lines indicate range of operation of doors or equipment.
• Limit lines show height limits related to items stored in the workplace.
• Tiger marks draw attention to safety hazards.
• Arrows show direction.

14. Identify all needed items with labels. 15. Take “after” photographs. 16. Complete evaluation using 5S levels of implementation with the facility manager or the authorized person in the organization. 

Step 3: Seiso , or Sweep

Seiso involves cleaning everything, keeping it clean daily, and using cleaning to inspect the workplace and equipment for defects. This is an action to clean the workplace daily.

Actions items:  

1. Take “before” photographs. 2. Adopt cleaning as a daily activity and as a part of inspection. Clean the workplace before starting of the job and before closing the job. 3. Put aside 10 or 15 minutes for the same activity per day. 4. Cleaning indirectly helps to check or inspect each and every part and place. Hence, it should be a habit. 5. Find ways to prevent dirt and contamination. 6. Clean both inside and outside on daily basis. 7. Identify and tag every item that causes contamination. 8. Use 5Whys or cause-and-effect methods to find the root causes of such contamination and take appropriate corrective and preventive action. 9. Keep a log of all places/areas to be improved. Table 1 shows a format for a log for cleaning improvements.

10. 5S “owner” check-sheets should be maintained on daily basis. An example of a check sheet is illustrated in Table 2. (The word owner here is used as a replacement for the title of operator. An operator merely operates the machine or process, and might think cleaning is below them. An owner cares for the machine and area in which he or she works.) 

11. Develop a plan, activity chart and distribute responsibility. 12. Take “after” photographs. 13. In addition to 10 to 15 minutes for Seiso everyday, owners should have a weekly 5S time, or monthly 5S day. 14. Complete evaluation using 5S levels of implementation with the facility manager or the authorized persons in the organization. 

Step 4: Seiketsu , or Standardize

Seiketsu involves creating visual controls and guidelines for keeping the workplace organized, orderly and clean. This is a condition where a high standard of good housekeeping is maintained. The first three steps, or S’s, are often executed by order. Seiketsu helps to turn it into natural, standard behavior.

1. Take “before” photographs. 2. Check that the first three S’s are implemented properly. 3. All team activity documents/check lists should be publicly displayed on a 5S board. 4. Establish the routines and standard practices for regularly and systematically repeating the first three S’s. 5. Create procedures and forms for regularly evaluating the status of the first three S’s. 6. Standardize red tag procedures and holding area rules (see Seiri ). 7. Standardize procedures for creating shadow boards, position lines, and labeling of all items (see Seiton ). 8. Standardize cleaning schedules using the “5S Owner Check Sheets” (see Seiso ). 9. Standardize “single-point lessons” for documenting and communicating 5S procedures and improvements in workplace and equipment. 10. Create a maintenance system for housekeeping. Make a schedule for cleaning of the workplace. A common approach is to ask a cross-functional team to do it. 11. Inter-departmental competition is an effective means of sustaining and enhancing interest in 5S. 12. Assign responsibility to individuals for a work area and machinery. 13. Regular inspection/audit and evaluation by a special team (including senior management persons) to be continued. 14. Instead of criticizing poor cases, praise and commend good practices or good performers. 15. Take “after” photographs and post them on the 5S board(s). 16. Complete evaluation using 5S levels of implementation with the facility manager or the authorized persons in the organization. 

Step 5: Shitsuke , or Self-Discipline

Shitsuke involves training and discipline to ensure that everyone follows the 5S standards. This is a condition where all members practice the first four S’s spontaneously and willingly as a way of life. Accordingly, it becomes the culture in the organization.

1. Everyone in the workplace should treat it they would their own home. 2. Periodic facility management involvement is required to check that the first four S’s are implemented perfectly. 3. Employees must make it a part of their daily work and not an action forced upon them. 4. Dedication, commitment, devotion and sincerity are needed in implementation of 5S on daily basis. 5. Senior management should initiate a celebration for the total 5S implementation, and be an active part in the total process in initiating and carrying forward the program. 6. Senior management should do a periodic review of the status of 5S. 7. Inspections of first three S’s should be done and the results displayed on 5S board regularly. 8. Single point lessons should be used to communicate the standards for how 5S work should be done. 9. Root cause problem-solving process should be in place where root causes are eliminated and improvement actions include prevention. 10. Owners conduct 5S Kaizen activities and document results. Owners (operators) complete daily check sheets to control factors that accelerate deterioration of equipment, and to keep clean workplaces that help build pride. 

When fully implemented, the 5S process increases morale, creates positive impressions on customers, and increase efficiency and organization. Not only will employees feel better about where they work, the effect on continuous improvement can lead to less waste, better quality and faster lead times. 5S is not only a system for housekeeping, it is an integrated approach for productivity improvement. 5S is a whole a culture which increases production, improves quality, reduces cost, makes delivery on time, improves safety and improves morale. 5S also is not a list of action items, but is an integrated concept of actions, condition and culture. To get the greatest success, the nature and implication of each “S” need to be understood by each employee and should be regularly practiced.

About the Author

Pradeep Kumar Mahalik

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5 Principles of 5s

Know more about the 5 principles of 5s

What are the Principles of 5s?

5s is a philosophy applied in the workplace that helps promote efficiency and effectiveness. As one of the core principles of kaizen, 5S lean principles can help identify and eliminate wastage to achieve a well organized and safe working environment. A cluttered and untidy workplace can lead to low productivity, worker dissatisfaction, and re-occurring accidents.

5S safety is commonly applied in manufacturing , warehouses, offices, and hospitals but 5S principles as follows can be applied to any workplace.

Sort (Seiri)

All items, equipment, and work materials should be neatly arranged and all unnecessary objects should be removed. The objective is to reduce clutter and make it easier to locate the resources needed for work. Ensure that:

• only necessary tools and equipment are present in the work area;
• only necessary furniture are present in the work area;
• only necessary items, materials, and supplies are present in the work area;
• all working, walking, and standing areas are free from trip hazards

Set in Order (Seiton)

All items, equipment, and work materials should be in optimal locations. The objective is to maximize accessibility, free up space, and prevent accidents from occurring by removing unnecessary obstacles. Ensure that:

• tools and equipment are clearly identified (numbered, named, color-coded, etc.) and placed in a sensible location;
• when applicable, furniture are clearly identified and placed in a sensible location;
• items, materials, and supplies are in their designated containers and properly labeled for easy identification;
• paperwork and other documents are properly compiled, labeled, and have clear identified locations away from work surfaces;
• work areas requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) are clearly marked via safety signs or labels;
• stop switches and breakers are clearly visible and easily accessible in case of emergency;
• fire hoses, fire extinguishers, and other emergency equipment are prominently displayed and unobstructed for easy access;
• floors/aisles are clearly marked and forklift lanes, exits, hazardous areas, paths of egress, walkways, etc. are all marked and labeled with visible lines (floor tape/floor paint);
• work stations are ergonomic, tools and items needed for work are stored at appropriate heights, anti-fatigue mats are in place when applicable, safety signages are clearly displayed; and
• workspace layout allows for unobstructed exits and the emergency exit route is easily located.

Shine (Seiso)

The workspace, including all tools, equipment, and machinery, should be cleaned on a regular basis. The objective is to make the workspace safe, waste-free, and conducive to productivity. Ensure that:

• work areas, including machines, furniture, and fixtures are kept clean as much as possible;
• walls, partitions, rails, etc. are kept clean and painted;
• floors are free from dirt, debris, oil, parts, hardware, empty boxes, etc. and all drains, if applicable, are clear of debris and clogs;
• containers, boxes, bins, etc. are clean, undamaged, and neatly stacked in their correct location;
• PPEs are maintained, sanitized, and in good condition as well as properly stored and easily accessible;
• cleaning equipment are properly stored and easily accessible;
• safety warning signs are clean, easy to read, undamaged, and unobstructed; and
• there is a posted schedule showing times, frequency, and person in-charge responsible for cleaning areas of the workplace.

Standardize (Seiketsu)

The processes for sorting, order, and cleanliness should be standardized and implemented across all offices and branches of operation. The objective is for all aspects and branches of operation to consistently gain the benefits of practicing seiri, seiton, and seiso. Ensure that:

• all tools, equipment, documents, etc. are to be stored neatly in their designated areas after use;
• equipment maintenance records are easily accessible and clearly state when the last maintenance occurred;
• product waste (shavings, containers, liquids, wrappers, etc.) are consistently and regularly cleaned and disposed of;
• preventive measures are implemented to ensure the workplace adheres to 5S guidelines;
• the work environment provides sufficient lighting, comfortable temperatures, sufficient air flow and quality, etc.;
• the results of the previous 5S audit are posted and clearly visible for the team’s reference; and
• the areas for improvement identified in the previous audit are addressed

Digitize the way you Work

Empower your team with SafetyCulture to perform checks, train staff, report issues, and automate tasks with our digital platform.

Sustain/Self-discipline (Shitsuke)

The organization should have the initiative to continuously and consistently practice the 5S methodology. The objective is to maximize the business’s potential by removing all obstacles to productivity that are within the operation’s control. Ensure that:

• a member of upper management has participated in at least one of the past three 5S audit periods;
• recognition is given to teams actively involved in 5S activities;
• time and resources are allocated for 5S activities (e.g., designated daily/weekly clean-up time, 5S meeting with team leader, etc.);
• all operators, team leaders, and supervisors, are assigned 5S activities to be completed at least once a week; and
• the team took the initiative to make improvements to the workplace that were NOT identified during the last audit, if applicable.
• With proper utilization and consistent practice, companies benefit from 5S through reduced costs, improved efficiency, and a safer working space.

How to Know if Your Company Needs 5s Lean

5S Lean is helpful to almost any type of operation, regardless of industry. The need to integrate 5S Lean practices, however, depends on how urgently you need to make changes for the good of your business. Here are some signs to look out for to know if you need 5S Lean help ASAP:

You are dissatisfied with your operational efficiency

Whether you feel like you’re not meeting your targets or not operating at maximum capacity, 5S Lean can help identify and eradicate inefficiencies. Using standard work practices, ergonomics, and workplace housekeeping, it will help ensure that you are making the most out of your resources.

Material, manufacturing, and/or operational costs are increasing

Companies that don’t practice 5S Lean or other similar systems may end up spending more money than necessary due to overproduction and overstocking of materials. In lean construction , effort and time are considered in minimizing waste. 5S Lean is specifically designed to optimize operations and prevent the excess expenditure of company resources.

Lack of consistency in quality and output

Operational inconsistencies in quality and output are directly influenced by workplace ergonomics. Adhering to 5S Lean principles can help businesses improve operations by putting machinery, equipment, tools, and materials in optimal locations for easy access and to reduce physical obstructions. By doing so, the amount of time and energy spent locating resources is kept at a minimum, resulting in the improvement of output and quality.

