Not only in order to calculate prices, determine delivery times, recognise weak spots and improvement potentials, but also in order to pay fairly, those responsible need to know what is happening within the company. This is the only way to make solid business decisions. The most important requirement is a data basis from which the cost structure of the company and time usage of all parties concerned can be reliably derived.
Wide variety of methods in time management
Time required for tasks and processes are central determining factors for the operational performance setting and its competitiveness. It is dependent upon these times how long an order takes, what its costs and even if it will be executed at all or in a different way. Managers, planners and controllers need a reliable input for their decisions, scheduling and costing. However, how is this input collected? Were the existing allowed times determined correctly? What needs to be considered with regard to participation of employees in the decision-making process.
A wide spectrum of methods is available for the determination of time data. Dependent upon the area of application and grade of detailing, self-recording, estimating, activity-sampling, factory data collection, REFA-time studies or systems of predetermined times according to MTM are possible. In the operational time management usually several methods are used.
Time recording in practice
The time recordings are executed following a proven procedure, accepted by both social partners. Initially the general conditions, like work procedures and environment influences are clarified for a chosen work system e.g. a work process for one work place. For the work processes to be examined, so-called actual times, namely the times actually needed by a person to conduct the work process are being logged.
Already while recording the actual times individual performance variances need to be considered. As the human performance capability differs between persons and might even vary looking at the same person, processes will take a different amount of time and will therefore lead to differing outcomes. For this reason, a performance degree rating is carried out during the time recording. This is therefore part of the REFA Time study. The goal is to define a “reference performance”, that all trained employees can achieve long term under normal circumstances.
The evaluation of the actual times, under consideration of the “reference performance”, is the basis for the calculation of target or allowed times, i.e. the times, which are used for planning, controlling, costing and decision-making.
The data acquisition requires qualified observers. They have to be able to choose adequate measuring points and characteristics, apprehend influencing parameters, record the actual times and estimate the performance degree at the same time.
The consultants of REFA International AG have profound experience in the execution of time recordings. Furthermore, they are happy to help with the set up and optimisation of your time management.
Bettina Dirks
