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Method Study is the systematic recording and critical examination of ways of doing
things in order to make improvements.
METHOD STUDY
Method study is the process of subjecting work to systematic, critical scrutiny in order to
make it more effective and/or more efficient.
It was originally designed for the analysis and improvement of repetitive, manual work,
but it can be used for all types of activity at all levels of an organisation.
The process is often seen as a linear, described by its main steps of:
- Select (the work to be studied).
- Record (all relevant information about that work).
- Examine (the recorded information).
Thus, the Install phase is very important. Making theoretical change is easy; making real
change demands careful planning - and handling of the people involved in the situation
under review. They may need reassuring, retraining and supporting through the
acquisition of new skills. Install, in some cases, will require a parallel running of old and
new systems, in others, it may need the build-up of buffer stocks, and in others ..... what
matters is that the introduction of new working methods is successful. There is often
only one chance to make change!
Some time after the introduction of new working methods, it is necessary to check that
the new method is working, that it is being adhered to, and that it has brought about the
desired results. This is the Maintain phase. Method drift is common - when people start to
either revert to old ways of working, or introduce new changes. Some of these may be
helpful (and should formally be incorporated); others may be inefficient or unsafe. A
methods audit can be used to formally compare practice with the defined method and
identify such 'irregularities'.
TIME STUDY
Time study is a structured process of directly observing and measuring (using a timing
device) human work in order to establish the time required for completion of the work by
a qualified worker when working at a defined level of performance.
It follows the basic procedure of systematic work measurement of :
analysis (of the work into small, easily-measurable components or elements);
measurement (of those components); and
synthesis (from those measured components to arrive at a time for the complete job).
The observer first undertakes preliminary observation of the work (a pilot study) to
identify suitable elements which can be clearly recognised on subsequent occasions and
are convenient, in terms of their length, for measurement.
Subsequent studies are taken during which the observer times each occurrence of each
element (using a stopwatch or other timing device) while at the same time making an
assessment of the worker's rate of working on an agreed rating scale. (One of the prime
reasons for measuring elements of work, rather than the work as a whole is to facilitate
the process of rating. The rate at which a worker works will vary over time; if elements
are carefully selected, the rate of working should be consistent for the relatively short
duration of the element. More information on rating is given within the entry on work
measurement.) This assessment of rating is used to convert the observed time for the
element into a basic time - a process referred to as "extension". It is essential that a time
study observer has been properly trained in the technique and especially in rating.
Time study, when properly undertaken, involves the use of specific control mechanisms
to ensure that timing errors are within acceptable limits. Increasingly, timing is by
electronic devices rather than by mechanical stopwatch; some of these devices also assist
in subsequent stages of the study by carrying out the process of "extending" or converting
observed times into basic times.
The number of cycles that should be observed depends on the variability in the work and
the level of accuracy required. Since time study is essentially a sampling technique in
which the value of the time required for the job is based on the observed times for a
sample of observations, it is possible using statistical techniques to estimate the number
of observations required under specific conditions. This total number of observations
should be taken over a range of conditions (where these are variable) and, where possible,
on a range of workers.
Once a basic time for each element has been determined, allowances are added (for
example, to allow the worker to recover from the physical and mental effects of carrying
out the work) to derive a standard time.
Time study is a very flexible technique, suitable for a wide range of work performed
under a wide range of conditions, although it is difficult to time jobs with very short cycle
times (of a few seconds). Because it is a direct observation technique, it takes account of
specific and special conditions but it does rely on the use of the subjective process of
rating. However, if properly carried out it produces consistent results and it is widely
used. Additionally, the use of electronic data capture devices and personal computers for
analysis makes it much more cost effective than previously.
WORK MEASUREMENT
Work measurement is the process of establishing the time that a given task would take
when performed by a qualified worker working at a defined level of performance.
There are various ways in which work may be measured and a variety of techniques have
been established. The basic procedure, irrespective of the particular measurement
technique being used, consists of three stages ;
? an analysis phase in which the job is divided into convenient, discrete components,
commonly known as elements;
? a measurement phase in which the specific measurement technique is used to establish
the time required (by a qualified worker working at a defined level of performance) to
complete each element of work;
? a synthesis phase in which the various elemental times are added, together with
appropriate allowances (see below), to construct the standard time for the complete job.
The techniques used to measure work can be classified into those that rely on direct
observation of the work, and those that do not. For example, some techniques, such as
predetermined motion-time systems and the use of synthetic or standard data can provide
times from simulation or even visualisation of the work. However, the data on which
such techniques are based were almost certainly based on earlier observation of actual
work.
Rating
Direct observation techniques (such as time study and analytical estimating) include a
process for converting observed times to times for the "qualified worker working at a
defined level of performance." The commonest of these processes is known as rating.
