Project Management 5s

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

The Kansas City Country Club is one of the oldest clubs west of the Mississippi. Our current Clubhouse was built in 1926 and has seen a number of changes, renovations, and iterations through the years.
As a result, the efficiency or lack thereof, in our back of house areas was one of the first things our Facilities Director noticed upon starting at the Club. Similar items were not together, labeling was poor, and finding things when you needed them most was an ongoing challenge. Furthermore, space was poorly utilized and storage was difficult in some cases.
To combat these issues, the facilities department introduced and championed a project management initiative often used in manufacturing known as 5S. The five S’s are:
1. Sort
2. Set in Order
3. Shine
4. Standardize
5. Sustain
Our process was straightforward. We began by taking everything out of various storage areas and sorting them. During the sorting process, we created a red tag space where items not regularly used were separated. Those items would either be thrown away, disposed of, donated, or picked up by another department for their use. Once sorted, we installed new shelving where cabinets once were. Shelves are more efficient uses of space and prevent items from being out of sight, out of mind.
Next, we standardized the location of items going back into storage and cleaned them as needed. Labeling those items came next to ensure there was no question about what belonged in the space.
Finally, the staff was tasked with sustaining our new areas. Regular inspections from management and our facilities department take place to hold one another to account for our standards, and make certain we do not get back into a habit of disorganization.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

We have seen an incredible return on this program thus far. We have discovered office supplies, parts, tools, glassware, dishes, and many other items we had no memory or record of having already in our inventory. This prevents unnecessary purchases of items or duplicates that already exist. The other benefit is an incredible amount of space opened to utilize more efficiently. We were able to eliminate a number of storage areas entirely or reallocate them for different purposes.