3 Great Resources for Learning About Lean October 25 2016

There is a lot of information out there about 5S, what it is, and how it will benefit you and your company to implement this system of organization. Beyond knowing the roots of 5S, there is so much more beyond the basics to learn before you can find exactly how to make this system work for you.


Thankfully, there are quite a few 5S and Lean management experts sharing their wealth of knowledge on the internet, so you can compare and contrast different styles of fostering an environment dedicated to 5S and continuous improvement. From bloggers, to YouTube instructors, to official government web sites, you will be able to learn enough on your own to bring back information to your team.

1. A Lean Journey is a web site from Tim McMahon, dedicated as a source for learning and reflecting on the crucial aspects that comprise Lean management. This blog is written mostly by McMahon, who has over 10 years of experience in Lean manufacturing, though there are regular contributors to his publication, as well.

The blog began in 2009 and has well over 500 catalogued articles, giving you a deep archive of resources for sifting through and locating any type of information you may need relating to 5S, Lean management, visual standards, and much more.

2. The Gemba Academy on YouTube offers a channel for you to subscribe to and learn about the facets of 5S and Lean management, and how these efforts will benefit you and your organization. Ranging between 3 minutes and nearly an hour long, each video gives new information to those seeking to learn more about 5S, Lean, and kaizen.

Many of the videos on the Gemba Academy channel are summarizations of how-tos for implementing different elements of 5S and Lean management, particularly in terms of visual organization.

3. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) devotes an entire section of their web site to Lean manufacturing. They include a concise run-down on all types of Lean thinking methods, including kaizen, 5S, cellular manufacturing, kanban, six sigma, and others. This is a particularly useful resource for all 5S beginners, especially in the explanation of the 5S pillars: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.

Being a resource on the EPA web site, there is also an inclusion of the implications for environmental benefits and shortcomings as a result of implementing 5S. Going green will be much easier with a full understanding of how 5S impacts these efforts.

What are some of your resources for finding Lean tips? Comment here, or find us on Twitter @FloorTapeStore!