An increase in customer complaints

Escalating instances of customer complaints is a red flag that businesses can’t afford to ignore. With the most common complaints being about product and service quality, 5S Lean’s workplace-centered approach can help workers focus on consistently delivering on customer expectations.

5s Tool and Checklists

5s checklists.

5S checklists aid area supervisors or plant managers when performing monthly or quarterly 5s audits. It helps to better address compliance gaps and provides opportunities for continuous improvement.

Perform 5s Audits using SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor), a mobile 5s auditing app that can capture photos of items that are no longer needed in-app using any mobile device. Share and access 5s audit report anytime, anywhere right after the inspection with a single tap of a finger. Notify team members within the organization to work on urgent actions, and schedule 5S inspections to promote productivity best practices. Also, effectively manage your organization’s assets in one platform and train everyone across the board on how to implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in line with 5S practices.

Get started with ready-to-use 5s checklists.

SafetyCulture Content Team

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• Dec 15, 2022

How to implement 5s in your factory (with examples)

Updated: Mar 21

5S ACTIVITY

1.Sort 2.Straighten 3.Shine 4.Standardise 5.Sustain

Grab your 5s Checksheet Example and Free Download here

In this blog we cover:.

Examples of 5s before and after

Why does 5s matter in manufacturing?

A quick start to implementing 5s

The process for a 3s blitz

How long does a 3s blitz take?

5s checksheet example and free download

What is 5s?

5s is an interesting and often misunderstood building block of lean. Understanding ranges from the ill-informed: “it’s a fancy way of saying - clean up and do your housekeeping”

to the deeper understanding of: “it’s how we organise the workplace to support safety, quality cost and delivery”, all the way to the philosophical: “it’s a way to bring managers closer to the shopfloor and build relationships”

5s is a way for people to organise their working area to allow them to focus on making a good quality part, safely and on time. It also helps Team Leaders and Supervisors quickly see & sort out problems.

The 5s's are:

STANDARDISE

Each word is explained in depth below. There are variations of these words. “Straighten” is sometimes “Set” for example. They all mean broadly the same thing. There is rarely a need to learn the Japanese S words, although Toyota’s limit of 4s’s rather than 5 does speak to a deeper point about self-discipline (shitsuke) being the result of a habit repeated.

Examples - Before and After 5s implementation

This blog is about getting started with 5s in a poor, underperforming area. We could write a thousand words alone on what the 5s are and why you should bother. There’s plenty of information out there about that, but this blog is about getting started. How to get from chaos to organised. As shown in these examples of implementing 5s before and after in manufacturing.

5s Activity before and after in a job shop :

5s Activity before and after in a large factory in the construction industry :

In other words, work in areas where your operator can’t focus because they’re hunting for stuff, compensating for bad tools, machines and materials. Areas where your Team Leader can’t see when things are starting to go wrong – if nothing is ‘normal’ (5s straighten), everything is abnormal!

At Sempai, our practical approach sees 5s as a foundation block. Imagine you buy some land to build a house. First things first, you need to put a foundation in so that your dream home doesn’t subside when the bad weather comes. 5s acts the same way in a factory. It’s always raining somewhere on the shopfloor, a good 5s condition helps you work well IN SPITE OF that rain. In simple terms you get 2 things from strong 5s:

1) It lets you focus on making a good quality part, safely and on time.

2) It helps your leaders quickly see & sort out problems (e.g. machine working badly, slips or trips, missing/wrong tools & material)

So, before we break down the steps in a 3s blitz lets define what the 5s are:

SORT - Separate what you need to do the job from what you don’t need

STRAIGHTEN - A place for everything, everything in its place

SHINE - Daily cleaning is inspection, use your eyes to check the machine

STANDARDISE - Make it easy to follow the 5S standard

SUSTAIN - Self-discipline

Steal our 5s checksheet here

A quick start to implementing 5s: with a 3s activity.

In an ideal world you improve the 5s condition of each area little by little. Getting rid of unneeded tools and parts, giving things a home, red tagging as you go to identify and fix:

Anything that’ll affect safety - e.g. trailing cables, fluid leaks, sharp edges

Anything that’ll affect quality - e.g. tools stored on top of each other, parts mixed

Anything broken – e.g. jig missing a clamp, broken tool

Anything homeless – if it hasn’t got a home, you can’t visually check it’s there BEFORE you need it

This little by little approach is the best way to go but, sometimes, an area is such a risk to Safety and/or Quality, and in such a bad way, that it needs a blitz to get to a basic decent standard. Then you incrementally improve it afterwards. This is called a 3s blitz and below is a way to do it. The 3s relates to the first 3S’s – sort, straighten and shine – although not done in that order. More on that later.

We’ve broken the guidance down into

(1) Pre-activity

(2) On the day

(3) Post-activity

The overriding point is that there has to be a reason to do a 3s blitz. That reason should come from the area owner/Team Leader. In the same way that Kanban is a pull system, rather than push, we want our lean approach to be pulled by people in the factory. What’s in it for them? What kind of pain are they experiencing that can be eased by a better organised work area? These are the key questions. Getting out hands into processes on 4 continents tells us that a 3s blitz done TO an area rarely sticks.

What to do - Pre-activity

Confirm the 5s area

Talk to the Team Leader(s) responsible for the area.

Do they understand what is going to happen?

Agree one Team Leader to take part in the activity – they will be the champion to close out outstanding red tags and make sure the standard maintains and improves.

Assess the size of the area. Can you do it all at once with the size of team you plan for in, say, 5 hours. Do you need to break it down into smaller pieces? Make it tough but achievable. How much you can get done depends on the size (and complexity) of the area and the number of people you can safely manage in that area during the activity. If the area is too small, you’ll trip over each other, too big and you’ll barely scratch the surface.

Walk the area with this Team Leader and...

observe the process to understand how it flows and how work is being done. This gives YOU (as 3s blitz leader) clues for red tagging and STRAIGHTEN issues later.

Ask what the top quality problems are (in case 5s problems are a cause)

Find out if any recent accidents have occurred.

Do a mental red tag for safety, quality, homeless and broken problems. Take a digital camera to snap these as before photos.

Take 1 before photo of the whole area from a fixed point. You’ll do this after from the same point.

Find a clear-out area to put tagged items during the activity.

Select a team. ALWAYS involve people from the area, the Team Leader (as discussed above), Maintenance (if area has machines), Materials Handler (if area is assembly), Customer process, Supplying process? the Manager (shows commitment).

Ensure 100% attendance from these people. Most teams are between 4 and 8 people. 8+ can be like herding cats, so choose wisely.

Plan with operations / materials to release the area and people.

Ensure communication across shifts to let everyone who touches the area know what is happening

Check with Maintenance...

That you will be using the correct cleaning materials.

Read the COSHH sheets and get the right PPE available.

If there is any part of the machine to be extra careful with e.g. electrical panels or vision systems.

If the machine will suffer memory loss, needs backing up or has a special shutdown / start-up routine

Get cleaning materials ready: Brooms, Dustpan & Brush, Scrapers, Mops, Mop bucket, clean cloths, hot water source, cleaning fluid, gloves. (Remember: The 3rd S shine is not about making it shiny, it’s about inspecting for early problems)

Get chalk (to mark out the clear out area) and 4 permanent markers for the STRAIGHTEN to write on the tape.

Pre number 100 red tags – have 50 more in reserve unnumbered

Print out the red tag log sheet - 1-100 pre numbered + 2 blank sheets

Get hold of the right coloured floor tape - for line marking the area, inventory and the defect/scrap bin. Probably white or yellow and red.

Start in a training room. Let the team know why they are sitting there, why their area

Deliver a basic 5s teachpoint with a quick game (we use the kitchen game) - to engage the team and give them a reason to go out and graft for the next 4/5 hours

Make sure everyone has eye protection, ear protection (if required) safety shoes and gloves.

Go to the shopfloor (take the red tags, red tag log sheets, chalk, camera, permanent pens, white and yellow tape, cleaning materials)

Check that production can be stopped and ask the maintenance team member to isolate the services – lock out tag out is best. Be careful of residual pressure. NEVER DO 5S IF THE MACHINE IS NOT ISOLATED.

Define the Boundaries of the 5S area – walk the boundary so that the team know where to work.

The Process for a 3s Blitz Activity

1. Hand out pre-numbered red tags to each team member & start red tagging. Check around the team to make sure they are writing specific problems down, are initialling them and tying the tags on.

2. Take all tagged items into the clear-out area. Use a team member to create the red tag log sheet to note all of the tags down approx. 30 minutes into the SHINE.

Everybody gets filthy cleaning the area thoroughly. Top to Bottom. Be careful to use the right cleaner inside machines, on tools & jigs and electrical panels. Because you are inspecting as you are cleaning, issue more red tags as needed.

During the SHINE use two team members to sort the essential from the non-essential (N/E) in the clear-out area. One person should be from the area and the other from outside (to challenge fixed ideas about essential items). The non-essential items should be binned or returned to their home. The essential items should be cleaned ready to be STRAIGHTENED back into the area.

When SHINE is finished, all essential items left in the clear-out area should be STRAIGHTENED back in the area with named, configured homes. We use tape at first as the area will need a few days to see if the new homes are the best for working in the area. Also, painting homes around items is a bit of barrier to further kaizen.

You may want to use the maintenance person (during STRAIGHTEN) to close out red tags – prioritise safety, then quality and broken items.

Clear the area after the 5S and hand back to production. Whoever has led the 5s activity is responsible for staying with the Team Leader until the area is able to produce good parts again.

How long does a 3s Blitz take?

Example timings for the above are below. Please remember that they will vary depending on the size, condition and nature of the process. Gather the team together briefly at each stage and tease out of them next steps. Everyone must have a common understanding. Briefly means 1 minute or less:

0 - 45 mins 5s teachpoint (take a photo of the team in the room)

45 - 60 mins Isolate machines & pace out the area

60 - 80 mins Red tagging (take a photo of someone red tagging)

80 - 95 mins Remove items to clear out area (take a photo when it is full)

95 - 225 mins Shine (someone on red tag log after 30 mins + take photos)

With approx. 45 mins to go of the shine get the 2 people on essential v non-essential split. Have them get rid of the non-essential items (bin or return home).

225 – 285 mins

Straighten essential items back in – demonstrate 1 item with the whole team and then maybe pair them off. Operators have a big say here but also challenge them. (Take a photo of straighten)

Take photos of red tags that have been sorted – ones you have before pictures of i.e. 1x homeless, broken, safety, quality.

