# 5S: what it is and how it works · Zorraquino
> 5S is a Japanese workplace organisation method: sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain.
URL: https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/lean/5s.html

# 5S

5S is a workplace organisation method from Japanese industry based on five steps: sort, set in order, shine, standardise and sustain

What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.

[The whole glossary](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary)

## What it is and how it works

Each step corresponds to a Japanese word beginning with “s”: seiri (separating what is needed from what is not), seiton (giving everything a fixed place), seiso (cleaning and inspecting), seiketsu (standardising the first three practices) and shitsuke (making them a habit).

It is associated with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement because it cuts searching, waiting and errors and makes abnormalities visible. Although it originated in factories, it is also applied in offices, warehouses, hospitals and digital settings, for example to tidy shared folders or component libraries. Its effectiveness depends on upkeep: without the fifth step, the initial order tends to fade.

Also known as

Five S

Topics

[Strategic design and innovation](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/category/diseno-estrategico-e-innovacion)

## Related concepts

- [Lean manufacturing](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/lean/lean-manufacturing.html)
- [Continuous improvement process](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/lean/continual-improvement-process.html)
- [Waste](https://www.zorraquino.com/en/dictionary/lean/waste.html)