Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#20, 21/11/2022

Module 3B Preparation Quiz Results for Tong Ai

Linh
Score for this attempt: 7 out of 7
Submitted Nov 14 at 11:36pm
This attempt took 15 minutes.

1 / 1 pts
Question 1

The two pictures below show us what happens when we pool servers
& when we decrease the variability.

From these pictures we can clearly see that:

Pooling servers increases the average inventory in a similar fashion

as increasing the variability

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Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#20, 21/11/2022

Pooling servers increases the average inventory in a similar fashion

as decreasing the variability

Pooling servers reduces the average inventory in a similar fashion as

increasing the variability

Correct!
Pooling servers reduces the average inventory in a similar fashion as
reducing the variability

Correct! As more servers are pooled, it becomes increasingly less

possible that one server sits idle while another is facing a queue.
This leads to less inventory in the queue (and lower waiting times)
in a similar fashion as reducing the variability in the system (recall
that even a utilization of 80% could result in large queues when
there is a lot of variability, while at 0 variability a utilization of 80%
would see no queues whatsoever).

1 / 1 pts
Question 2

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Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#20, 21/11/2022

The two pictures below show us what happens when we pool servers
& when we decrease the variability.

Let's say that we are in a system with 10 un-pooled servers and a

variability factor of 1 and we currently have an average inventory in
the queue of 4 since we have a utilization of 80%. If we want to cut
the average inventory in the queue in half, then what should we do?

Pool all servers

Correct! Create five sets of 2 pooled servers

Correct! If we were to do this, then we pool 2 servers (five times)

so we move from the blue line with a "1" on it to the pink line with
a "2" on it. Since pooling does nothing to the utilization, we simply
move straight down from the 4 on the y-axis to the 2 on the y-
axis, effectively having cut the average inventory in half!

Cut the variability by a factor of 10

Create 2 sets of 5 pooled servers

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1 / 1 pts
Question 3

Grocery stores have been moving from cashiers to self checkout. In

The Netherlands, one supermarket is taking this to extremes - watch
the video and answer the question.

Albert Heijn to go I Tap to Go (English)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUrPaWjJmE)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUrPaWjJmE)

While the shoppers' opinions vary on self checkout, self checkout

does mitigate the curse of variability to some extent - which is it?

Less customer cursing

Correct! Pooling multiple queues into one

Indeed! Usually there are 4-8 self checkout "stations" after a

single line (and with only a single attendant). This means multiple
queues have been pooled into one, which mitigates waiting times.

Lower variability in processing times

Lower average processing times

1 / 1 pts
Question 4

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Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#21, 21/11/2022

This question is based on Chapter 7 The OM triangle in

healthcare.pdf
(https://vinuni.instructure.com/courses/997/files/131415?wrap=1)
(https://vinuni.instructure.com/courses/997/files/131415/download?
download_frd=1)

The Appendix (https://vinuni.instructure.com/courses/997/files/131420?

wrap=1)
(https://vinuni.instructure.com/courses/997/files/131420/download?
download_frd=1) provides the thorough theoretical basis for the OM
triangle.

Let's say that you are currently operating close to the

inventory corner on the OM Triangle and you want to get
away from there. What could you do?

Correct!
Invest in more Capacity

Increase the variability in the service times

Stop collecting Information as this increases the utilization

Increase the Utilization

1 / 1 pts
Question 5

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Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#21, 21/11/2022

Ah, the Triangle! Watch & answer!

So we know where a Fire Station should locate itself on the OM

Triangle, but how about eBay?

Correct!
Close to the Information corner

That's right! They barely hold any inventory, and they have
servers/staff that are working at high utilization (i.e., not close to
the Capacity corner). Also, they are working with low variability in
demand - that is, even though the types of products that you can
buy there vary greatly, the process behind all of them is very
stable! Therefore, they are operating close to the Information
corner.

Close to the Inventory corner

Close to the Capacity corner

The OM Triangle doesn't apply to eBay since they don't make

anything

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1 / 1 pts
Question 6

The picture below shows how the OM Triangle can be derived from
the Waiting Time formula (where in this case the Inventory is shown
on the y-axis, which is similar to the Waiting Time, as we know from
Little's Law that I = RT, so I ~ T).

Let's say that your process is currently positioned somewhere on the

triangle (doesn't matter exactly where), and you have just purchased
a wonderful IT system with lots of data that gives you far more
insights into when demand arrives and how long it takes you to
satisfy this demand. If you were to re-position your process on the
triangle accordingly, then in which direction would you move?

Left

Could be in any direction, it depends on where you were to begin with

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Up

Correct! Down

Correct - this IT system represents more Information (i.e., there is

now less variability), so you move down the "variability" curves.
The IT system has no impact on the utilization, so you do not
move to the left, and you certainly do not need more inventory
based on this additional information (so you do not move up).

1 / 1 pts
Question 7

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Tong Ai Linh's Quiz History: Module 3B Preparation Quiz 01#21, 21/11/2022

The picture below shows how the OM Triangle can be derived from
the Waiting Time formula (where in this case the Inventory is shown
on the y-axis, which is similar to the Waiting Time, as we know from
Little's Law that I = RT, so I ~ T).

Let's say that your process is currently positioned somewhere on the

triangle (doesn't matter exactly where), and you have just received a
great deal on new machines which are much cheaper than the ones
you are currently using (and are in need of replacement). If you were
to re-position your process on the triangle accordingly, then in which
direction would you move?

Left (and perhaps up a bit as well)

Could be in any direction, it depends on where you were to begin with

Correct!
Left (and perhaps down a bit as well)

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Correct! Cheaper machines represent a reduction in cost of

capacity, so you can now increase your capacity relatively
cheaply. When you increase the capacity, the utilization
decreases, so you move left. This might also mean that you move
away (i.e., DOWN) from the inventory corner somewhat since you
do not need as much inventory when you have so much capacity.

Down (and perhaps to the right as well)

Quiz Score: 7 out of 7

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