Posted 7:05 PM by Mark Graban
Personally, I think an executive's time could be better spent taking 20 minutes to walk a shop floor to focus attention on 5S, making sure audits are done, people are being trained, etc. on the shopfloor.

If you believe that the shopfloor is where value is created, then EVERYONE in the company should support the shopfloor (a lesson I learned from a NUMMI-trained plant manager). This includes top execs.

So, I would argue that the execs encouraging 5S "helps" the shopfloor, and therefore helps the company more, than "5S-ing" their executive cafeteria... unless nobody can find the Sweet N Low, that is. :-)

I think people doing 5S for the sake of 5S might set a good example, but might not be adding value to the company as much as encouraging it on the shopfloor.

Good discussion though Alison -- I see your point and respect your perspective on it...

Posted 6:42 PM by Alison
Good point Mark. How do we keep it from becoming regular house keeping? The thing I think about is that everyone from the top down needs to be doing all of the things described in 5S. The president should be seen Sorting-- and I don't think that message gets out there. A common problem with any change, but this one has even more of a bias towards " its for the little people" so to speak. I think because it can be so effective on the factory floor. But actually it helps everywhere.