This involves the observer (after appropriate training) making an assessment of the
worker's rate of working relative to the observer's concept of the rate corresponding to
standard rating. This assessment is based on the factors involved in the work - such as
effort, dexterity, speed of movement, and consistency. The assessment is made on a rating
scale, of which there are three or four in common usage. Thus on the 0-100 scale, the
observer makes a judgement of the worker's rate of working as a percentage of the
standard rate of working (100).
The rating is then used (in a process known as "extension" in time study) to convert the
observed time to the basic time using the simple formula:
Basic time = observed time x observed rating/standard rating
Rating is regarded by many as a controversial area of measurement since it is a subjective
assessment. Where different observers rate differently, the resulting basic times are not
comparable. However, practised rating practitioners are remarkably consistent. It is
important that those undertaking the rating are properly trained, and that this training is
regularly updated (to maintain a common perception of standard rating) through rating
'clinics'.
Allowances
When carrying out work over a complete shift or working day, workers obviously suffer
from the fatigue imposed both by the work undertaken and the conditions under which
they are working. The normal practice is to make an addition to the basic time
(commonly referred to as an "allowance") to allow the worker to recover from this
fatigue and to attend to personal needs. The amount of the allowance depends on the
nature of the work and the working environment, and is often assessed using an agreed
set of guidelines and scales.
It is usual to allow some of the recovery period inherent in these allowances to be taken
away from the workplace (and it is essential in adverse working conditions). Thus, work
design should include the design of an effective work-rest regime. The addition of
allowances should never be used to compensate for an unsafe or unhealthy working
environment.
One minority school of thought suggests that relaxation allowances are unnecessary. With
work which involves, say, the carrying of heavy weights, this school suggests that the
observer automatically adjusts the concept of standard rating to allow for the weight.
Thus, if the standard rate of performance for walking on level ground carrying no weight
is equivalent to four miles per hour, then an observer rating a worker walking while
carrying a weight will not expect the equivalent rate. Thus, it is argued that the weight
has been allowed for in the adjustment of standard rating and any relaxation allowance is
simply a duplication of this adjustment.
In many jobs there are small amounts of work that may occur irregularly and
inconsistently. It is often not economic to measure such infrequent work and an additional
allowance is added to cover such work and similar irregular delays. This allowance is
known as a contingency allowance and is assessed either by observation, by analysis of
historical records (for such items as tool sharpening or replacement), or by experience.
The end result is a standard time which includes the time the work "should" take (when
carried out by a qualified worker) plus additional allocations in the form of allowances,
where appropriate, to cover relaxation time, contingency time and, perhaps, unoccupied
time which increases the overall work cycle (such as waiting for a machine to finish a
processing cycle).
Choosing a measurement technique
The choice of a suitable measurement technique depends on a number of factors
including:
- the purpose of the measurement;
- the level of detail required;
- the time available for the measurement;
- the existence of available predetermined data;
- the cost of measurement.
To some extent there is a trade off between some of these factors. For example,
techniques which derive times quickly may provide less detail and be less suitable for
some purposes, such as the establishment of individual performance levels on short-cycle
work.
The advantage of structured and systematic work measurement is that it gives a common
currency for the evaluation and comparison of all types of work. The results obtained
from work measurement are commonly used as the basis of the planning and scheduling
of work, manpower planning, work balancing in team working, costing, labour
performance measurement, and financial incentives. They are less commonly used as the
basis of product design, methods comparison, work sequencing, and workplace design.
Work Measurement
Determination of the length of time it should take to complete a job.
Job times are vital inputs for manpower planning, estimating labor
costs, scheduling, budgeting, and designing incentive systems. In
addition, from the workers' standpoint, time standards provide an
Work Measurement
Work measurement is the careful analysis of a task, its size, the
method used in its performance, and its efficiency. The objective is to
determine the workload in an operation, the time that is required, and
the number of workers needed to perform the work efficiently. Work
measurement helps to determine the time spent performing any
process and offers a consistent, comparable methodology for
establishing labor capacities.
Work measurement can be extremely effective at informing
supervisors of the working times and delays inherent in different ways
of carrying out work. The purpose of a measurement method is to
achieve full coverage of the work to be measured.
A good work measurement system has many benefits. It helps to
reduce labor costs, increase productivity, and improve supervision,
planning, scheduling, performance appraisal, and decision making.
Work Measurement Components
A work measurement system has three components: preferred
methods, time values, and re porting. Preferred methods are not
always the most efficient or fastest way to do a task. They should
enhance safety, quality, and productivity. Safety for the employee and
for the product should be considered. Quality is equally important; it
has been proven that good performance and good quality go hand in
hand. People who are trained in the proper method and follow that
method will produce high-quality work and per form at an acceptable
performance level. Time values and reporting should also be
considered. The time that a job should take is determined not on the
basis of speeding up the motions a worker normally makes but on the
normal pace of the average worker, taking into consideration
allowances for rest periods, coffee breaks, and fatigue. A reporting
system is important to the success of any work measurement method.
Supervisors and managers must have access to labor-management
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