Compass Performance, Inc.

Training venue · 5S

Assess where you are. Plan one level up. Prove what changed.

This is the session, not the summary. You will score the space as it actually is today, set a target one level higher, write what you will do, run the first pass, and record the before-and-after numbers — then print the whole thing as your training material and your evidence.

Step 01: The principle

You cannot improve a space you have not honestly scored.

Most 5S efforts fail at the same point: nobody wrote down what the space looked like before. Without a baseline there is no improvement, only an opinion about tidiness — and opinions reverse within a month.

So the training runs in one order and never another: define the work the space exists to do, score each of the five S's against a five-level rubric, target one level up, act, then measure the same three numbers again. One level at a time holds. Three levels at once always collapses back.

The same five steps that free floor space in a plant free a Saturday morning in a garage and five minutes of every school transition. Define the work, remove what does not serve it, give the rest a home, make the standard visible, and audit yourself on a rhythm. That is a discipline, not a chore — and it is portable to every space you are responsible for.

New to 5S? Read what 5S is first — then come back here to run it.

Step 02: The philosophy

Define the work before you touch anything.

  1. 01

    What work happens here, in one sentence?

    This sentence is the standard everything else is measured against. Vague sentences produce vague results.

  2. 02

    Who does that work, and how often?

    Frequency decides distance. Daily items live at arm's reach; monthly items live higher or farther; yearly items live somewhere else entirely.

  3. 03

    What does the work actually need to be done well?

    This is the keep list, written before you look at the pile — so the pile does not do your thinking for you.

  4. 04

    What does 'right' look like at the end of a cycle?

    The reset condition is what you audit. Without it, 'clean' is an opinion and the space drifts back within a month.

The five steps do not change between settings — only the language does. This session supports Manufacturing cell / line, Home / garage, Laundry room, Office, Classroom, Bedroom, Closet, and Other.

Step 03: The architecture

The five-level rubric you will score against.

Choose the highest level that is entirely true. If it is partly true, the honest answer is the level below. Level 1 is not a failure — it is a starting line.

1 — Undesigned2 — Occasional effort3 — Done once4 — Ruled and visible5 — Held and improving

Sort

Does anything remain in this space that the work does not need?

  1. 1 — Undesigned — Items accumulate with no decision. No one can say what is needed and what is not.
  2. 2 — Occasional effort — An occasional clean-out happens, but unneeded items return within weeks.
  3. 3 — Done once — Unneeded items have been removed once, by judgement rather than by a rule.
  4. 4 — Ruled and visible — A red tag rule exists: anything unjustified is tagged, owned, and dated.
  5. 5 — Held and improving — Nothing is in the space without a stated reason, and new items must earn entry.

Set in Order

Can a newcomer find and return everything without asking?

  1. 1 — Undesigned — Storage is wherever there was room. Searching is a normal part of the work.
  2. 2 — Occasional effort — Regular users know where things live; nobody else does.
  3. 3 — Done once — Main items have homes, but locations are not marked.
  4. 4 — Ruled and visible — Locations are labelled or outlined and positioned for the sequence of the work.
  5. 5 — Held and improving — Every item has one obvious home at point of use, and a missing item is visible instantly.

Shine

Is cleaning used as inspection, and are the findings recorded?

  1. 1 — Undesigned — Cleaning happens when the condition becomes embarrassing.
  2. 2 — Occasional effort — Cleaning is scheduled but nothing is inspected or logged while doing it.
  3. 3 — Done once — Problems found while cleaning get mentioned, not recorded.
  4. 4 — Ruled and visible — Cleaning doubles as inspection with a written abnormality log and owners.
  5. 5 — Held and improving — Sources of dirt, leaks, and wear are eliminated, not managed. The log trends down.

Standardize

Is the right condition written and visible to everyone who uses the space?

