Create 6S visual management boards to organise your workspace. Work smarter (literally). Increase performance and productivity. Above all, create your own 6S visual management board to make ordering your workplace easy for all the team.

6S noticeboard status dials doc holders
Use your 6S board to assess your daily progress

6S Overview

6S is an assessment process for organising your workplace.

Originating from Japan, this method focuses on six Japanese words. These all start with an ‘S’ hence the “6S” title.  Furthermore, these translate as “Sort”, “Set in order”, “Shine”, “Standardise”, “Sustain” and “Safety”.

Above all, make your own 6S visual management board to show the 6S process in a visual way. Break it down into each of the six steps.

Most importantly, use your 6S board to assess you progress and track results.

How do 6S Visual Management Boards work?

In short, the 6S Visual Management Board is a visual way to implement and sustain the 6S process, daily.

Let’s answer more fully how 6S Visual Management Boards help. Therefore, let’s explore 6S in greater detail…

6S Board
Make your board dry wipe. Likewise, add status indicators or document holders

6S: defining each S

Firstly, “Sort” refers to assessing all equipment and items in the workspace. In other words, it’s the decluttering phase. Above all, determine if anything needs to be removed, recycled or relocated. Furthermore, take action.

Use this section of your own 6S board to show how this process works in your workplace. Likewise, make it clear to all your team, at a glance.

BV Dairy 5S icons
Colour coding helps focus on each 6S section
6s status dials gallery doc holders
Order equipment to cause least waste of time, space and effort

Secondly, “Set in order”. That is to say, what is the most logical way of setting out and storing equipment? This requires thinking in terms of space, frequency of use and so on. Ultimately, equipment needs to be ordered in a way that causes least waste of time, space and effort. Creating your own tool shadow boards helps this part of the process.

Meanwhile, “Shine” refers to cleaning the workspace. It also extends to keeping equipment and machinery in good order. That is to say, planning, scheduling and managing regular maintenance checks. Use your 6S Visual Management Board to show this procedure in a visual way.

5S bv dairy gallery
Make each stage visual
Huntsman 6S board zoomed gallery
Most importantly, make 6S a habit

Subsequently, “Standardise” means turning the activities of the first 3 Ss into a continuing habit. In other words, create standard operating procedures to maintain an orderly and organised workspace. Most importantly, this is where visual management works. Custom make your very 6S board in support of this. Use it to set and show your 6S standards in way that is immediately clear.

Next, the fifth S is for “Sustain”. In other words, keep up the 6S habit. Make in into a continuing cycle. Above all, adopt it as part of your workplace culture.

5S standardise sustain
Finally, keep the 6S habit going
6S doc holders
Most importantly, make 5S, or 6S, a habit

Finally, “Safety” means ensuring your workspace safety procedures are in place and visually accessible. Set your safety policies and adhere to these as part of your 6S strategy. Consequently, completing the 6S process.

5S and 6S Examples

Septodont 5S status sliders
Create a 5S or 6S task list

Task list for 5S or 6S

So design your 5S or 6S board to include and record a task list. Furthermore, with red green status sliders for instant tracking. Above all, reflect your processes visually and increase engagement with your 5S or 6S strategies.

Explore 5S boards here.

6S boards for shift patterns

So design your 6S board to include and record single/double or even triple shift patterns. Furthermore, with a dry wipe option for easy recording. Above all, reflect your processes visually and make easy daily updates.

Housekeeping performance tracker
Use single, double or triple shift patterns on your SQDC board
Kerry red tag board
Support your 6S strategy with a Red Tag station
floor markings
Floor markings for safety and organisation

Further Visual Management ideas for 6S

Firstly, use a 6S Red Tag station to remove unnecessary items from your workspace. In other words, eliminate any waste of space. Likewise, support a zero-waste strategy. As a result, organise your work setting better and increase efficiency. The Red Tag process enables team members to rid the workspace of unneeded items or tools. It also enables them to try living without the item before getting rid of it for good. In addition, the process encourages a regular habit of sorting, which supports 6S.

Secondly, floor markings are useful to organise your workspace. Segregate key areas, or equipment. Furthermore, use them to mark out different areas in a clear way.

Use labels and signs to show key information about equipment. For visual effect, consider colour coding.

You might want magnetic document holders or numbered magnetic stickers, so choose magnetic areas on your board. Similarly, you might want to add colour coded updates for instant visibility. These are just some examples of how our boards are further customised to meet your needs. We do this because, above all, they are made to work for you.

Increase functionality of your 6S board

So choose to display 6S information using our range of self-locating document holders, in A4, A3, A5 or US sizes. In addition, track and monitor progress with real time updates by adding status indicator sliders, meters or dials. Consequently, make targets and status visible and accessible.

6S Performance Tracker Board
Add document holders and status indicators to your 6S board

Related Resources and Case Studies

5S and 6S Boards Ideas Gallery

6S Board

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Cleaning Station

6S performance tracker

Housekeeping performance tracker

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Options and accessories

Our Approach

Most importantly, we make visual management boards everyday. As a result, we have so much experience. Furthermore, we work for organisations throughout the UK. Likewise, in Europe and America. Similarly, we support businesses in a range of sectors.  Firstly, food production. Secondly, utilities and transport. In addition, pharmaceuticals, education and healthcare. Furthermore, logistics and distribution. Above all, our team works with a simple idea or sketch you have. Subsequently, we custom make you a professional visual management display. As a result, we custom make you a highly functional visual management board. We offer options so we make the perfect board for you. So, here are a few examples. Firstly, for instance, we add magnetic areas. Similarly, a dry wipe (dry erase) finish. Furthermore, choose status indicators. in addition, board accessories. Therefore, quickly update your board. Above all, in a visual way. In short, make your processes visible. similarly, accessible. Most importantly, at a glance. These are just some examples of the ways in which we meet your needs. Read further visual management resources articles. Similarly, visual management case studies.

Discuss your custom visual management project further, because we deliver…