285 – 300 mins

Make sure everything has a home. Pack up the cleaning materials. Recap with the team. Start processes and hand back to production. When leading a 3s blitz ALWAYS hand back the area when you say you will.

MAKE SURE ALL RED TAGS ARE KEPT FOR THE MINUTE

During the essential (E) v non-essential (N/E) sort, you will get rid of items. Ask the team to tear off the tag, keep the tag and write on it ‘N/E’

During the straighten you will solve homeless red tag issues. Ask the team to tear off the tag, keep the tag and write ‘E sorted’ on the tag. As other problems are fixed, again tear the tag off, keep the tag and write ‘E sorted’ on the tag.

You are unlikely to solve all red tag issues in this activity. If it is not sorted then leave the red tag hanging. It is a visual control – “something is wrong here”.

Post-activity

Ask your Team Leader to communicate to the Operators coming in what has happened. Tell them that you will post some visual information in the area tomorrow latest. Ensure that the Team Leader has a way of communicating to the 3rd shift.

With the team, possibly away from the area, update the red tag log sheet and establish:

How many tags were issued

How many were essential and non-essential

How many essential are outstanding

You’ll also need this information for the 5s summary sheet.

The image at the top of this blog is of a 5s summary sheet, they’re really good to let people know what has happened…why and how!

Doing the 3s blitz only gets you so far - a baseline condition. The next step (the 4th S) is to agree a practical 5s checksheet, to maintain the condition. Create a basic handwritten 5s checksheet that can be put in place asap to maintain the standard. Handwritten is ok for the moment.

Watch our video below to find out more and see real examples or download your 5s Checksheet (with example) here

5s Checksheet Example and Free Download

The photos dotted throughout were taken from a 3s activity we led earlier this year - one of hundreds we've done across many industries. If you'd like help establishing 5s in your factory smoothly, just give us a nudg e or message us on LinkedIn

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Tools for 5S Lean Manufacturing

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--> 03 February, 2023 2 MINUTE READ

The  5S System  is a lean manufacturing tool that helps to clean and organize the workplace, as well as improve how things are done through standardization. This can be accomplished with the five following steps:

• Sort: Remove unneeded and obsolete items from the workplace.
• Set in Order: Organize each area in the workplace based on how work is done.
• Shine: Clean your workplace, tools, and equipment to restore them to their original condition.
• Standardize: Improve how work is done by creating procedures that ensure work is done consistently and efficiently.
• Sustain: Make 5S part of your daily routine by repeating each step on a daily basis.

While these steps are clear and can be implemented without major upfront costs, there are some helpful tools for 5S lean manufacturing that can make the process easier. These tools include process tools, 5S checklists, and visual communication tools like labeling and floor marking supplies.

Process Tools

There are numerous process tools that can help make implementing 5S successful, including Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) and 5 Whys.

Plan-Do-Check-Act

PDCA is an organized approach to problem-solving. This helpful tool can help make your 5S implementation more meaningful by ensuring improvements, from Sort to Standardize, address issues in your workplace. PDCA includes four important steps: 

Plan:  In this first step, workers identify an area that needs improvement then they develop a plan with workers from other areas that may be affected by any change.

Do:  Implement the plan in a pilot area so it does not disrupt the workplace. Keep track of what has been done and its impact.

Check:  Review the change and its impact. Did the change yield the expected results? Did it impact any areas or processes that were not supposed to be affected?

Act:  If the change yields an improvement, begin incorporating it throughout the business-one area at a time. If the improvement does not work in other areas, restart at the Plan phase for those areas.

PDCA is a powerful counterpart of the 5S system because it ensures that each step in the 5S process is applied to address specific problems. Workers won't simply begin removing tools and organizing equipment without first creating a plan to ensure the change will be positive. Each change will help make work easier, reduce costs, and improve quality throughout the workplace.

5S Checklists

In addition to process tools, you will need other tools to help support your 5S system. These tools include checklists and charts. Some common checklists that can help keep your program focused include:

5S Audit Checklists:  An audit checklist can help keep your program on task by making it easy to track improvements and areas that can use additional improvements. Each department should make its own checklist to best meet its needs.

Trend Charts: These charts show trends in data over time. Trend charts help managers keep track of changes in processes, outputs, and much more. These charts can help you quickly identify areas or processes that need to be improved, as well as processes that will need to be improved in the future.

Preventive Maintenance Checklists: Preventive maintenance is what keeps operations running smoothly without excessive downtime. Using a preventive maintenance checklist ensures that maintenance is done on time and new maintenance requirements are addressed.

5S Visual Communication Tools

A successful 5S program requires effective visual communication, which includes the following:

• Labels for storage bins, shelving, and tools will help workers identify items and put them back where they belong.
• Procedure Labels can communicate procedural changes and help workers complete tasks correctly, every time.

Support your 5S program with clear, effective visual communication. Create labels and signs you need to keep a business operating efficiently with DuraLabel industrial label and sign printers by Duralabel.

Communicate essential information about improvements and future changes with  Echo large-format printer and enlarger by Duralabel. Use the built in enlarger to create high-impact spreadsheets, flowcharts, and meeting minutes, ensuring your workforce stays up-to-date as the workplace continues to improve.

Get all of the information you need to get started with 5s Lean Manufacturing by downloading our  free 5s System Best Practices Guide below.

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Getting Started with the 5S Methodology

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5S Methodology or Standard Work, What Should we Start With?

Article updated December 2022 5S methodology or standard work, which should come first? We should start by looking at what those two powerful Lean Management approaches consist in. It will allow us to get a better understanding of what to do first.

5S, understanding the methodology

The 5S methodology consists in organizing a work zone to make it as productive as possible.

A work zone can be any of the following: a work cell, an office, or even a computer directory.

It can be implemented in 5 steps, each of which is necessary to obtain an ergonomic and productive work organization that will allow achieving the best quality possible.

Determine what items should remain in the workplace. This stage consists in sorting what is useful from what is not, regardless of the number of times it is actually being used.

Set in Order

Now knowing what will remain in the workstation, everything should be organized in an ergonomic manner by positioning each item. We seek to have a place for everything and everything in its place. In this stage, the notion of workstation ergonomics is highly important. It includes identifying storage methods (taking into account heights if needed) as well as storage positioning (in relation to the number of times it’s being used). It is often necessary to establish colour coding for a workstation (identifying storage areas, tools, etc.) to make visual management easier.

This step is crucial to engage employees. A 5S effort includes cleaning up and setting back to its original state the entire work area (painting walls and machines, get new equipment, etc.). Mobilization often result from the pride employees feel when working in a clean, organized place that corresponds to their needs. Consequently, it will be much easier to identify a gap or an equipment failure or malfunction, a leakage, for example. Thus the need to set up a maintenance routine (daily, weekly, monthly) to sustain the level of cleanliness attained during this stage.

Standardize

Once the decision to set in order each item within a workstation is made, the next logical step will consist in implementing it in a clean environment. This step allows keeping in place the newly implemented structure by using decided upon colour codes and storage set ups. At this stage, it is important to take a photograph of the set standard to refer to on a daily basis.

This last step is the very core of the 5S methodology. It consists in defining daily compliance mechanisms validating the entire workstation is in compliance and under control. Multilevel audits can be set in order to show the importance of complying with the 5S methodology and to continuously identify improvement opportunities.

It is important to understand that a workstation can be submitted to a 5S project more than once. As a matter of fact, improving a workstation can be achieved in several phases, as improvement is a continuous affair.

Standard Work

The standard work approach consists in organizing tasks to achieve stability and consistency in daily operations. This will allow identifying a process’s true capability.

Any process can be standardized, but not all steps of a process need to be.

Defining standard work can be completed in 4 key stages which will result in a reliable standardization that will be complied with by the entire personnel.

Method study

This is achieved by observing work practices to capture all the necessary details toward the understanding and explaining of the work being accomplished at a specific workstation. To get sufficient information, observations can be carried out in phases or by videotaping employees while performing their work. Improvements in terms of ergonomics, workstation organization, and work quality are noted on a regular basis through discussions with stakeholders.

Writing Standard Work

Developing standard work consists in defining each task that need to be regulated by safety, quality, technique, and even by written elements. Through these observations, it is possible to write clear and precise instructions. It then becomes necessary that the established visual standard be validated by the entire team to confirm that only one standard applies to all the resources involved in the standardized position.

That step is crucial in a change management setting. Then, we aim at reaching consensus on complying with standard work

Measuring Work

Standard work becomes significant when setting a standard time. At this stage, the standard work that was previously validated, is being thoroughly measured. Several sets of measures can be carried out to capture natural variance, for example, the difference in pace between employees. It becomes important to only measure items defined in standard work and exclude any wastes that could interfere with time study. This part of standardization can sometimes be seen as intimidating and controlling because of working times being formalized. However, it is important to keep in mind that the objective of measuring working times is to define the capability of a workstation.

Work Sequencing

Standard time can be considered as a sequential flow (one task at a time) or as simultaneous flow (several tasks at a time). Indeed, it is sometimes possible to accomplish several tasks at the same time. This is what we call working in masked time. It consists in defining the most effective sequence to keep resources busy (both human and material). Work sequencing will then allow establishing a product or service’s cycle time. This also allows to set up means to monitor standard work. It is then possible to set up audits at given intervals to confirm validated standard work applicability.

Just like the 5S methodology, standardization can, and must, be repeated on a regular basis. Indeed, product and technology changes that could arise would entail tasks and standard time updates. Thus, the standardization of a workstation could be repeated on a yearly basis if necessary.

Sequence of Implementation

As you can see, when considering their respective definition, these two highly operational Lean management tools satisfy complementary needs for improvement.

Answering by saying you need to first and foremost conduct a 5S project, would be neglecting the actual improvement goals of a specific work area. On the other hand, prioritizing the standardization of work processes within a chaotic environment, would certainly not allow for tangible stability and productivity gains.

Any improvement effort must start by analyzing the needs or by defining a problem. Thus, the decision to complete a 5S must be made after identifying wastes such as excess handling or unnecessary or non-ergonomic movements. In the case of a work standardization effort, concluding to an important variance in cycle time or a fluctuating number of manufacturing defects could indicate the presence of issues needing to be resolved.

Combining 5S to a work standardization effort can prove to be beneficial considering the gains resulting from each of those tools. In such a context, the planning and organizing of the effort is a key element to the success of the implementation process.

As a rule of thumb, I tend to favour standardizing the work before making any physical change to the workplace. Standardizing allows laying a measurable baseline, thus establishing a performance improvement challenge.

There is no doubt that in some cases the first standardization effort will not remain the only one being made. After completing a 5S, it is most possible that updating the work organization becomes necessary, or that standard times are no longer relevant.

