Think of one of the processes in your life you identified and apply the 5S methodology to it. Explain each step. How is the resulting process different?

 In my learning journal unit 3, I upgraded my academic task system to sufficiently manage what I have to do, what I am doing, and what I have done. In addition, I also added some parameters to further improve it and eliminate those distraction factors to get a more focused mindset. So, what happens if I apply the 5S methodology to it? Let's find out.

After I read the Using 5-Step Workplace Management for Continuous Improvement by Tom Dossenbach, I rewrote these steps for my work to be straightforward like a program.

i. Do I actually have to do this task? YES/NO (Step 1: Sort)

If the answer is YES, keep it on the to-do list. If the answer is NO, delete it.

ii. Rearrange them by time and importance(Step 2: Straighten)

Is it important to me? YES/NO 

If the answer is YES, mark it with a star. If the answer is NO, remove the star mark. 

Does it have to be completed within a specific period? YES/NO

If the answer is YES, set a timer. If the answer is NO, set a relatively longer timer. 

iii. Highlighting (Step 3: Scrub)

For me to raise productivity and quality to all-time highs, the third step in the 5S management system cannot be overlooked. After rearrange them by time and importance, it means that cleaning them to the point, to better which task should be the top priority and which one is not. By highlighting them with different colors, I can lay the foundation for an effective preventive maintenance program and a automatic procedure to do it.

iv. Smart List (Steo 4: Standardize)

Daily tasks are ongoing. There should be a regular schedule for completing the previous steps and systematically check to see if the procedures are being followed. Thanks to the modern technoloy and advanced smartphone apps, I can now set multiple "smart list" by using tags, time, priority, and notes to organize them. So, when the next time I add a new task, it automatically sort and organize it to where it belong.

v. (Step 5 : Sustain)

The final step is where most people get lost. After I built the standardize program for all the future tasks, I asked myself what's next? Is it over? Of couse, not. What happen if we only make a rule but no one wants to protect it? In the final step, I also adopted an additional tool to monitor it. It's PDCA(Plan, Do, Check, and Act). All the previous steps are like a plan but I have to do the tasks, check the progress, and act when some tasks need to be reorganized or reprogram.

Reference

ASQ. (n.d.). What are the five S's (5s) of lean. ASQ. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://asq.org/quality-resources/lean/five-s-tutorial