capacity and workload analysis for non standard processes 1

[dterest]

I work as a process analyst at a Bank.
I have been asked to perform a capacity plan for a department that perform non-repetitive functions. The people in the department complete various task, but everyday they incur in overtime to complete their daily work. I've been figuring how I can quantify the department's overload for each process, without a time study that definitely would be very hard to perform on non reptitive tasks.
Any suggestion?
Thank you so much

 

[PSE]

Can you quantify some commonly done tasks? They should be there even in a non-repetitive environment. Try grouping "like processes" together so that you could cover a variety of procedures within a single time study. From there you could take a look at volume in - volume out.

Regards,

 

[griffengm]

The technique I learned involved having the operator log non-standard occurances and time needed.
To start, ask the operators what are non-standard tasks and how often do these occur. If a task appears once every three or four days, run the log for about a month. To make this reasonably accurate, you will need at least long enough to log three occurances.
Collect the log sheets on a regular basis. This maintains contact with operators and promotes the idea that this project is to their benefit as well as the company's. Because of the frustration so many operators feel with irregular tasks, they will usually be quite willing to participate.
As you develop standards for various irregulars, you can begin logging only the less frequent and reduce the time needed for recording.
Hope this helps. It works but you will need to sell it to management first. Maybe promote the idea of most efficient use of your time as well as building teamwork.
My earliest applications of it were for mainenance departments and housekeeping in offices.
Griffy

 

[BML]

Also don't forget to find out why the non-standard processes occur. It could be that the people are performing tasks that should have been done by someone else (another department or the customer), or the task could be incorporated into another function without significantly impacting the other function's cycle time.

Good luck!