Quick Tour Through The 5 S’s of Visual Control

Duke Rohe, FHIMSS

What if your work environment…

had all the resources, tools and information at the point where it was needed

was employee driven in eliminating waste in every form

was self explanatory as to procedure, standard and how to proceed

How much more productive would you be if you ALWAYS had the right information, the right resources and the right

equipment at your fingertips to get your job done?

Enter into the world of Visual Control

What is Visual Control

That “control” which allows anyone, even those with knowledge of the workplace, to recognize:– The standard of how work is to be done– The information, resources, tools required

proceed or insure success– Recognize the right way vs. the wrong way

What is Visual Control

Think of it as an environment with the right information, the right resources, right tools available at the time you need them.

Where the instructions and resources are integrated into the action so the workplace actually ‘speaks’ the effective way to do it.

A Visual Control Environment Is Where

– “Need to Know” meets “Need to Share” – Culture of sharing is common– Workplace procedures are evident– Messages cease to travel, they are built in– There is not room for doubt

Lesson in WasteVisual Control HATES Waste

1. Sort Through and Sort Out

Keep only those things needed close at hand.

ASK: Is this needed?– If no, remove it– If yes,

• Is it needed here? If no, then where• In this quantity? If no, change it

Warning, don’t confuse “need” with “want”

300% more employee donations because the need was obvious

Down come the patient boards. Doctors peer over front desk to see patient’s location and nurse

Communicating Shared Leadership

Best place for a directory

1 Sort Out

Get rid of what is not needed (Think of it as a just-in-time environment)

Place items close that have high use or high importance to access

As access importance and use decrease, radial outwardly relocate equipment, resources.

1 Sort Out

Red Tag Method for reducing collective clutter.– Give staff red tags or post-its– Ask staff to go through every item in their

workplace and ask, “Is this needed? • If no, red tag it for the Red Tag Hold Area

• If Yes, ask, “Is it needed here and in this quantity?”– Mark the needed quantity and or the new placement

1 Sort Out

Red Tag Holding Area– Place all suspect items in a Red Tag Holding

Area and allow a week for staff to review items– At end of week, those who want it back in the

environment must make a case to put it back in– Remove or relocate all items out of the Holding

Area– Repeat based on the “clutter factor”

What is wrong with this picture?

2 Set Things in Order

Everything has a place and everything is in its place!– Determine locations: access-important and

high-use items closest to you– Set height/size limits– Map out, label locations.– Instructionalize how to put items back– Make the how-to’s “visually intuitive”

Forms R’ Us

Grid Wall – concept from the fashion industry

3 Shine (Sweep)

Think of it as a visual sweep that assures the first 2 S’s are being maintained

Can be a type quality inspection Like dusting, it’s an everyday thing done by

all as long as what to do and how is obvious

4 Standardize: the state beyond the first 3 Ss

Where consistency is needed for quality or efficiency, create standards

Workplace shares information (procedures, do’s/don’ts). There is NO searching or doubt

Include who, what, where, why and how as needed in the instruction.

Look Ma’….No Inservice Required

Scrub attire past this point

Don’t you even think about parking it here !

Where’s the best place for instructions or policy?

Stealth Fall Precautions

Color cool (do you see one out of place?)

5 Self Discipline

Quality becomes first place when visual controls are second nature to its workforce.

The collective workplace is staff driven, looking for easier ways to achieve adherence and eliminate waste.

With the instruction built into the workplace, it is hard to say, “I didn’t know” and get away with it.

The “Control” Visual ControlThe Blood Sweat and Tears of ‘Control’

Identify “Control Points” essential for removing doubt in choice or procedure

Safety (blood): Control points where physical harm is possible

Sweat (sweat) Control points where great loss in effort, rework, error is possible

Service (tears) Control points where service drops would lose image and or customer

The “Control” Visual Control

For each crucial Control Point, add the visual control (instruction, resource placement…) to optimize efficiency, safety and service.

Every problem or question that arises is a candidate for a 5 S review.

Employees are the best to identify and maintain their visual control environment over time.

Tour of Texas

A culture shift in respect

Final thoughts

If an error is made or waste incurred which could be prevented by visual control; whose fault is it?

Your best practice had better not be your best kept secret!