Industrial Engineering (IE) Core Concept on time study is used in the manufacturing production line to measure the productivity of the workers. This method indeed can be easily applied in our daily activities as well to help increase our productivity without stress. No expensive software or engaging highly paid consultant for data analysis is required. It just needs a basic function stop watch and your curiosity to find the constraint!
3 Simple Steps Time Studies (Let's call it 3SS)
1st S: Find out time spent each station process steps and time spent
2nd S: Put each of the station process step and its time side by side to compare. Which one takes the longer?
3rd S: Re-shuffle activities from the longer time station to the less one.
Sound too simple to be true? Let's take a demo of 3SS at a sandwich shop where customers queue up in front of the counter to place order with 2-3 workers to serve behind the bar.
3 Simple Steps ( 3SS) is as easy as 123
3SS#1: Find out time spent for each station process steps
Worker#1 / Step# Activities Time taken ( 80 seconds)
1/1 Take and cut the bread
1/2 Place slices of cheese and sausages
1/3 Heat up the sandwich in oven
1/4 Remove from oven & pass to next station
Worker#2 / Step# Activities Time taken ( 60 - 120 seconds)
2/1 Add types of vegetables
2/2 Add types of sauces
2/3 Wrap sandwich with wrapping paper
Worker#3 / Step# Activities Time taken ( 15 - 60 seconds)
3/1 Check with customer if there is other order to add
3/2 Prepare additional order if there is
3/3 Inform customer the total amount
3/4 Process payment
3/5 Put orders and napkins into the bag
3SS#2: Put each of the station time side by side to compare. Which one takes the longer?
Worker #2 and #3 normally deals with more variables. Take the longest as the time reference if the sandwich shop customers' preference profile is trending to more ingredients and more sauces, more special request. Now the adjusted times are:
Worker#1 - 80 seconds
Worker#2 -120 seconds (Worker #2 is the longest - constraint location found!)
Worker#3 - 60 seconds
3SS#3:Re-shuffle activitiesfrom the longer time station to the less one
In order to reshuffle the activities from the longest/ constraint station, we will analyze what are the activities can be shifted/ modified or simplified. It is easier to further break down in the next level details for worker#2 as follow.
Worker#2 /Step# Activities Time taken (seconds)
2/1 Add types of vegetables (45)
2/2 Add types of sauces (55)
2/3 Wrap sandwich with wrapping paper (20)
After the re-shuffling: The stations and time is as follow:
Worker#1 /Step# Activities Time taken (80 seconds) No Change in time
1/1 Take and cut the bread
1/2 Place slices of cheese and sausages
1/3 Heat up the sandwich in oven
1/4 Remove from oven & pass to next station
Worker#2 /Step# Activities Time taken (100 seconds) Move process 2/3 to worker#3
2/1 Add types of vegetables
2/2 Add types of sauces
Worker#3 /Step# Activities Time taken (80 seconds) Add in process 2/3 to worker#3
3/1 Wrap sandwich with wrapping paper
3/2 Check with customer if there is other order to add
3/3 Prepare additional order if there is
3/4 Inform customer the total amount
3/5 Process payment
3/6 Put orders and napkins into the bag
Balancing the activities, not simply add resource
This simple 3SS is now completed. The gaps among 3 workers are narrower.
See Productivity Summary
Old set up New Set Up
Workers process time 80/120/60 seconds 80/100/80 seconds
Bottle neck 120 seconds 100 seconds
Unit made/hour 3600/120 =30 3600/100 = 36
Above shows clear results that the shop owner needs not invest additional workers or stations to make customer happy. Customers get their order in shorter time because the time spent in queue is shortened.. Repeat this 3SS whenever there are changes in the work activities.
Sharing this tip is not to diminish the professionalism and contribution of Industrial Engineers, but this is an Industrial Engineering concept which is easily and conveniently applicable to many daily encounters. Anyone can take advantage to reduce the wastage and improve the customers' satisfaction through this self-check method. While hiring a full time Industrial Engineer or engaging a professional consultant may not be cost effective for certain circumstances or organizations, especially for small business, this type of method will bridge and balance the cost versus needs. It makes this scientific Industrial Engineering method easy to use while no workers are to increase their speed for higher productivity. Best, it can be done at anytime at practically no cost.
Besides at workplace, extend these to daily household or casual activities is easy too. Can you think of some? For example: cooking - how many burners needed? Mind to share more ideas?
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yee_Sthong
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7136746
No comments:
Post a Comment