Lean Six Sigma

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_Six_Sigma (LSS)

DOWNTIME is an acronym in LSS representing 8 forms of waste. Defects. Overproduction. Waiting. Transportation. Non-used talent, Inventory. Motion. Extra processing.

Here are some useful icons [1]:

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement) vs Six Sigma

Kaizen	Six Sigma
Continuous small improvements (everyday change)	Structured, project-based defect and variation reduction
Everyone participates; frontline-driven	Typically led by trained roles (Green/Black Belts) with executive sponsorship
Cultural mindset and habits; improvement as part of daily work	Methodology with defined phases and deliverables (DMAIC/DMADV)
Fast experimentation; “try, learn, standardize”	Data- and analysis-intensive; statistical tools common
Focus: flow, waste reduction, work standardization, ergonomics	Focus: variation control, capability, defect reduction (DPMO, sigma level)
Measurement: simple operational metrics (lead time, WIP, rework, safety)	Measurement: process capability, control charts, hypothesis tests, DOE
Best for: high-frequency opportunities, local process improvements	Best for: chronic quality problems, complex cross-functional processes
Typical cadence: daily/weekly improvements; occasional Kaizen events	Typical cadence: defined projects lasting weeks to months

5S Method for Clean Organization

Japanese	English	Operational meaning	Audit checklist (yes/no or score 0–2 each)
Seiri	Sort	Remove unnecessary items from the workspace	Only necessary tools/materials are present at the point of use Red-tag area exists and is used (items moved there within 24 hrs) No expired, broken, or duplicate items occupying prime space Work areas/aisles are free of stored items and clutter Unused jigs/fixtures/materials are removed or stored in designated overflow
Seiton	Set in Order	Arrange needed items for efficient access	Every item has a clearly labeled “home” (location + label visible) Items are stored by frequency of use (daily items closest, rarely used farther) Shadow boards / outlines / bin labels match current contents Point-of-use storage exists for consumables (fasteners, tape, blades, etc.) No searching: common items can be retrieved in <30 seconds
Seiso	Shine	Clean and inspect the workspace	Floors, benches, and machines are clean (no buildup, chips, dust, spills) Cleaning tools are available and stored at point of use “Clean-to-inspect”: leaks, wear, looseness, or damage are easy to spot Daily cleanup is performed at end of shift (documented or observable) Abnormalities found during cleaning are tagged and reported
Seiketsu	Standardize	Establish procedures to maintain first 3 S’s	Standard work exists for cleanup, restock, and tool return (posted) Visual standards exist (photos/diagrams) for “what good looks like” Restock levels (min/max) are defined for consumables Responsibilities are assigned (who, what, when) for each area 5S audit schedule is posted and followed (weekly/monthly cadence)
Shitsuke	Sustain	Build discipline and habit to keep standards	Regular audits occur and scores are tracked over time Issues found in audits have owners and due dates (closed-loop) New people are trained on 5S standards during onboarding Leaders do routine gemba walks and reinforce standards Standards are improved when reality changes (no “stale” rules)

Visual Workshop and Organization Master List

1. Visual Control Foundations

Workspace Zoning

• Floor tape color-coded zones (materials staging, finished goods, scrap, WIP)
• Defined walkways with safety yellow lines
• “No-storage” red hash zones
• Forklift travel lanes
• Visitor safe zones

Tool Visibility

• Shadow boards (outlined tool shapes)
• Tool ID numbers engraved or labeled
• Dedicated location for every tool
• Tool checkout board (shared tools)
• Missing tool indicator flags

Labeling System

• Standard label format (font, size, color)
• Label every shelf, drawer, bin, cabinet
• QR codes for procedures or manuals
• Laminated large-format zone labels
• Material category color coding

2. 5S Infrastructure

Sort Systems

• Red tag area
• Red tag log sheet
• Quarterly purge schedule
• Obsolete material quarantine zone

Set in Order

• Fast-mover tools closest to point of use
• Min/max bins with visual fill lines
• Consumable Kanban cards
• Drawer dividers with silhouettes
• Standard fastener racks with size labeling

Shine

• Cleaning stations at each zone
• Color-coded cleaning tools by area
• Daily 5-minute cleanup standard
• Equipment wipe-down checklist
• “Clean-to-inspect” lighting

Standardize

• Photo standard boards (“what good looks like”)
• Area ownership board
• Posted restock standards
• Visual SOP sheets at workstation

Sustain

• 5S audit board with scoring
• Monthly audit calendar
• Improvement idea board
• Before/after photo board

3. Flow and Production Visibility

Workflow Visualization

• Value stream map posted
• Production flow arrows on floor
• Job travelers clipped to work
• Build status board (To Do / Doing / Done)
• Daily production target board

Bottleneck Visibility

• WIP limit signs
• Queue size max lines marked
• “Blocked” red tag cards
• Downtime reason board

Scheduling and Planning

• Weekly lookahead board
• Takt time clock display
• Visual daily huddle board
• Material pull board