This small steps method, requiring several iterations, has for advantage to keep employees on their toes about identifying wastes. This way, several improvement ideas get to be considered, and the results are all the more significant.

To sum it up, both 5S and standard work methodologies allow stable performance in a workplace. The two methods need to be considered as being complementary, regardless of the order in which they are implemented. Best practice is to repeat the improvement efforts on a regular basis to maintain the motivation to make changes and to put the emphasis on problem solving on a daily basis. If you are still wondering where to start, plan both efforts within the same workplace at a month’s interval, this will ensure its success.

For additional details on a more condensed approach to 5S implementation, combining standardization and optimization, we invite you to consult this article .

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Lean Thinking and Methods - 5S

• Introduction

Method and Implementation Approach

Implications for environmental performance, useful resources.

5S is a system to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results. Implementation of this method "cleans up" and organizes the workplace basically in its existing configuration, and it is typically the first lean method which organizations implement.

The 5S pillars, Sort ( Seiri ), Set in Order ( Seiton ), Shine ( Seiso ), Standardize ( Seiketsu ), and Sustain ( Shitsuke ), provide a methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment. In the daily work of a company, routines that maintain organization and orderliness are essential to a smooth and efficient flow of activities. This lean method encourages workers to improve their working conditions and helps them to learn to reduce waste, unplanned downtime, and in-process inventory.

A typical 5S implementation would result in significant reductions in the square footage of space needed for existing operations. It also would result in the organization of tools and materials into labeled and color coded storage locations, as well as "kits" that contain just what is needed to perform a task. 5S provides the foundation on which other lean methods, such as  TPM ,  cellular manufacturing ,  just-in-time production , and  six sigma  can be introduced.

5S is a cyclical methodology: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain the cycle. This results in continuous improvement.

The 5S Pillars 1

Sort.  Sort, the first S, focuses on eliminating unnecessary items from the workplace that are not needed for current production operations. An effective visual method to identify these unneeded items is called "red tagging", which involves evaluating the necessity of each item in a work area and dealing with it appropriately. A red tag is placed on all items that are not important for operations or that are not in the proper location or quantity. Once the red tag items are identified, these items are then moved to a central holding area for subsequent disposal, recycling, or reassignment. Organizations often find that sorting enables them to reclaim valuable floor space and eliminate such things as broken tools, scrap, and excess raw material.

Standardize.  Once the first three 5S's have been implemented, the next pillar is to standardize the best practices in the work area. Standardize, the method to maintain the first three pillars, creates a consistent approach with which tasks and procedures are done. The three steps in this process are assigning 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine) job responsibilities, integrating 5S duties into regular work duties, and checking on the maintenance of 5S. Some of the tools used in standardizing the 5S procedures are: job cycle charts, visual cues (e.g., signs, placards, display scoreboards), scheduling of "five-minute" 5S periods, and check lists. The second part of Standardize is prevention - preventing accumulation of unneeded items, preventing procedures from breaking down, and preventing equipment and materials from getting dirty.

Sustain.  Sustain, making a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures, is often the most difficult S to implement and achieve. Changing entrenched behaviors can be difficult, and the tendency is often to return to the status quo and the comfort zone of the "old way" of doing things. Sustain focuses on defining a new status quo and standard of work place organization. Without the Sustain pillar the achievements of the other pillars will not last long. Tools for sustaining 5S include signs and posters, newsletters, pocket manuals, team and management check-ins, performance reviews, and department tours. Organizations typically seek to reinforce 5S messages in multiple formats until it becomes "the way things are done."

Proper discipline keeps the 5S circle in motion.

Potential Benefits:

• Painting the machines and the equipment light colors and cleaning the windows, often done under the Shine pillar, decreases energy needs associated with lighting.
• Painting and cleaning makes it easier for workers to notice spills or leaks quickly, thereby decreasing spill response. This can significantly reduce waste generation from spills and clean-up.
• The removal of obstacles and the marking of main thoroughfares decreases the potential of accidents that could lead to spills and associated hazardous waste generation (e.g., spilled material, absorbent pads and clean up materials).
• Regular cleaning, as part of the Shine pillar, decreases the accumulation of cuttings, shavings, dirt, and other substances that can contaminate production processes and result in defects. Reduction in defects has significant environmental benefits (e.g., avoided materials, wastes, and energy needed to produce the defective output; avoided need to dispose of defective output).
• 5S implementation can significantly reduce the square footage needed for operations by organizing and disposing of unused equipment and supplies. Less storage space decreases energy needed to heat and light the space.
• Organizing equipment, parts, and materials so they are easy to find can significantly reduce unneeded consumption. Employees are more likely to finish one batch of chemicals or materials before opening or ordering more, resulting in less chemicals or materials expiring and needing disposal.
• 5S visual cues (e.g., signs, placards, scoreboards, laminated procedures in workstations) can be used to raise employee understanding of proper waste handling and management procedures, as well as workplace hazards and appropriate emergency response procedures. 5S techniques can be used to improve labeling of hazardous materials and wastes. In addition, environmental procedures often are separate from operating procedures, and they are not easily accessible to the workstation. 5S implementation often result is easy to read, laminated procedures located in workstations. Integration with 5S visual cues and operating procedures can improve employee environmental management.

Potential Shortcomings:  

• Regularly painting and cleaning machines and equipment could lead to increased use of paints and cleaning supplies. Paints and cleaning supplies may contain solvents and/or chemicals that can result in air emissions or increased waste generation.
• Disposing of unneeded equipment and supplies creates a short-term surge in waste generation. In some cases, there may be unlabeled wastes that could be hazardous. Failure to involve environmental personnel in waste handling could result in some wastes being disposed improperly or in lost opportunities for reclamation or recycling.

Greif, M..  The Visual Factory: Building Participation Through Shared Information  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1995).

Hirano, Hiroyuki.  5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1995).

Peterson, Jim, Roland Smith, Ph.D.  The 5S Pocket Guide  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press,1998).

Pojasek, Robert B. "Five Ss: A Tool That Prepares an Organization for Change".  Environmental Quality Management  (Autumn 1999) 97-103.

Productivity Press Development Team.  5S for Operators: 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1996).

Productivity Press Development Team.  5S for Safety Implementation Toolkit: Creating Safe Conditions Using the 5S System  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 2000).

Productivity Press Development Team.  5S for Safety: New Eyes for the Shop Floor  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1999).

Shimbun, Nikkan Kogyo, ed.  Visual Control Systems  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1995).

Tel-A-Train and the Productivity Development Team.  The 5S System: Workplace Organizations Standardization  (video) (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1997).

1 . Productivity Press Development Team,  5S for Operators: 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace  (Portland, Oregon: Productivity Press, 1996).

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• Videos/Blogs

When NOT to use 5S

Today I’m going to tell you when it’s best NOT to use 5S. Before we can talk about when not to use 5S, I want to make sure everybody understands what 5S really is. 5S is a common workplace organization term that simply stands for these five S words:

• Set in order

Standardize

These are all very important.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/M6KOV796MHM” title=”Video: When NOT to Use 5S”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Evaluate the necessary items and remove all the unnecessary tools. Sort the good and bad parts and eliminate the obstacles.

Set in Order

Arrange all of your necessary items, tools, etc., in a way where they are easy to find when you need them. This is basically a fancy, less insulting way to say, “Go organize your stuff.” Last summer, my wife asked me to help organize the garage. I hated it, until I realized, we weren’t organizing the garage; we were 5S-ing it. It sounds a lot better, right?

Shine means clean your workspace. Make it SHINE! Inspect your workspace to ensure a clean and safe working environment.

The first three S’s have been pretty self-explanatory; however, I don’t think a lot of people understand how to standardize. Standardizing is very simple, but extremely important.

Simply stated, you want to make sure all your employees are trained to perform a task without any variation. Think of this as if your team members are like a group of programmed robots. Make sure all the best practices are in use.

Perform regular audits. Train and discipline. Have self-discipline. And finally, maintain this proper order.

You may also encounter people adding one additional S sometimes which stands for Safety.

The Perfect Time to Forget 5S

Returning to my original question, when do we not use 5S? The answer is simple; basically never. There may be brief times when an immediate need takes precedence. When this occurs, simply handle that situation and return to utilizing 5S. In my professional opinion, the best time to not be using 5S is absolutely never.

Did you enjoy the video? Subscribe to my YouTube channel, where you’ll find more helpful problem-solving videos like these:

• Scrap Reduction
• When Not to Use D.O.E.
• Why a Project Might Take More Than 3 Days to Solve

I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below on how 5S has helped you. If you need one-on-one help, send me an email to get the ball rolling. I’d love to help you come up with a custom plan of action specific to your facility.

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Author:  Tom

Raised on a family farm in rural Minnesota, Tom is a strong believer in the merit of honest, hard work. But his passion to work smarter, not just harder, drew him to engineering where he has spent his career as a problem-solver, always looking for yet a faster, better way to make companies more profitable than ever. "Every problem that I have solved I looked back and asked myself, 'how could I have solved it 1 day faster?'” With extensive expertise in various problem-solving methodologies, Tom has dedicated himself to re-inventing problem-solving. He has discovered that, by using his lightning problem-solving methods, up to 90% of all manufacturing problems can, and should, be solved in only 3 days! Tom's years of practical, hands-on experience worldwide, has made him an authority on all things related to problem-solving and lean manufacturing.

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The Lean Post / Articles / How do I implement 5S when operators think everyone does things a little differently?

How do I implement 5S when operators think everyone does things a little differently?

By Michael Ballé

June 17, 2019

Dear Gemba Coach: How do I implement 5S  in our small but growing shop where operators have the belief that everyone does things a little differently?

Dear Gemba Coach,

How do I implement 5S in our small but growing shop where operators have the belief that everyone does things a little differently?

Everyone always does everything a little differently. That’s the point. A goalpost of successful 5S is that anyone should locate what is needed – a tool, a part, a document – with their eyes closed. But the real aim of 5S is getting the team to come together on routines that support smooth and seamless standard work .

Let’s take a looong step back. How do these two orange circles compare?

You can look at these other great illusions from Dr. Pascale Michelon. Or ask yourself which of these two lines is longer:

This one is straight out of Taiichi Ohno’s Workplace Management book – right in the beginning.

When you look at illusions such as these do you feel that:

• Your brain is tricking you into false beliefs.
• Your brain is working perfectly and you’ve tricked it.

The answer is 2. Your brain is working perfectly to interpret the world out there and you’re tricking it by putting it in unusual and rare conditions. The point is there is reasoning in thinking.

