Getting started with the 6Ss

  • Published
  • By Micah Garbarino
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFNS) --  Saving time and working more efficiently should be the goal of any large organization, especially one trusted with the nation's safety and tax dollars. To live up to their own high standards, Air Force officials enacted Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century.

Part of AFSO 21 is 6S, a model that encourages order in the workplace for a variety of reasons, benefiting efficiency. In an effort to easily explain the process, we will apply the steps to a fictional model called The Garage Project. 

The garage is a mess. Bikes, lawn mowers, old cabinets, disorganized toolboxes, seasonal decorations and things that haven't been seen for years, are all thrown together in a puzzle of epic proportions. Nothing can be found. If it is found, it may be unreachable through the mess. If it is reachable, it may be broken or too old to use. The mess is overwhelming. Where to start? What does 6S say?

Sort: 

This is where the mess gets pulled out, taking stock of everything that has piled up. The boxes of files that have been sitting there for 15 years? Shred them. The old bike tires that should have been patched last summer? Recycle them. That tool for the kitchen sink? Set it aside. Label items that are needed for the future. It will make it easier to find and put away when the garage is finally organized. Keep only necessary items. Basically, this is where tough decisions need to be made, separating the necessary from the unnecessary. Recycle, have a yard sale or give to charity.

Straighten: 

Now that all the junk has been cleared out of the garage, it's time for the part that a "Type A" would love: organize, label and shelve. Remember that tool needed for the kitchen sink? Label it and put it in a tool box. Once the other things are in the toolbox, on the shelves and the floor-space is organized and labeled, take a step back and look at where to put the big stuff. Think about how you move around the garage, where to put the things that you use most often. The organization should be visual and intuitive. Think about making things easy for other family members to find and use if you're not around to help them.

Shine: 

So now that all the junk is gone and all the usable stuff is out of the way, it's easy to see how filthy the place has become. There are cobwebs hanging in the corners, empty drink bottles are on the floor along with dust and bolts and pieces of wood and metal. After a good sweeping, things are looking better, but there are other things that need attention. The windows need cleaning, sawdust has encrusted parts on the table saw, the shelves could stand a new coat of paint. Once the place has had a face lift, it's easier to take pride in and make sure it stays that way. 

Standardize: 

Now that the place is clean and organized, it's time to make sure everyone is on the same page. After all, it takes more than one person to mess up a garage. It's going to take more than one person to make sure it stays in top form. If you're the only person who knows where everything is supposed to go, it won' stay organized for long. Call a family meeting in the garage. Go over the new set-up. Explain why you put things where they are, and come up with a diagram or chart that will be easy for everyone to reference. This will make items easy for anyone to locate. It also will make it easy to see when things are out of place and anyone who sees that will be able to put them right again.

Sustain: 

Keeping things straight is the hardest part. No matter how hard you try, things seem to follow the path of the natural world, proceeding from order into disorder. First, it's a wrench out of place and then a ladder not put away properly. Soon you're crashing through a disorganized heap, looking for a tire pump while a child with a flat bike-tire cries in the driveway. Set a schedule to go and inspect the garage. Take time to look things over and make adjustments where needed. If you're only in the garage when you're in a hurry, trying to get something done, chances are you'll leave a mess. Move beyond the garage by taking the steps applied here and use them in another area of the house. This will lead to a change in culture and pretty soon clutter won't be the norm any more.

Safety:

This is the most important step in any process and cannot stand on its own, but should weave into every other step. Think about safety as you are making improvements to the garage. Should the gas can sit next to the hot-water heater? Do I really need anchors for this new shelf? No-brainers. While time-savings and increased efficiency are the goal of any successful organization project, neither should be accomplished at the expense of safety. Think about the positioning of equipment in relation to one another. Is there clearance? Is there room to walk without tripping?

Hopefully this model made the simple steps of 6S more clear. Maybe your real garage will some day be as clean and functional as your imaginary garage. With the steps of 6S it is a very real possibility. It is also the goal of this program to ensure that every employee understands the steps and are able to apply them to their workplaces. This will ensure that the Air Force stays efficient, responsible and competitive in an ever-changing world.


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