Comments on: 5S for Email http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:40:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Harish http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4472 Harish Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:01:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4472 Dear Mr. Flinchbaugh,<br/><br/>Thank you for your kind reply. I hope I did not come off in the wrong way.<br/><br/>Sincerely,<br/><br/>Harish Dear Mr. Flinchbaugh,

Thank you for your kind reply. I hope I did not come off in the wrong way.

Sincerely,

Harish

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]]> By: Jamie Flinchbaugh http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4465 Jamie Flinchbaugh Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:49:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4465 Would it be nice if everyone used the same translation? Absolutely. But considering many have used the translations they have for 20 years, it is pretty difficult to get millions of people to agree to one standard when they have been using another already.<br/><br/>Worry about what the step is, not what you call it. The words are never as important as the work itself.<br/><br/>Within an organization, you should have one standard. But this still shouldn't get in the way of progress. I have seen many companies where different sites started their efforts independently. They started with different language. Once they tried to get together and use a common language, they had a really hard time changing what people were used to considering they have a couple of years into it. It proved to be much letter to leave it alone than force people to use different words for the same thing. Would it be nice if everyone used the same translation? Absolutely. But considering many have used the translations they have for 20 years, it is pretty difficult to get millions of people to agree to one standard when they have been using another already.

Worry about what the step is, not what you call it. The words are never as important as the work itself.

Within an organization, you should have one standard. But this still shouldn’t get in the way of progress. I have seen many companies where different sites started their efforts independently. They started with different language. Once they tried to get together and use a common language, they had a really hard time changing what people were used to considering they have a couple of years into it. It proved to be much letter to leave it alone than force people to use different words for the same thing.

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]]> By: Harish Jose http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4464 Harish Jose Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:38:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4464 Dear Mr. Flinchbaugh,<br/><br/>You said "Anyway you slice, you still need to follow that basic sequence." Can you please clarify? I was told that Hirano's 5 pillars book has the most accurate translation for the five Japanese words. Ohno also talks about the 5s (or 4s) in his Workplace Management. <br/><br/>Why should there be different versions for 5S especially when the fourth S stands for standardize?<br/><br/>-Harish Dear Mr. Flinchbaugh,

You said “Anyway you slice, you still need to follow that basic sequence.” Can you please clarify? I was told that Hirano’s 5 pillars book has the most accurate translation for the five Japanese words. Ohno also talks about the 5s (or 4s) in his Workplace Management.

Why should there be different versions for 5S especially when the fourth S stands for standardize?

-Harish

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]]> By: Jamie Flinchbaugh http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4448 Jamie Flinchbaugh Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:43:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4448 Don't worry about semantics. They are basically made up words to begin with and then when they get translated while remaining "S" words there are many different versions. But you have to know what to keep and get rid of before getting rid of the bad stuff, and you have to get rid of the bad stuff before you begin to organize it. Anyway you slice, you still need to follow that basic sequence. Don’t worry about semantics. They are basically made up words to begin with and then when they get translated while remaining “S” words there are many different versions. But you have to know what to keep and get rid of before getting rid of the bad stuff, and you have to get rid of the bad stuff before you begin to organize it. Anyway you slice, you still need to follow that basic sequence.

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]]> By: Harish Jose http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4447 Harish Jose Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:25:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4447 Greetings,<br/><br/>I have a quick question about the order of events in the 5S. My belief was that it was 1) Sort, 2) Set and then 3) Sweep. But I see that you have changed the order. I have seen this format elsewhere too. I am curious about this. <br/><br/>Thanks,<br/><br/>Harish Jose Greetings,

I have a quick question about the order of events in the 5S. My belief was that it was 1) Sort, 2) Set and then 3) Sweep. But I see that you have changed the order. I have seen this format elsewhere too. I am curious about this.

