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Technical Note 4

Learning Curves

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OBJECTIVES
 Underlying Principles of Learning
Curves
 Learning Curve Example
 Types of Learning
 From Learning Curves to

Performance Improvement

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Underlying Principles of Learning

Curves
1. Each time you perform a task it
takes less time than the last time
you performed the same task
2. The extent of task time decreases
over time
3. The reduction in time will follow a
predictable pattern

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Example of a Learning Curve

Suppose
Supposeyouyoustart
startaa Term Time (in
term
termpaper
papertyping
typing paper Minutes)
business.
business. You
Youtime
time
yourself 100
yourselfon
onthe
thefirst
first
paper, 1
paper,then
thenthe
thesecond,
second, 90
and
andso
soon.
on. 2
84.62
Note
Notethat
thatonly
only9090ofof 3
81.00
100
100minutes
minutesareareused
used 4
in
inthe
thesecond
second 78.30
repetition.
repetition. This
Thisis
is an
an 5
76.16
example
exampleof of aa90%
90% 6
learning
learningcurve.
curve.
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Plotting the All

All learning
learning curves
curves have
have this
this
Learning downward
downward sloping
sloping curve.
curve.
Curve
90 % Learning Curve

120
100
Time(Minutes)
Production

80
60
40
20
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Unit

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Types of Learning

 Individual Learning
Improvement when individuals gain a
skill or efficiency by repetition of a job

 Organizational Learning
Improvement from the groups of
individuals from repetition and changes
in administration, equipment, and
product design

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From Learning Curves to Performance

Improvement (Part 1)

 Proper selection of workers

 Proper training
 Motivation
 Work specialization
 Do one or very few jobs at a time

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From Learning Curves to

Performance Improvement (Part 2)

 Use tools or equipment that

assists or supports performance
 Provide quick and easy access for
help
 Allow workers to help redesign
their tasks
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Question Bowl
Learning improvement that takes
place when people repeat a process
and gain skill or efficiency from their
own experience can be characterized
by which of following terms?
a. Organizational learning
b. Individual learning
c. Knowledge learning Answer:
d. All of the above b. Individual
e. None of the above learning

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Question Bowl
The first time a student types up a 15
page term paper it takes 40 minutes.
The second time the student types up
a term paper it only takes 36 minutes.
What “unit improvement factor”
learning curve should be used in this
example?
a. 95%
b. 0.4564
c. 90%
Answer:
d. 88% c. 90% (36/40)
e. None of the above

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Question Bowl
Use the “Unit Improvement Factor” table
for this problem. If it takes 1 hour to
complete the 1st repetition a job and a
75% learning curve applies to this
situation, what is the expected time of
the 40th repetition of this job?
a. 0.2163
b. 20 minutes Answer:
c. 12.978 minutes c. 12.978 minutes
d. 40 minutes (0.2163x60 minutes)
e. None of the above

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Question Bowl
Use the “Unit Improvement Factor”
table for this problem. If it takes 20
minutes to perform a brake job on an
automobile the 1st time and a 95%
learning curve applies to this situation,
what is the expected time of the 100th
repetition of this job?
a. 15.533 minutes
b. 14.224 minutes
c. 13.978 minutes Answer:
d. 10 minutes
e. None of the above b. 14.224 minutes
(0.7112x20 minutes)

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End of Technical
Note 4

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