ForgeShiftCompass
Process and FlowPractice C1

5S Workplace Organisation

5S is a workplace-organisation discipline (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain) that makes every tool, material, and document immediately findable and the standard visually obvious.

  • Assessment3 questions
  • Templates2
  • Root causeISHIKAWA-6M

What world-class looks like

Every item in the workplace has a designated location, everything is labelled, the standard is visual, and audits sustain it continuously.

How mature is your operation?

These are the questions Compass asks for this practice, and the levels it scores you against.

Sort

Eliminate unnecessary items from the workspace.

How do you currently manage unnecessary items (tools, materials, equipment) in your workspace?

Level 1 → 5World class at level 4

  1. Anything and everything accumulates — no regular removal
  2. Occasional clear-outs when it becomes unworkable
  3. Regular sorting in some areas; inconsistent across the floor
  4. Formal Sort event completed; red-tag process in useWorld class
  5. Ongoing Sort discipline — unauthorised items cannot accumulate

Set in order

Designated, marked location for every item.

Do all items in your workspace have a clearly marked, designated location?

Level 1 → 5World class at level 4

  1. Items are placed wherever there is space
  2. Some areas have designated spots; most do not
  3. Most tools and materials have a location but it is not always visually marked
  4. All items have labelled locations; shadow boards or outlines in useWorld class
  5. Visual management makes it immediately obvious if anything is out of place

Standardise and sustain

Regular scored audits with corrective actions.

Is there a regular audit process to ensure 5S standards are maintained?

Level 1 → 5World class at level 4

  1. No audit — standards degrade over time
  2. Occasional walk-through by supervisor
  3. Informal weekly check
  4. Formal 5S audit with scoring and corrective actions loggedWorld class
  5. Regular scored audit with trend tracking; team owns the result

Where to start

  • 5S launch program

    Process · L1→L2 · Low complexityCloses · Sort

  • Digital 5S audit cadence

    Process · L2→L3 · Low complexityCloses · Standardise and sustain
Root-cause methodISHIKAWA-6M

Next steps

Scoring your operation against 5S Workplace Organisation takes a few minutes and needs no account.

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