We tend to think that we see, then we interpret. But the truth is that we interpret as we see. There are all sorts of cognitive stuff happening during vision and, actually, 2/3rds of the brain is involved in vision with up to 30% of the cortex dedicated to it (as opposed to 8% for touch and 3% for hearing).

Seeing Really Is Believing

Because there is no filter on vision, we believe what we see, instantly and unquestioningly. That is why clarifying a visual presentation is so important. When you start looking at something you’re already thinking about it. The important point here is that you won’t be reasoning the same visually as you’d do through touch or language .

Lean has a long tradition of this, and my father’s sensei quotes his own sensei in saying:

“Use feet/hands/eyes to see the true facts with genchi genbutsu by yourself :

• Don’t ask men! Ask things
• Don’t see by your eyes! Watch by your feet!
• Don’t think by your brain! Think by your hands”

The upshot is that how elements of work are visually positioned has an impact on how work is done and how we think about it .

The second mechanism to consider is habituation. When we do something repetitive, the brain imprints it and stops thinking about it. Your hands open the drawer to find the tea spoons without thinking – and you’ll start thinking again if they’re not there. Again that makes sense, we clearly don’t want to have to think about everything all the time.

The downside of habituation is that we lose sight of weak signals and tend to proceed as if everything is normal even if there are signs something is out of joint – which mostly leads us into trouble later.

5S is a method to get the team to converge on the best visual environment to work effectively. It’s not something you implement, it’s a method you teach. It’s not something you do to them, it’s a discipline they learn.  In lean, we have two main visual tools:

• 5S, which is habit forming – we want the right things in the right place to work smartly.
• Kanban , which is habit breaking – we need to follow the kanban and make sure every delivery to kanban has the right quality, which requires attention, questioning, and thinking.

5S is a method to get the team to converge on the best visual environment to work effectively. It’s not something you implement, it’s a method you teach. It’s not something you do to them, it’s a discipline they learn.

Seeing Is Reasoning

Think of 5S as a “purification of space” method. After a job is done, and then during the job, bring back the work environment to its clean form. You train to:

• Sort (Seiri): Looking at the workplace and spotting clutter. Again, looking for clutter is thinking about clutter – looking is reasoning. By looking at clutter you think about it, wonder why it’s there and discuss it with your colleagues.
• Set in order (Seiton): Agreeing on the right place for each thing means having a clear understanding of the sequence of work in which we need things. Yes, if people don’t work the same way they’ll need them at different spots, which is precisely the aim of the exercise. Seiton should lead us to discuss how we work and what is the best arrangement to support it.
• Shine (Seiso): Cleaning tools right after you’ve used them and setting them back at their seiton place is about care – and inspection – of what you need to work. Think of it as purifying the work environment from the previous work cycle and bringing everything to pristine order. You’ll be surprised to see how satisfying this is. Seiso changes your relationship to work and opens your eyes to things that need fixing now before they create an incident.
• Standardize (Seiketsu): Creating the team routines to keep the workplace in order is an essential part of the practice. When do we do the previous 3Ss? At the end of the day? Once a week? After every job? All of them? Learning to work together is about establishing work rituals which serve as reference points for team members and as team-building activities.
• Sustain (Shitsuke): Supporting and auditing by management of the preceding 4Ss to demonstrate commitment to a safe and clean workplace and to help teams with concrete problems (such as needed tools) that’s they don’t have the autonomy for.

5S is powerful precisely because everyone does things a little differently. Creating a culture of quality rests on, first, having high standards for quality and illustrating it through daily behavior of not letting poor quality pass. But it also rests on collective routines to establish quality. Self-inspection is one such set of routines, but 5S, the control of the conditions for quality is another key one.

5S is not about creating the perfect workspace on paper and implementing it. It’s a self-study and self-development method for the team to come together… 5S is not about creating the perfect workspace on paper and implementing it. It’s a self-study and self-development method for the team to come together on having things exactly as they want them, where they want them. Taught properly, 5S will bring the team together on common norms about how they do the work and standards of “what is a good job.”

Rather than “implement” 5S, the real questions to ask as you grow are:

• Are there clear teams?
• Does each team have a team leader ?
• Is this team leader trained at using 5S to make his team come together?
• Are the teams’ physical arrangements supporting standardized work ?

Looking is thinking. A unique aspect of lean is understanding the huge part visualization plays in seeing the ideal, spotting waste and problems, and resolving situations astutely. 5S is the first step into this form of thinking – it can’t be implemented. It can only be taught.

For more information on 5S, check out its Lean Lexicon definition page .

Written by:

About Michael Ballé

Michael Ballé is co-author of The Gold Mine, a best-selling business novel of lean turnaround, and recently The Lean Manager, a novel of lean transformation, both published by the Lean Enterprise Institute. For the past 25 years, he has studied lean transformation and helped companies develop a lean culture. He is…

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Guide: 5 Whys

Author: Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

5 Whys is a problem-solving technique used to get to the root cause of problems by asking the question of Why multiple times, but often 5 times giving it the name “5 Whys”. This allows people to address the root cause of issues instead of the symptoms of the root causes which is often what is seen as the problem. 

Like a doctor diagnosing an issue such as neck pain, a painkiller will only address the symptoms of the neck pain and not the root cause of the pain. By getting to the root cause you can ensure a long-term fix to the root cause of the neck pain which could be caused by seating positions and not taking painkillers which is a short-term fix.

What is the 5 Whys?

The 5 Whys is a root cause analysis problem-solving technique that aims to identify the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking the question “Why?” five times or until the core issue is unveiled. Developed within the Toyota Production System , it’s one of fundamental tools in the Lean Six Sigma methodology.

Here’s how it works:

• Begin with a clear and concise problem statement.
• Ask “Why?” the problem occurred. Document the answer.
• If this answer doesn’t identify the root cause, ask “Why?” again and document the subsequent answer.
• Continue this process until you’ve either asked “Why?” five times or the root cause has been identified.

Lets go through an example, let’s say a machine stopped working:

• Why? – The machine’s fuse blew.
• Why? – The machine was overloaded.
• Why? – There wasn’t adequate training on machine capacity.
• Why? – Training materials were outdated.
• Why? – There’s no review process for updating training materials.

In this case, the root cause is the lack of a review process for training materials, and addressing this will prevent similar issues in the future. Only treating the symptom in this situation would have been to change the fuse, for it then to regularly blow and cause additional downtime.

This is a good example where a machine stopping working’s root cause is cause by an issue what would not be obvious is first glace at the symptom of the problem and provides a clear example that root cause analysis is important to ensure that solutions are not jumped to before a through root cause analysis is conducted. 

Why is the 5 Whys Important?

Understanding the 5 Whys is important because identifying symptoms of a problem is not the same as uncovering its root cause. If you only address symptoms this provides only temporary solution to the problem. However, understanding and resolving the root cause can prevent the issue from reoccurring.

The 5 Whys Problem-Solving technique is also useful for:

• Problem Prevention: By identifying the root cause of the problem, businesses can implement long-term solutions, leading to more robust systems and processes and prevent the problem reoccurring.
• Cost-Efficiency: Addressing root causes is often more cost-effective in the long run as it prevents recurrence and the associated costs of repeated problem-solving which usually involves the same people constantly firefighting the same issues such as repeated machine breakdowns.
• Improved Processes: Regular use of the 5 Whys to identify the root causes of problems can highlight weaknesses in processes, leading to continuous improvement and optimization processes.
• Empowerment: The use of 5 Whys by individuals a positive culture that promotes a deeper understanding of systems and processes, empowering teams to take ownership and responsibility in addressing issues.

How to Conduct a 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis?

Step 1: define the problem.

This is an important step as if the problem is not defined effectively it could result in focusing in the wrong problem. A good method for this could be to use the 5W1H Is/Is Not Problem solving technique to gain a common understanding of that the problem is.

When stating the problem you are going to conduct a 5 Whys on it is important to be specific about the issue and avoid ambiguous descriptions. Additionally, where data and information is available this should be collected and used as evidence that points to the actual problem rather than opinions of the problem. 

Step 2: Ask the First “Why?”

Now you have a clear problem definition you should ask the question “Why did that happen?” This should be done to understand the problem without making assumptions and should be done with supporting facts and data that backs up the initial answer to the question.

Step 3: Continue to Ask Why?

Now you should have an answer to the first why. This should form the next step and ask why did that happen. This ensures you dont settle for the inisital surface-level answer or symptoms of the real problem and pushes you to understand the underlying issues.

When you continue to ask why you should:

• Continuously question the previous answer
• Challenge answer that seem like assumptions and lack evidence to support them to avoid going down the wrong route. 

Step 4: Continue the Process

• Keep the questioning focused on the problem
• If you feel the questioning is going off track revert back to what the initial problem definition.
• Ensure each answer provided logically leads to the next “Why?”
• The 5 Whys process then concludes when further questions leads to no further valuable answers are given or the when the root cause of the issues becomes clear.

Step 5 Implement Solutions

Once you have identified the root cause the you need to address it by implementing a solution to prevent the problem reoccuring.

This should be a case of developing an actionable solution that address the root cause of the issue and not preventing the symptoms as addressing the symptom will likely cause the issue to reappear elsewhere.

Make sure you test the solutions to ensure they are effective in addressing the root cause, you should then continue to monitor the process over time to confirm the problem did not reappear in the same place or elsewhere.

If the problem does not re appear congratulations you have solved the problem!

An Example of 5 Whys Analysis

Below is a good example of a 5 Whys analysis done in a situation where there was a production downtime.

To summarize, the 5 Whys process is an effective problem-solving tool that can assist businesses in identifying the root cause of a problem and developing effective solutions. Teams can delve deep into underlying issues and develop targeted solutions that address the root cause of the problem by asking “why” multiple times.

The five steps of the 5 Whys process – defining the problem, asking “why” once, asking “why” more times, developing a solution, implementing the solution, provide a clear framework for problem-solving and can help ensure that the problem is effectively resolved. The 5 Whys process encourages teams to think critically and systematically, resulting in long-term solutions that are effective, targeted, and sustainable.

• Benjamin, S.J., Marathamuthu, M.S. and Murugaiah, U., 2015. The use of 5-WHYs technique to eliminate OEE’s speed loss in a manufacturing firm.   Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering ,  21 (4), pp.419-435.

A: The 5 Whys technique is a problem-solving method that involves asking “why” multiple times to uncover the root cause of a problem or issue.

A: The 5 Whys technique involves repeatedly asking “why” to identify the underlying cause of a problem. After asking “why” five times or until the root cause is revealed, you can develop effective solutions to address the issue.

A: The primary purpose of the 5 Whys technique is to identify and address the root cause of a problem. It helps organizations and individuals go beyond surface-level symptoms and understand the deeper issues affecting their processes or systems.