4. Safety Visual Systems

• PPE required signage by zone
• Machine hazard labeling
• Emergency exits clearly marked
• Fire extinguisher locations outlined
• First aid station marked with stocked indicator
• Lockout/tagout station with tags visible
• Safety cross board (days since incident)

5. Quality at the Source

• First-piece approval board
• Sample “gold standard” parts displayed
• Inspection checkpoints marked
• Error-proofing (poka-yoke) fixtures
• Go/No-Go gauges visibly mounted
• Defect board with root cause tracking
• Calibration due-date tags on tools

6. Material and Inventory Control

• FIFO lanes marked
• Date stickers on inventory
• Raw vs finished goods zones separated
• Scrap bin clearly marked and isolated
• Supplier label standard
• Material staging racks at point of use
• Reorder point visual cards

7. Equipment Management

• Preventive maintenance board
• Machine status lights (green/yellow/red)
• Tool life tracker (drill bits, blades)
• Spare parts shadow board
• Maintenance log posted at machine

8. Communication and Leadership

• Gemba walk board
• Improvement tracking board
• Suggestion box (physical or digital)
• KPI wall (Safety / Quality / Delivery / Cost / Morale)
• Escalation ladder posted (who to call, in what order, with response times)
• Leadership standard work posted

9. Advanced Visual Systems

• Andon lights
• Digital dashboard screens
• RFID tool tracking for check-in/out and location-at-last-scan
• Barcode material tracking
• Visual torque verification marks
• Laser-projected layout guides
• Smart Kanban bins
• Electronic traveler system

10. Cultural Visual Reinforcement

• “Before and After” improvement wall
• Skill matrix board
• Training progress board
• Certification badges
• Core values display
• Improvement wins highlight board

Implementation Sequencing

1. 5S foundation
2. Workflow visibility
3. Quality and safety reinforcement
4. Material control systems
5. Advanced automation and digital visual controls

Design Rule

Every visual system should answer at least one question immediately:

• What is supposed to happen?
• What is happening now?
• Is there a gap?
• Who owns the gap?
• What is the next action?

Gemba Walk

A Gemba Walk is a structured leadership practice where managers go to the actual workplace (shop floor, job site, lab, office) to:

• Observe the process directly
• Ask questions
• Understand problems firsthand
• Support continuous improvement

Section	What to observe / ask	Evidence to capture	Rating (0–2)
Walk setup	Purpose/theme for today is clear (Safety / Quality / Flow / 5S / Training) Route and timebox defined (e.g., 20–30 min) Go to point of use (where value is created), not the office	Theme stated Areas visited Time started/ended	0–2
Safety	Any immediate hazards (trip, pinch, electrical, overhead load, PPE gaps)? Are guards, lockout/tagout, and signage in place where needed? Ask: “What safety concern are you most worried about today?”	Hazard list + location Photos of hazards (if allowed) Owner + due date for fixes	0–2
Quality at the source	Is the standard for “good” visible at the workstation (spec, jig, template)? Is first-piece/first-article verification happening? Are defects detected immediately, or discovered later? Ask: “What causes rework here?”	Defect/rework examples Standard references used (doc/photo/jig) Containment actions	0–2
Flow and bottlenecks	Where is work waiting (queues, WIP piles, stalled tasks)? Are downstream steps starved or blocked? Ask: “What is slowing this step down right now?”	Bottleneck step identified WIP counts (rough) Wait reasons	0–2
Standard work adherence	Is there a known best method? Is it being followed? Are deviations visible and explained? Ask: “What part of the standard doesn’t match reality?”	Standard work posted (Y/N) Deviation notes Improvement opportunities	0–2
5S and visual management	Sort: clutter/red-tag items present? Set in order: tools labeled and in their homes? Shine: clean-to-inspect condition? Standards posted and current? Ask: “Do you spend time searching for tools/materials?”	5S gaps by S Photos of before/after (if allowed) Time-to-find estimate	0–2
Materials and logistics	Are materials staged at point of use in the right quantity? Are there stockouts or overstock? Are pull signals (Kanban/min-max) in place? Ask: “What materials do you run out of most often?”	Stockout list Overstock list Reorder triggers (Y/N)	0–2
Equipment and uptime	Any downtime, jams, tool failures, or workaround behavior? Is preventive maintenance visible and current? Ask: “What equipment causes the most interruptions?”	Downtime causes Maintenance tags/logs Needed spares/tools	0–2
People, training, and engagement	Are roles clear? Any confusion on handoffs? Training needs visible (new task, new tool, new standard)? Ask: “If you could change one thing today, what would it be?”	Training gaps Suggestions captured Blockers requiring leadership action	0–2
Problem solving and follow-up	Are issues tracked with owners and due dates? Are yesterday’s actions closed or progressing? Ask: “Which open issue is most painful right now?”	Action log entries (owner, due date) Escalations needed Next check-in date	0–2
Closeout	Summarize key observations to the team (no blame) Confirm next steps, owners, dates Thank the operators; confirm how feedback will be used	Top 3 issues Top 3 quick wins Commitments made	0–2

Scoring suggestion: 0 = not in place / concerning; 1 = partially in place; 2 = consistently in place. Capture 3–5 actionable items per walk and review closure on the next walk.