METHODS, STANDARDS & WORK DESIGN: AN INTRODUCTION

Productivity Importance
Business and enterprise can grow and increase its profitability by increasing its productivity Fundamental tools that result in increased productivity are: methods, time study standards (work measurement), and work design

Applicability of Methods, Standards and Work Design (MS and WD):

All aspects of business/industry such as stores, hotels, hospitals, banks, airlines, government, etc Sales, finance, production, engineering, cost, maintenance, and management. Considered by most as applicable to only the production function.

Background
If the production department is the heart of an industry then methods, standards, and work design is the heart of production. This function determines how competitive a product/company will become. Who performs this analysis? Engineers, OA, psychologists, HR, supervisors, and workers.

The objective of the manager of MS and WD:

Combining the lowest possible production cost with maximum employee satisfaction, w/o sacrificing worksplace safetyWD Includes: Designing, creating, and selecting the best manufacturing methods and processes, tools, equipment, and training workers to produce a desired product/serviceMS

Organization Chart

Overall Approach to the Application of Method Engineering and Time Study:

Identify the problem Break job down into operations Analyze each for most economical method (consider Ergo/Safety) Apply proper time values Place method in service Follow up for adjustments/changes

Methods Engineering
AKA: OA, work design, re-engineering, productivity improvement (increased production/unit time or decrease cost/unit) Primary responsibility: Design and develop Work Center (WC) where product will be produced Secondary responsibility: Continually restudy WCs to find a better way!

Systematic Approach
To develop a work center, produce a product, or provide a service used by methods engineers Select the project Retrieve, format and present data Analyze data Develop method Present and install method Develop a job analysis Establish time standards Follow up

Work Design
Fit the task and work station to the operator (Ergonomics) Overly simplifying procedures result in machinelike repetitive tasks leading to increased rates of workrelated musculoskeletal disorders Method Engineers must incorporate ergonomics and safety considerations into the development / restructure of new or existing methods

Standards
End result of time study or work measurement Establishes an allowed time to perform a given task, based on measurable results Considers allowances for fatigue, personal, and unavoidable delays

Historical Perspective
Taylor is considered the father of modern time studies in the USA Breaks up work assignments into tasks known as elements Many standards were based on supervisors guess or inflated to show false gains within the department

History (cont.)
Congress basically restricts time study work until ban lifted in 1949 Gilbreaths are founders of modern motion study (micromotion) 1917 Gantt develops charts to show project schedules for war time shipbuilding 1957 HFS founded in USA