Is There Also 5S Management in Software Development?

In leanproduction, the value stream is the key element throughout the whole productionprocess. A standardized operation is a crucial tool to realize thesynchronization of a production line, and 5S management on the production siteis the basis for managing all production factors. Therefore, it is not too muchfor us to call 5S the foundation of lean.

I.5S Management

5S managementmethod, namely Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, and Shitsuke, is also called 5Sfor short because the Romanization of Japanese starts with “s,” and Englishalso begins with “s.”

5S management, originated in Japan, refersto the effective management of personnel, machines, materials, methods, andother production factors at the production site, a unique management method ofJapanese enterprises. It creates a clean working environment and cultivatesgood working habits by standardizing the site and objects. Its ultimate goal isto improve people's quality and develop good working habits.

II.Advantages of 5S management

Enterprises in the production process toimplement 5s management can create an "Everyone actively participates ineverything to comply with the standards" of a good atmosphere and bringthe following benefits to the enterprise:

• Eliminate various adverse phenomena in the factory.

• Improve product quality.

• Improve productivity.

• Reduce costs.

• Ensure timely delivery.

• Ensure safe production and maintain the high morale of employees.   

III.Great potential of 5S management

Since 5S management can bring many benefitsto the organization, can it be applied to software development?

The answer is yes. Generally, 5S managementis used in the production workshop. If you use it in software development, thefirst thing to be clear about is the workplace? The office environment ofsoftware development is in our code base, construction process, testing,documentation, and other "sites." Once you know that, you can map itto 5s one by one, for example: 

1. SEIRI

Definition: distinguish the items to be andnot to be, and only the necessary items are kept on site.

In software application: distinguishuseless code in the codebase, and only helpful code is retained in thecodebase.

2. SEATON

Definition: put the necessary things in thespecified place and take them out quickly. Specify the placement area andclearly mark it.

In software applications: the code shouldhave a clear naming convention, and the necessary code should be neatlyannotated for maintenance and understanding.

3. SEISO

Definition: remove the dirt in theworkplace and prevent pollution. 

In software application: clean up theredundant code in the codebase to make the code concise and readable.

4.SEIKETSU

Definition: institutionalize andstandardize the practice of sorting, rectifying, and cleaning up, and maintainits results.

In software application: organize, rectifyand clean regularly and standardize to achieve the purpose of the neatcodebase.

5.SHITSUKE

Definition: cultivate civilized and politehabits, act according to regulations, and develop good working habits.

In software application: follow codespecifications, develop good working habits and improve professional quality.

In addition to applying 5S management tothe code base, it can also be applied to other aspects. For example, when itcomes to documents, we can reorganize the documents, delete useless documents,and then regularize the document library, unified naming standards, regularlycheck the contents of the documents, and the repeated documents can be merged andregularized. Finally, constantly standardize and institutionalize to promoteeveryone to develop good working habits.

In addition, the 5S management of theproduction workshop can be applied to the office environment, and 5S can beused to create a good office environment. Let employees devote themselves totheir daily work with a fuller spirit and better create value.

As the foundation of lean production, 5Smanagement ensures orderly on-site management to improve the overall managementlevel of the enterprise. Later, people derived 7S and 8s management based on5S...... No matter white or black cats, good cats can catch mice. Therefore,whether 7S or 8s, it is worth being encouraged as long as it can effectivelyimprove enterprise efficiency. Similarly, we don't need to limit 5S, 7S, 8s,and other management principles to the production workshop. Maybe they can playa more significant potential in different fields. What other areas can apply orare applying 5S management? Welcome to leave a message.