  1. 1 — Undesigned — The standard lives in the heads of whoever has been here longest.
  2. 2 — Occasional effort — There is a verbal expectation, differently understood by different people.
  3. 3 — Done once — A written standard exists somewhere but is not posted where the work happens.
  4. 4 — Ruled and visible — The standard is posted with a photo of the correct condition and a reset rule.
  5. 5 — Held and improving — The standard is posted, followed across all shifts or users, and revised when the work changes.

Sustain

Is there a cadence that holds the condition when nobody is watching?

  1. 1 — Undesigned — No cadence. The condition decays until the next push.
  2. 2 — Occasional effort — Someone reminds people occasionally; it depends entirely on that person.
  3. 3 — Done once — A reset happens irregularly, usually before a visit or an inspection.
  4. 4 — Ruled and visible — A short scheduled reset and an audit are on the calendar with a named owner.
  5. 5 — Held and improving — The audit cadence has held for a full quarter, the score is posted, and the trend is rising.

Step 04: The outcome

Score it, plan it, run it, prove it — then print both sheets.

Working instrument · 15 minutes

Assess your 5S situation right now, then plan and prove the improvement

Score the space as it actually is today, set a target one level higher, write what you will do, capture the before numbers, run the pass, then record the after. Print the sheet as your training material and as the evidence of what changed.

DirectionsHow to assess, plan, execute, and prove it

  1. 1. Stand in the space before you score it

    Score what you can see today, not what you intend. If two people score differently, the gap is the conversation.

  2. 2. Write the work sentence first

    What does this space exist to do, for whom, how often? Everything in it is either evidence for that sentence or clutter against it.

  3. 3. Score each S from 1 to 5 against the rubric

    Choose the highest level that is entirely true. Partly true means the level below.

  4. 4. Set a target one level higher, not three

    One level per S per cycle holds. A three-level jump is a clean-up that reverses.

  5. 5. Capture the before numbers and one before photo

    Time to find something, usable space, items removed, plus one photo from a fixed spot. Without a baseline the result is an anecdote.

  6. 6. Run the first pass, then re-measure and print

    Re-score, fill the after column, take the photo from the same spot, and print the sheet for the board or the wall.

Step 1

Name the space and the work it exists to do

One space at a time. A cell, a garage, a laundry room, a desk, a classroom, a bedroom.

Step 2

Score each S as it is today, and set a target one level higher

Choose the highest level that is entirely true. Partly true means the level below.

Today: 0 / 25 (0%)

Sort

Does anything remain in this space that the work does not need?

Where it is today

Set in Order

Can a newcomer find and return everything without asking?

Where it is today

Shine

Is cleaning used as inspection, and are the findings recorded?

Where it is today

Standardize

Is the right condition written and visible to everyone who uses the space?

Where it is today

Sustain

Is there a cadence that holds the condition when nobody is watching?

Where it is today

Step 3

Set the session and the cadence

A first pass without a date is an intention. A pass without an audit reverses.

Step 4

Measure before, run the pass, measure after

Three numbers and one photo from a fixed spot. That is the whole proof.

MeasureBeforeAfter
Time to find any needed item
Usable space / clear surface
Items removed or returned

Quality check

6 things to tighten before this goes in front of a board.

  • Name the space. 5S applies to one defined space at a time.
  • Write the work sentence: what this space exists to do, for whom, how often. Sort has no standard without it.
  • 0 of 5 scored. Score all five S's to see where the discipline actually breaks.
  • Name the owner and date the first session. An undated plan is an intention.
  • Set the audit cadence, or the gains reverse within a quarter.
  • Record the before numbers before you start. Without a baseline the result is an anecdote.

Print it, save it, or have it emailed

The PDF is board-level: Compass navy and gold, your details in the header, and the contact block on every page so it stands alone when it is forwarded.

Page size

210 × 297 mm — standard outside North America. Applies to every PDF you download here and to printing from your browser.

If you would like to discuss this further, contact Steve Kopecky at skopecky@compassperformanceinc.com or schedule a discussion.