Thanks,

Harish Jose

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]]> By: Dan Markovitz http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4366 Dan Markovitz Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:04:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4366 Jamie,<br/><br/>One of the issues I struggle with in applying 5S to email is the fact that Google Desktop or Windows Desktop Search can now find any email within .03 seconds. That capability raises the question of where there's more muda: in organizing/sorting/filtering/deleting email, or in just dumping it into a big pile.<br/><br/>In keeping with 5S, of course, getting rid of waste is critical. But increasingly, the effort to 5S the inbox is rendered pointless by these powerful search tools.<br/><br/>I may be overstating the case, but I'm coming to believe that the really important rule is to *process* all the incoming mail (do, delegate, designate, or delete), and then not worry about where it lives after that. Jamie,

One of the issues I struggle with in applying 5S to email is the fact that Google Desktop or Windows Desktop Search can now find any email within .03 seconds. That capability raises the question of where there’s more muda: in organizing/sorting/filtering/deleting email, or in just dumping it into a big pile.

In keeping with 5S, of course, getting rid of waste is critical. But increasingly, the effort to 5S the inbox is rendered pointless by these powerful search tools.

I may be overstating the case, but I’m coming to believe that the really important rule is to *process* all the incoming mail (do, delegate, designate, or delete), and then not worry about where it lives after that.

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]]> By: Jamie Flinchbaugh http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4364 Jamie Flinchbaugh Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:57:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4364 Congratulations on recognizing the need and taking the time to explicitly communicate WHY. I think this is something most companies miss. They miss it up front, and they miss it in the continued support of successful 5S, and they miss it when trying to troubleshoot why a 5S program isn't working. Congratulations on recognizing the need and taking the time to explicitly communicate WHY. I think this is something most companies miss. They miss it up front, and they miss it in the continued support of successful 5S, and they miss it when trying to troubleshoot why a 5S program isn’t working.

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]]> By: Rick Foreman http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4363 Rick Foreman Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:50:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4363 We've seen how tough it can be to change a culture and not get folks to throw the "baby out with the bath water," as the old saying goes. In a business where accurate communication and timely feedback are critical, the need to de-clutter, while having information and items at point of use is huge. In 09 we're going to continue focusing on communicating the "why" behind our 6S program, which you have described perfectly in the post. Clean to be clean is muda in itself. Clean and structued to respond quickly to what internal and external customers need is important. We’ve seen how tough it can be to change a culture and not get folks to throw the “baby out with the bath water,” as the old saying goes. In a business where accurate communication and timely feedback are critical, the need to de-clutter, while having information and items at point of use is huge. In 09 we’re going to continue focusing on communicating the “why” behind our 6S program, which you have described perfectly in the post. Clean to be clean is muda in itself. Clean and structued to respond quickly to what internal and external customers need is important.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4359 Anonymous Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:56:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4359 EMail is a big distraction in our business. To that end I only open my mailbox 3 times a day. When I first get to work, just before lunch and just before I go home. Each time I open it I process 'all' EMails in my Inbox following the 'do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it' principle. <br/>Check out Merlin Mann's work at 43 folders http://www.43folders.com/2005/02/15/five-fast-email-productivity-tips some of which is available on utube.<br/><br/>Tom EMail is a big distraction in our business. To that end I only open my mailbox 3 times a day. When I first get to work, just before lunch and just before I go home. Each time I open it I process ‘all’ EMails in my Inbox following the ‘do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it’ principle.
Check out Merlin Mann’s work at 43 folders http://www.43folders.com/2005/02/15/five-fast-email-productivity-tips some of which is available on utube.

Tom

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]]> By: Jamie Flinchbaugh http://www.leanblog.org/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4356 Jamie Flinchbaugh Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:54:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2009/01/5s-for-email/#comment-4356 I think Getting Things Done is a fantastic book - thank you for sharing. It certainly goes beyond personal 5S but the point around the clutter that 5S solves is clear - clutter causes distraction. I think Getting Things Done is a fantastic book – thank you for sharing. It certainly goes beyond personal 5S but the point around the clutter that 5S solves is clear – clutter causes distraction.

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