Which lean techniques work in both the manufacturing and service sectors? Explain how they are used in both sectors.

Visual Management– 5S

A central activity of waste reduction in the lean production system is the incorporation of the visual factory by using the Japanese 5Ss. The Japanese place visual management as the baseline for industrial management. The 5Ss lay the foundation for all of the other lean manufacturing techniques to take place.

As Hiroyuki Hirano discusses in his book, Five Pillars of the Visual Workplace (1995), good workplace management and organizational development begin with the 5Ss. In other words, senior management must demonstrate personal leadership and commitment to the 5S philosophy by their physical presence on the floor and daily interactions.

Masaki Imai, in his book Gemba Kaizen (1997) takes it a step further by expressing the concept that, as a general rule of thumb, introducing good housekeeping reduces defects by fifty percent. How does the 5S method support the lean process used in cell manufacturing? By instilling a sense of exactness and attention to detail, workers are surrounded by order and discipline. The assemblers see evidence around them that the company is committed to doing things right, and they become more committed themselves. Furthermore, they use the right tools and fixtures to do their work because they are always readily available and in good repair. Finally, less dirt and dust will get into the drives and produce potential failures in the field.