Your entries stay in this browser until you ask us to email the sheet. What we receive is the sheet itself — nothing else.

Working instrument

5S implementation checklist & red tag log

Works anywhere — a production cell, a garage, a laundry room, a desk, a classroom, or a child's bedroom. Pick the setting, write the work sentence, then run the same forty-three steps from charter to replication, with the Red Tag event written out in the detail the floor actually needs. Work it online, log your tags, then print or email a board-quality sheet for the area board.

DirectionsHow to complete this

  1. 1. Fill the header in first

    Site, pilot area, sponsor, champion, and the Red Tag event date. A checklist without an owner and a date is a reading exercise.

  2. 2. Work the phases in order

    Check an item only when it is done and someone can show it. Sort before Set in Order; the layout you design around clutter is the wrong layout.

  3. 3. Log the Red Tag event as it happens

    Enter tags with quantity, reason, proposed disposition, owner, and decision date. The log — not the photographs — is what proves the event closed.

  4. 4. Record the result in numbers

    Items tagged, square feet recovered, dollars returned. Recovered capacity is the business case for the next area.

  5. 5. Print it, post it, audit it

    Download the branded sheet or have it emailed, then post it at the area board and walk it on your published cadence.

Step 1

Define the setting and the work

5S never starts with cleaning. It starts with one true sentence about the work this space exists to do.

The five steps in manufacturing cell / line

Sort
Red-tag every tool, fixture, part, and document not used by the current process; stage tags with an owner and a decision date.
Set in Order
Locate tools and material at point of use in job sequence; outline, shadow-board, and label; set min/max quantities with visual triggers.
Shine
Clean to inspect on a schedule; log every leak, loose fastener, worn belt, and abnormal sound; fix at the source.
Standardize
One-page standard work, layout, and cleaning schedule posted at the station with the owner's name on it.
Sustain
Five to ten minutes at shift end, supervisor weekly audit, manager monthly, executive quarterly walk, score posted.

First pass — One shift, one bounded cell, whole team present, with a roped-off holding area and 200 printed tags. Measure — Square feet recovered, dollars of inventory returned, search minutes removed per shift, downtime found early.

Step 2

Name the space, the owners, and the event date

Step 3

Work the seven phases in order

Check an item only when it is done and someone can show it.

0 of 43 checklist items complete.

Phase 01 · Week 1

Charter, baseline, and bound the pilot

0/6 done

Bound the work so it can succeed visibly before it is scaled.

Gate — A signed charter, a baseline pack, and a pilot area with one named owner.

Phase 02 · Week 1-2

Train the team in the area, on the work

0/5 done

Everyone who touches the area understands the five steps and their part in them.

Gate — A trained area team, an agreed rubric, and the team's own list of irritations.

Phase 03 · Week 2

Sort — run the Red Tag event

0/10 done

Get everything unnecessary out of the area with decisions closed, not deferred.

Gate — A cleared area, a closed red-tag log, and recovered space and dollars quantified.

Phase 04 · Week 3-4

Set in Order and Shine

0/7 done

Design the layout around the work, then clean to inspect.

Gate — A visual layout, marked locations, and an abnormality log with owners and dates.

Phase 05 · Week 4-5

Standardize the best known way

0/5 done

Write the standard down and post it where the work happens.

Gate — Posted standard work, a live area board, and a controlled revision process.

Phase 06 · Week 6 onward

Sustain through cadence and audit

0/5 done

Convert a good week into a permanent operating condition.

Gate — An audit trend line, a closed-gap log, and a cadence on the leadership calendar.

Phase 07 · Quarter 2 onward

Replicate and renew (ARC™)

0/5 done

Standardize what worked, then raise the standard.

Gate — A site playbook, a rollout sequence, and a higher rubric for the next cycle.

Step 4

Log the red tags

A tag is only closed when it has a disposition, an owner, and a date.