A: The 5 Whys technique is best used when you encounter a problem or issue that needs to be resolved. It is particularly useful for complex problems, recurring issues, or situations where multiple factors contribute to the problem.

A: Yes, the 5 Whys technique can be applied to any industry or field. It is commonly used in manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, software development, project management, and various other sectors.

A: While the technique is called the “5 Whys,” the number of “whys” you need to ask may vary. The goal is to keep asking “why” until you reach the root cause of the problem, which may require more or fewer than five iterations.

A: Yes, there are a few limitations to consider when using the 5 Whys technique. It relies on the skill and knowledge of the people involved, and it may oversimplify complex problems. Additionally, it assumes a linear cause-and-effect relationship, which may not always be accurate.

A: Yes, the 5 Whys technique can be used in a group setting. In fact, involving multiple perspectives can enhance the effectiveness of the technique and lead to more comprehensive problem-solving.

Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is a seasoned continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. With over 10 years of real-world application experience across diverse sectors, Daniel has a passion for optimizing processes and fostering a culture of efficiency. He's not just a practitioner but also an avid learner, constantly seeking to expand his knowledge. Outside of his professional life, Daniel has a keen Investing, statistics and knowledge-sharing, which led him to create the website www.learnleansigma.com, a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights.

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Root Cause Analysis with 5 Whys Technique (With Examples)

By Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 23, 2024

Reading Time: 7 minutes

What Is the 5 Whys Technique?

Example of the 5 whys technique, how to conduct a 5 whys analysis in 5 steps, when to use a 5 whys analysis, using 5 whys template, tips for mastering the 5 whys technique, frequently asked questions about 5 whys.

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive.

At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful! 

Our goal is to help you better understand 5 whys techniques by offering insights and practical tips based on years of experience. Whether you’re new to doing RCAs or a seasoned pro, we trust this will be useful in your journey towards working hard and working smart.

The 5 Whys Technique is like peeling an onion – it helps you uncover the underlying reasons behind a problem, layer by layer. By repeatedly asking “why” at least five times, this method digs deep to reveal the root cause of an issue. It’s a simple yet powerful problem-solving approach that aims to get to the heart of the matter rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms.

5 Whys Technique: A method that involves iteratively asking “why” five times to unveil the fundamental cause of a problem.

In essence, the 5 Whys Technique is not just about fixing what’s broken on the surface; it’s about understanding and addressing the deeper issues that lead to problems in the first place.

The 5 Whys Technique is like a detective, uncovering the truth behind recurring problems. Let’s take a look at how this method works in two different scenarios.

Case Study: Manufacturing Defects

Imagine a company that keeps encountering the same manufacturing defects despite various attempts to fix them. By using the 5 Whys Technique, they discovered that the defects were not caused by faulty machinery, as previously assumed, but rather by human error due to unclear operating instructions. This realization led to improved training procedures and clear work guidelines, ultimately eliminating the defects.

Application in Service Industry

Now, consider a service industry struggling with frequent customer complaints and service failures. Through the 5 Whys Technique, it was revealed that these issues stemmed from inadequate staffing levels during peak hours. By addressing this root cause, such as hiring additional staff or adjusting schedules, the service quality can significantly improve, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

These examples illustrate how the 5 Whys Technique can be applied across different sectors to identify and address underlying issues effectively.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Before diving into a 5 Whys analysis, it’s crucial to clearly identify the problem or issue at hand . This step sets the stage for the entire process and ensures that the focus remains on addressing the right concern. Take the time to gather relevant data, observe patterns, and consult with team members or stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem.

Step 2: Ask ‘Why’ Five Times

Once the problem is clearly defined, it’s time to start peeling back the layers. The process involves asking “why” five times, not necessarily limited to five questions but enough to delve deeper into the underlying causes of the problem . Each “why” serves as a gateway to uncovering additional factors contributing to the issue. This iterative approach helps in identifying not just one cause, but multiple interconnected elements that may be at play.

By consistently probing deeper with each “why,” you can reveal hidden complexities and nuances that may have been overlooked initially. This method allows for a more thorough understanding of the situation, paving the way for effective solutions that address root causes rather than surface-level symptoms.

This structured approach encourages critical thinking and enables teams to move beyond quick fixes towards sustainable improvements.

The 5 Whys Technique is a versatile problem-solving approach that can be applied in various scenarios to uncover root causes and drive continuous improvement. Here are two key situations where the 5 Whys Analysis can be particularly beneficial:

Recurring Issues

• The 5 Whys Technique is especially useful when dealing with recurring issues. Whether it’s a manufacturing defect that keeps resurfacing or a persistent customer complaint in the service industry, this method helps identify the underlying reasons behind these repetitive problems. By repeatedly asking “why,” it becomes possible to trace the issue back to its root cause, allowing for targeted solutions that prevent reoccurrence.

Process Improvement

• Organizations constantly strive to enhance their processes and workflows for increased efficiency and quality. When seeking to improve existing procedures, the 5 Whys Technique serves as a valuable tool. By systematically analyzing the factors contributing to inefficiencies or bottlenecks, teams can gain insights into how processes can be optimized at their core. This method enables organizations to make informed decisions about process improvements based on a deep understanding of the underlying issues.

In both cases, the 5 Whys Analysis offers a structured yet flexible approach to delve into complex problems, making it an indispensable tool for driving meaningful change and progress within organizations.

When it comes to conducting a 5 Whys analysis, utilizing a structured template can greatly facilitate the process and ensure a comprehensive investigation into the root cause identification. Using RCA software such as EasyRCA can benefit the team by streamlining your 5-why process. Here’s how organizations can benefit from using a template:

Benefits of Using a Template

• Streamlined Process: A well-designed 5 Whys template provides a clear framework for conducting the analysis, guiding teams through the iterative questioning process. This streamlines the investigation, making it easier to navigate and ensuring that no crucial aspects are overlooked.
• Thorough Investigation: By following a predefined template, teams are prompted to explore various facets of the problem systematically. This ensures that all relevant factors are considered, leading to a more thorough and insightful investigation into the underlying causes.
• Consistent Approach: Templates offer a standardized approach to conducting 5 Whys analyses within an organization. This consistency promotes uniformity in problem-solving methods across different teams or departments, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Customizing the Template

Organizations have the flexibility to customize 5 Whys templates according to their specific needs and industry requirements. This adaptability allows for tailoring the template to address unique challenges and incorporate industry-specific considerations. Customization may include:

• Adding Industry-Specific Prompts: Tailoring the template by incorporating prompts or questions relevant to particular industries or types of issues being analyzed.
• Incorporating Visual Aids: Enhancing the template with visual aids such as flow charts or diagrams can help teams better understand and communicate complex causal relationships.
• Iterative Refinement: Regularly reviewing and refining the template based on feedback and evolving organizational needs ensures that it remains aligned with current processes and challenges.

Customizing the template empowers organizations to harness the full potential of the 5 Whys Technique in addressing diverse problems while aligning with their unique operational contexts.

Encouraging Open Communication

In mastering the 5 Whys Technique as a problem-solving method, creating an environment that fosters open communication is paramount. When team members feel comfortable expressing their perspectives and insights, it leads to a more comprehensive exploration of the underlying causes of a problem. Encouraging open communication allows for diverse viewpoints to be considered, providing a holistic understanding of the issue at hand.

By promoting an atmosphere where individuals are empowered to voice their observations and concerns, the 5 Whys analysis can benefit from a rich tapestry of ideas and experiences. This inclusive approach not only enhances the depth of the analysis but also cultivates a sense of ownership and collective responsibility for addressing root causes within the team or organization.

Continuous Improvement Mindset

A key aspect of mastering the 5 Whys Technique is embracing a continuous improvement mindset. Rather than viewing problems as isolated incidents, this approach encourages teams to see them as opportunities for growth and development. By instilling a culture of continuous improvement, organizations can leverage the insights gained from 5 Whys analyzes to drive positive change across various aspects of their operations.

Fostering a mindset focused on continuous improvement entails actively seeking feedback, evaluating processes, and implementing iterative enhancements based on the findings. It involves an ongoing commitment to learning from past experiences and leveraging that knowledge to proactively address potential issues before they escalate. Embracing this mindset ensures that the 5 Whys Technique becomes ingrained in the organizational ethos, leading to sustained progress and resilience in problem-solving efforts.

As we wrap up our exploration of the 5 Whys Technique, let’s address some common questions that may arise regarding this powerful problem-solving method.

What is the primary goal of the 5 Whys Technique?

The primary goal of the 5 Whys Technique is to uncover the root cause of a problem by iteratively asking “why” at least five times. This approach aims to move beyond surface-level symptoms and address the underlying issues that lead to recurring problems.

Is the 5 Whys Technique limited to specific industries or sectors?

No, the 5 Whys Technique is versatile and can be applied across various industries and sectors. Whether it’s manufacturing, healthcare, service, or technology, this method offers a structured yet flexible approach to identifying root causes and driving continuous improvement.

How does the 5 Whys Technique contribute to continuous improvement?

By delving into the fundamental reasons behind problems, the 5 Whys Technique provides organizations with valuable insights for driving continuous improvement. It not only helps in resolving immediate issues but also fosters a culture of ongoing enhancement and development within an organization.

Can the 5 Whys Technique be used for complex problems with multiple contributing factors?

Yes, while initially designed as a simple and straightforward method, the 5 Whys Technique can certainly be applied to complex problems with multiple interconnected factors. By systematically probing deeper into each layer of causality, this technique enables a comprehensive understanding of intricate issues.

I hope you found this guide to 5 whys technique insightful and actionable! Stay tuned for more thought-provoking articles as we continue to share our knowledge. Success is rooted in a thorough understanding and consistent application, and we hope this article was a step in unlocking the full potential of Root Cause Analysis for your organization.

Reliability runs initiatives such as an online learning center focused on the proprietary PROACT® RCA methodology and EasyRCA.com software. For additional resources, visit Reliability Resources .

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Stumped five ways to hone your problem-solving skills.

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Respect the worth of other people's insights

Problems continuously arise in organizational life, making problem-solving an essential skill for leaders. Leaders who are good at tackling conundrums are likely to be more effective at overcoming obstacles and guiding their teams to achieve their goals. So, what’s the secret to better problem-solving skills?

1. Understand the root cause of the problem

“Too often, people fail because they haven’t correctly defined what the problem is,” says David Ross, an international strategist, founder of consultancy Phoenix Strategic Management and author of Confronting the Storm: Regenerating Leadership and Hope in the Age of Uncertainty .

Ross explains that as teams grapple with “wicked” problems – those where there can be several root causes for why a problem exists – there can often be disagreement on the initial assumptions made. As a result, their chances of successfully solving the problem are low.

