Shitsuke – The Final Step

I’ve already discussed shitsuke in the introduction to 5S. So I’ll add just a few concluding words here:

Shitsuke is the Japanese word for discipline. So as to make it an “S” word in English, it is commonly expressed as Self-Discipline.

The purpose of shitsuke is to ensure the first fours S’s continue to be used properly. It means that people do not return to old habits, but continue to work to the standards that have been established. It maintains the improvements made in the first four steps, and looks for ways to continue to improve.

Shitsuke involves continued training, modeling of behavior by management, and regular audits. Training refreshes old skills and introduces new skills, procedures and standards. Modeling means that supervisors and managers continue to support 5S through their behavior—and through their continued implementation of 5S from the boardroom to the restroom. Auditing means using checklists, and inspections, on a regular basis to ensure the standards established under the fourth S are being used and achieved.

This concludes our look at 5S, the foundation of a visual workplace and of a successful lean manufacturing system.