Step 5

Record what the event recovered

Quality check

5 things to tighten before this goes in front of a board.

  • Name the pilot area. 5S launched everywhere at once holds nowhere.
  • A sponsor removes barriers and a champion owns the standard. Name both before the event.
  • Set the Red Tag event date — an undated event is an intention.
  • Write the work sentence first — what this space exists to do, for whom, how often. Without it, Sort has no standard to judge against.
  • 0 of 43 checklist items complete (0%).

Print it, save it, or have it emailed

The PDF is board-level: Compass navy and gold, your details in the header, and the contact block on every page so it stands alone when it is forwarded.

Page size

210 × 297 mm — standard outside North America. Applies to every PDF you download here and to printing from your browser.

If you would like to discuss this further, contact Steve Kopecky at skopecky@compassperformanceinc.com or schedule a discussion.

Your entries stay in this browser until you ask us to email the sheet. What we receive is the sheet itself — nothing else.

Download my results

One record of this session: the space you scored, the standard you set, the weakest S, and the implementation work committed to - printed as a single board-quality document.

Complete an instrument below to fill this record

Step 05: The action

The first pass, in six moves.

  1. Move 0110 minutes

    Bound it and write the work sentence

    • Pick a space small enough to finish in one session — one bay, one desk, one closet, one cell.
    • Write the work sentence: what this space exists to do, for whom, how often.
    • Write the keep list before you look at the pile: what the work genuinely needs.
    • Photograph the space from two fixed positions. Those photos are your before.

    Proof it is done — A written sentence, a keep list, and two photographs.

  2. Move 0230-40% of your time

    Sort — take everything out

    • Empty the space, or as much of it as you can handle, into a staging area.
    • Sort into four piles: needed here, needed but not here, decide later, gone.
    • Put a date on the decide-later pile. Doubt is a tag — if you hesitate, it gets tagged.
    • Close the gone pile the same day: bin, donate, sell, or return it. Do not create a new pile somewhere else.

    Proof it is done — An empty space, four sorted piles, and the gone pile physically out of the building.

  3. Move 0325% of your time

    Set in order — design homes for what is left

    • Place by frequency: daily items within reach, weekly nearby, seasonal remote.
    • Give every item one home and only one home, positioned in the order the work runs.
    • Label the home, not just the item — outlines, bins, hooks, and picture labels for children.
    • Set quantities: how many is enough, and what tells you it is time to reorder.

    Proof it is done — Everything in the space has one labeled home, and someone new could find it.

  4. Move 0415% of your time

    Shine — clean as an inspection

    • Clean surfaces, equipment, and floor with your hands on it, top to bottom.
    • Write down every abnormal thing you find: leak, fray, crack, missing part, expired item.
    • Fix at the source where you can, and put a date and an owner on the rest.

    Proof it is done — A written list of abnormalities found, each with an owner and a date.

  5. Move 0515 minutes

    Standardize — make the right condition visible

    • Photograph the finished space. That photo is the standard.
    • Post the photo and a short reset routine where the work happens.
    • Write the one rule that protects it: nothing new in without something out, or the surface is clear at the end of the day.

    Proof it is done — A posted photo, a reset routine, and one protective rule.

  6. Move 06Ongoing

    Sustain — put the reset on a calendar

    • Build the reset into an existing rhythm — shift end, bedtime, end of period, end of project.
    • Set a weekly two-minute walk against the photo, and a monthly or seasonal deeper check.
    • Score it honestly against the photo, then close every gap with a name and a date.
    • Reassess quarterly and raise the standard as the space and the people get better.

    Proof it is done — The space still matches the photo four weeks later, with no outside pressure.

The next step

Hold the standard after the pass

A first pass is easy to admire and easy to lose. We partner with leadership teams to design the cadence, the rubric, and the ownership that keep 5S alive long after the launch.

Schedule a conversationBack to what 5S is

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