“Before commencing the process of solving the problem, it is worthwhile identifying who your key stakeholders are and talking to them about the issue,” Ross recommends. “Who could be affected by the issue? What is the problem – and why? How are people affected?”

He argues that if leaders treat people with dignity, respecting the worth of their insights, they are more likely to successfully solve problems.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 2. unfocus the mind.

“To solve problems, we need to commit to making time to face a problem in its full complexity, which also requires that we take back control of our thinking,” says Chris Griffiths, an expert on creativity and innovative thinking skills, founder and CEO of software provider OpenGenius, and co-author of The Focus Fix: Finding Clarity, Creativity and Resilience in an Overwhelming World .

To do this, it’s necessary to harness the power of the unfocused mind, according to Griffiths. “It might sound oxymoronic, but just like our devices, our brain needs time to recharge,” he says. “ A plethora of research has shown that daydreaming allows us to make creative connections and see abstract solutions that are not obvious when we’re engaged in direct work.”

To make use of the unfocused mind in problem solving, you must begin by getting to know the problem from all angles. “At this stage, don’t worry about actually solving the problem,” says Griffiths. “You’re simply giving your subconscious mind the information it needs to get creative with when you zone out. From here, pick a monotonous or rhythmic activity that will help you to activate the daydreaming state – that might be a walk, some doodling, or even some chores.”

Do this regularly, argues Griffiths, and you’ll soon find that flashes of inspiration and novel solutions naturally present themselves while you’re ostensibly thinking of other things. He says: “By allowing you to access the fullest creative potential of your own brain, daydreaming acts as a skeleton key for a wide range of problems.”

3. Be comfortable making judgment calls

“Admitting to not knowing the future takes courage,” says Professor Stephen Wyatt, founder and lead consultant at consultancy Corporate Rebirth and author of Antidote to the Crisis of Leadership: Opportunity in Complexity . “Leaders are worried our teams won’t respect us and our boards will lose faith in us, but what doesn’t work is drawing up plans and forecasts and holding yourself or others rigidly to them.”

Wyatt advises leaders to heighten their situational awareness – to look broadly, integrate more perspectives and be able to connect the dots. “We need to be comfortable in making judgment calls as the future is unknown,” he says. “There is no data on it. But equally, very few initiatives cannot be adjusted, refined or reviewed while in motion.”

Leaders need to stay vigilant, according to Wyatt, create the capacity of the enterprise to adapt and maintain the support of stakeholders. “The concept of the infallible leader needs to be updated,” he concludes.

4. Be prepared to fail and learn

“Organisations, and arguably society more widely, are obsessed with problems and the notion of problems,” says Steve Hearsum, founder of organizational change consultancy Edge + Stretch and author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix .

Hearsum argues that this tendency is complicated by the myth of fixability, namely the idea that all problems, however complex, have a solution. “Our need for certainty, to minimize and dampen the anxiety of ‘not knowing,’ leads us to oversimplify and ignore or filter out anything that challenges the idea that there is a solution,” he says.

Leaders need to shift their mindset to cultivate their comfort with not knowing and couple that with being OK with being wrong, sometimes, notes Hearsum. He adds: “That means developing reflexivity to understand your own beliefs and judgments, and what influences these, asking questions and experimenting.”

5. Unleash the power of empathy

Leaders must be able to communicate problems in order to find solutions to them. But they should avoid bombarding their teams with complex, technical details since these can overwhelm their people’s cognitive load, says Dr Jessica Barker MBE , author of Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks .

Instead, she recommends that leaders frame their messages in ways that cut through jargon and ensure that their advice is relevant, accessible and actionable. “An essential leadership skill for this is empathy,” Barker explains. “When you’re trying to build a positive culture, it is crucial to understand why people are not practicing the behaviors you want rather than trying to force that behavioral change with fear, uncertainty and doubt.”

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How to Structure Customer Service Calls to Boost Satisfaction and Sales

• Jonah Berger,
• Grant Packard

Researchers found that service agents yield better results when they use warm language to start and end conversations, focusing on problem-solving in the middle.

We all know from our experience as customers that the things that salespeople say in a conversation affects our feelings and choices. A new study showed that the timing of language matters as well. By analyzing tens of thousands of moments or turns in service calls, researchers found that service agents get better customer satisfaction and purchase volume if they use warmer language at the start and finish of their interaction with a customer. Contrary to some common practices where a problem-solving mode is used right away, the results suggest that employees should use words that show competence only in the middle of a customer conversation.

Language plays a key role in almost every marketplace interaction. It’s how salespeople talk to prospects, leaders talk to teams, and customer service agents talk to customers. Recently, firms have been measuring and optimizing their language to manage the customer experience , automate service , and help make business decisions .

• Jonah Berger is a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the author of Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way (Harper Business, 2023).
• Yang Li is an associate professor of marketing at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing, China.

Grant Packard is an associate professor of marketing at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, Canada.

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The Supreme Court Is Not Done Remaking America

Some of the rulings that came before the justices’ decision on presidential immunity could prove to have just as big an impact..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

When the Supreme Court wrapped up its term last week, much of the focus was on the ruling that gave Donald Trump sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution. But as my colleague Adam Liptak explains, a set of rulings that generated far less attention could have just as big an impact on American government and society.

It’s Monday, July 8.

Adam, welcome back. It hasn’t been very long, but we want to talk to you about the rest of the Supreme Court’s decisions that happened over the past few weeks, the rest meaning the non-Trump decisions. There were a lot of other cases, many of which we covered on the show over the past year, but we haven’t yet talked about where the justices landed as they issued their rulings on these cases over the past few weeks. So I wonder if you can walk us through some of the bigger decisions and what, taken as a whole, this entire term really means. So where should we start?

Well, this term had so many major cases, Michael, on so many important issues touching all aspects of American politics and society, that it’s a little hard to know where to start. But I think one way to think about the term is to ask, how much is this a 6-3 court? There are six conservatives in the majority, the three liberal justices in dissent. Are we going to get that kind of classic lineup time after time after time?

And one way to start answering that question is to look at two areas which are kind of part of the court’s greatest hits, areas where they’ve done a lot of work in the last few terms — guns and abortion.

OK, let’s start with guns.

The court had two big guns cases. One of them involved the Second Amendment and broke 8 to 1 against Second Amendment rights. Only Justice Clarence Thomas, the most avid supporter of gun rights, was in dissent. So let me tell you just a little bit about this case.

There’s a federal law that says people subject to domestic violence restraining orders, it’s a crime for them to have guns. A guy named Zackey Rahimi was subject to such a domestic violence restraining order, but he goes to court and says, this law violates my Second Amendment rights. The Second Amendment protects me and allows me to have a gun even if I’m in this status.

And that goes to the Supreme Court. And the way the Supreme Court analyzes this question is it looks to a test that it established only a couple of years ago, in 2022, which said you judge the constitutionality of gun control laws using history. You kind of go back in time and you see whether the community and the founding era disarmed people in the same way that the current law disarms people.

And you might think that actually, back in the 1700s, there were no such things as domestic violence restraining orders. So you might think that the answer is, this contemporary law is unconstitutional. But Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for an eight-justice majority, says, no, that’s not quite right. We’re going to kind of roll back the specificity of the test and look at very general principles. Can you disarm dangerous people back then? And if you can do that, then you can disarm Rahimi, even under this law that the founding generation could not have contemplated.

That’s really interesting. So the court, its conservative majority especially, seems to be saying that our last big decision made it too hard to regulate guns. We need to fix that. So we’re going to search really hard for a way to make sure that somebody with a restraining order for domestic abuse can’t legally have a gun.

Right. On the other hand, there was a second guns case, not involving the Second Amendment, but posing an important issue. The question in the case was whether the Trump administration was allowed to enact a gun control regulation in 2017 after the Las Vegas shooting in which, at an outdoor music festival, a gunman killed 58 people, wounded 500 more.

And the Trump administration, prompted by this massacre, they issue a regulation that tries to outlaw bump stocks. What are bump stocks? They’re devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into weapons that can fire at rates approaching a machine gun. And drawing on the authority of a 1934 law which bans, for the most part, civilian ownership of machine guns, it said bump stocks are basically the same thing, and we will, by regulation, outlaw them.

And the question for the court was, did the 1934 law authorize that? And here — and this is a typical split on this kind of stuff — the majority, the conservative majority, takes a textualist approach. It bears down on the particular words of the statute. And Justice Thomas looks at the words that Congress said a machine gun is one where a single function of the trigger causes all of these bullets to fly. And a bump stock, he said, is not precisely that. Therefore, we’re going to strike down this regulation.

So how do you reconcile these two divergent gun rulings, one where the court works really hard to allow for gun restrictions in the case of domestic abusers, and another where they seem to have no compunction about allowing for a bump stock that I think most of us, practically speaking, understand as making a semiautomatic weapon automatic in the real world?

I think the court draws a real distinction between two kinds of cases. One is about interpreting the Constitution, interpreting the Second Amendment. And in that area, it is plowing new ground. It has issued maybe four major Second Amendment cases, and it’s trying to figure out how that works and what the limits are. And the Rahimi case shows you that they’re still finding their way. They’re trying to find the right balance in that constitutional realm where they are the last word.

The bump stocks case doesn’t involve the Constitution. It involves an interpretation of a statute enacted by Congress. And the majority, in those kinds of cases, tends to read statutes narrowly. And they would say that that’s acceptable because unlike in a constitutional case, if it’s about a congressional statute, Congress can go back and fix it. Congress can say whatever it likes.

Justice Samuel Alito said, in the bump stocks case, this massacre was terrible, and it’s a pity Congress didn’t act. But if Congress doesn’t act, a regulator can’t step in and do what Congress didn’t do.

That’s interesting, because it suggests a surprising level of open-mindedness among even the court’s most conservative justices to an interpretation of the Constitution that may allow for a greater level of gun regulation than perhaps we think of them as being interested in.

Yeah. When we’re talking about the Constitution, they do seem more open to regulating guns than you might have thought.

OK. You also mentioned, Adam, abortion. Let’s talk about those decisions from this court.

So the Court, in 2022, as everyone knows, overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminated the constitutional right to abortion. But in two cases this term, they effectively enhanced the availability of abortion.

One of them involves emergency rooms. There’s a federal statute that says that emergency rooms that receive federal money have to treat patients and give them stabilizing care if they arrive in the emergency room. That seems to conflict with a strict Idaho law that prohibits abortions except to save the life of the mother.

