In the 5S method, what does Sort aim to do?

• A. Eliminate what is not required
• B. Set in order or arrange items to be accessible and visible
• C. Clean everything and keep it clean
• D. Standardize processes across teams

Answer: (A)

Sort aims to remove anything that isn’t needed. In this first step, you review everything in the workspace and decide what is essential for current operations, discarding or relocating the rest. This unclutters the area, frees space, and makes it easier to see what truly matters for the work being done. Once the unnecessary items are eliminated, the remaining items can be organized (set in order) so they are easy to access, cleaned and kept tidy (shine), and standardized so the improvements stick across the area.