The court agrees to hear the case, it hears arguments, and then it dismisses the case. It dismisses it as improvidently granted, which is judicial speak for “never mind.” But it’s very tentative. The court merely dismissed the case. It said it was too early to hear it. They’re going to look at it later. So it’s a very tentative sliver of a victory for abortion rights.

But nonetheless, the effect of this is to suspend the Idaho law, at least to the extent it conflicts with the federal law. And it lets emergency abortions continue. Women in Idaho have more access to emergency abortions as a consequence of this decision than if the court had gone the other way.

And of course, the other abortion case centered on the abortion pill, mifepristone.

Right. And that pill is used in a majority of abortions. And the availability of that pill is crucial to what remains of abortion rights in the United States. Lower courts had said that the Food and Drug Administration exceeded its authority in approving these abortion pills. And the case comes to the Supreme Court.

And here, again, they rule in favor of abortion rights. They maintain the availability of these pills, but they do so, again, in a kind of technical way that does not assure that the pills will forever remain available. What the court says, merely — and unanimously — is that the particular plaintiffs who challenged the law, doctors and medical groups who oppose abortion, didn’t have standing, hadn’t suffered the sort of direct injury, that gave them the right to sue.

And it got rid of the case on standing grounds. But that’s not a permanent decision. Other people, other groups can sue, have sued. And the court didn’t decide whether the FDA approval was proper or not, only that the lawsuit couldn’t go forward. And here, too, this case is a victory for abortion rights, but maybe an ephemeral one, and may well return to the court, which has not given an indication of how it will turn out if they actually address the merits.

Got it. So this is a court, the one you’re describing in these rulings, acting with some nuance and some restraint?

Yeah, this picture is complicated.

This is not the court that we’re used to thinking about. There are a lot of crosscurrents. There are a lot of surprises. And that was true, in those cases, on big issues, on guns and abortion. But in another set of cases, the court moved aggressively to the right and really took on the very power and structure of the federal government.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We’ll be right back.

So Adam, tell us about these cases where the court was less nuanced, less, perhaps, judicious, and really tried to move aggressively to the right and take on the power of government?

So it’s been a long-term goal of the conservative legal movement to weaken the power of regulators, of taking on what they call the administrative state. And this term, the court really vindicated that decades-old project primarily by overruling the foundational precedent in this area, a precedent that gave expert agencies the power to interpret federal laws and enact regulations to protect consumers, investors, all manner of people.

And the court overruled that decision called Chevron. It was as important as the court, two years ago, overruling the right to abortion, one year ago, overruling affirmative action in higher education. This decision will reshape the way the federal government does its work.

Right. And Adam, as I recall, because we did a whole episode about this with you, Chevron created a framework whereby if a law has any ambiguity about how it’s supposed to play out, that the experts within the federal government, within the EPA or the FDA, you name the agency, that we collectively defer to them and their wisdom, and that that becomes the basis for how these laws get interpreted and carried out.

That’s right. And if you think about it, Michael, Congress can’t anticipate every circumstance. Congress will, on purpose sometimes, and inevitably at other times, leave gaps in the law. And those gaps need to be filled by someone. And the choice that the Chevron decision made was to say, we’re going to let the expert regulator fill in those gaps. If there are ambiguities in statutes, the reasonable interpretation of the regulator will get deference from courts.

Experts, not judges, will decide this matter, is what Chevron said 40 years ago. And it’s really hard to overstate the consequences of overruling Chevron. It will open countless, countless regulations to judicial challenge. It may actually kind of swamp the courts. The courts have relied very heavily on Chevron to make difficult decisions about complicated stuff, questions about the environment, and food safety, and drugs, and securities, questions that really often require quite technical expertise.

So what was the court’s rationale for changing that Chevron framework that’s been in place for so long?

What the six-justice majority opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts says is that Chevron was a wrong turn from the outset, that unelected bureaucrats should not be empowered to say what the law means, that that’s the job of judges. So it moves from the expert agency to federal judges the determination of all sorts of important issues. And it probably has the effect of deregulating much of American society.

I mean, in the old world, the regulator had a thumb on the scale. The regulator’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute was the one that counted. And now, the judge will have a fresh look at it. That doesn’t mean that, in every case, the challenger wins, and in every case, the regulator loses. But it shifts the balance and it makes challenges more likely to succeed.

Where else did we see this instinct by the court to challenge the government’s authority in this term?

So right after the court overturns Chevron, it issues a second decision that really amplifies the power of that decision, because it says that challenges can be brought not only in the usual six-year statute of limitations from when a regulation is issued, but six years from when it first affects a company.

And bear with me, because that’s a big difference. If I start a company tomorrow, I have six years to sue over a regulation that affects it, even though that regulation may have been in place for 30 years. So it restarts the clock on challenges, and that one-two punch, both of them decided by 6-3 majorities, go even further in reshaping the ability of the federal government to regulate.

I just want to be sure I understand something. So in the past, let’s say the Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s. Under the old statute of limitations, a company could sue and say that regulation is a problem for six years. But you’re saying a new company formed right now could go back and sue over something in a 30 - or 40-year-old law and how it’s being interpreted. In other words, this ruling means there really isn’t a statute of limitations on challenging these regulations any longer.

That’s right. And it’s not as though you can’t form a company just for the purpose of litigation. I mean, it completely opens up the ability of industries, trade groups just to set up a trivial nothing company that will then be said to be affected by the regulation and then can sue from now until the end of time.

And the liberal justices sure understood what was happening here, that this one-two punch, as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in dissent, was a catastrophe for regulators. She wrote, “At the end of a momentous term, this much is clear — that tsunami of lawsuits against agencies that the court’s holdings in this case have authorized has the potential to devastate the functioning of the federal government.”

It’s a pretty searing warning.

Yeah. I mean, talking about regulations and administrative law might put some people to sleep, but this is a really big deal, Michael. And as if those two cases were not a substantial enough attack on the federal government’s regulatory authority, the court also issues a third 6-3 decision undoing one of the main ways that regulators file enforcement actions against people who they say have violated the law.

They don’t always go to court. Sometimes, they go to administrative tribunals within the agency. The court says, no, that’s no good. Only courts can adjudicate these matters. So it’s just another instance of the court being consistently hostile to the administrative state.

Adam, all three of these decisions might sound pretty dangerous if you have a lot of confidence in the federal government and in the judgments of regulators and bureaucrats to interpret things. But if you’re one of the many Americans who doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in the federal government, I have to imagine all of these rulings might seem pretty constructive.

That’s an excellent point. Lots of people are skeptical of regulators, are skeptical of what they would call the deep state, of unelected bureaucrats, of even the idea of expertise. And so for those people, this is a step in the right direction. It’s taking power away from bureaucrats and handing it to what we would hope are independent, fair-minded judges.

What does seem clear, Adam, is that even though this episode was supposed to be about the rest of the Supreme Court’s rulings this year, the less sexy-sounding decisions than Trump and immunity and how much power and protection all future presidents have, the rulings that you’re describing around the government’s administrative power, they seem like they’re going to have the greatest long-term impact on how our government functions, and in a sense, what our society looks like.

Well, the biggest case of the term is obviously the Trump immunity case. That’s a decision for the ages. But close behind these decisions, reshaping the administrative state and vindicating a long-held goal of the conservative legal movement going back to the Reagan administration, that the Federalist Society, the conservative legal group, has been pushing for decades, and really unraveling a conception of what the federal government does that’s been in place since the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal.

So as much as we’ve been talking about other cases where the court was tentative, surprising, nuanced in the biggest cases of the term, all delivered by six to three votes, all controlled by the conservative supermajority, the court was not nuanced. It was straightforward, and it reshaped American government.

In the end, a hard right court is going to, no matter how much it might deviate, operate like a hard right court.

Yes, Michael. It’s possible to look at the balance of the decisions and draw all kinds of complicated conclusions about the court. But when you look at the biggest cases, the picture you see is a conservative court moving the law to the right.

Well, Adam, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Thank you, Michael.

Here’s what else you need to know today. “The Times” reports that four senior Democratic house members have told colleagues that President Biden must step aside as the party’s nominee over fears that he is no longer capable of winning. They include the top Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Committee.

Those top Democrats joined five rank and file House Democrats who have publicly called for Biden to step down. The latest of those was representative Angie Craig of Minnesota, who represents a swing district in the state. In a statement, Craig said that after watching Biden in the first debate, quote, “I do not believe that the president can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump.” Senate Democrats remain largely quiet on the question of Biden’s future.

Now, you probably heard, I had a little debate last week. I can’t say it was my best performance.

In several appearances over the weekend, Biden acknowledged the growing skepticism of his candidacy —

Well, ever since then, there’s been a lot of speculation. What’s Joe going to do?

— but emphatically rejected the calls to step aside.

Well, let me say this clearly as I can. I’m staying in the race.

And in a surprise electoral upset, France’s political left was projected to win the largest number of seats in the National Assembly after the latest round of voting. The anti-immigrant far right had been expected to make history by winning the most seats, but a last-minute scramble by left wing parties averted that result.

Today’s episode was produced by Rikki Novetsky, Shannon Lin, and Rob Szypko. It was edited by Devon Taylor and Lisa Chow. Contains original music by Dan Powell and Sophia Lanman, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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When the Supreme Court wrapped up its term last week, much of the focus was on the ruling that gave former President Donald J. Trump sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution. But another set of rulings that generated less attention could have just as big an impact on American government and society.

Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times, explains.

On today’s episode

Adam Liptak , who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments.

Background reading

In a volatile term, a fractured Supreme Court remade America .

Here’s a guide to the major Supreme Court decisions in 2024 .

In video: How a fractured Supreme Court ruled this term .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Adam Liptak covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments. A graduate of Yale Law School, he practiced law for 14 years before joining The Times in 2002. More about Adam Liptak

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Application of tropical optimization for solving multicriteria problems of pairwise comparisons using log-Chebyshev approximation

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Bibliometrics & citations, view options, recommendations, extending pareto dominance for multi-constraints satisfaction and multi-performance enhancement in constrained multi-objective optimization.

Multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs) in science and engineering frequently involve intricate multi-constraints. This paper extends the application of the Pareto dominance in MOPs on addressing complex multi-constraints and enhancing algorithmic ...

Dual-grid model of MOEA/D for evolutionary constrained multiobjective optimization

A promising idea for evolutionary constrained optimization is to efficiently utilize not only feasible solutions (feasible individuals) but also infeasible ones. In this paper, we propose a simple implementation of this idea in MOEA/D. In the proposed ...

A Method for Constrained Multiobjective Optimization Based on SQP Techniques

We propose a method for constrained and unconstrained nonlinear multiobjective optimization problems that is based on an SQP-type approach. The proposed algorithm maintains a list of nondominated points that is improved both for spread along the Pareto front ...

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