Time Studies and Work Sampling

What are Time and Motion Studies?

Knowing how long an activity or process should take and how much time is being spent on various activities can help in the allocation and management of labor.

Time and Motion Studies are a proven scientific approach Argent utilizes to determine a fair and accurate time for each element studied within a specific job. They can be used in any industry and are applicable to a wide variety of activities/functions, processes, and various types of equipment and automation. Such studies require defined methods and element definitions, comprehensive and accurate data collection and dynamic statistical analysis.

What are the Benefits of Time and Motion Studies?

Time and motion studies provide a valuable service and are frequently used for initiatives such as:

  • Objective data for comparisons of equipment or processes,
  • Capturing process cycle times or lead times,
  • Evaluating current staff utilization, performance and opportunities,
  • Quantifying gains achieved through layout or process improvements,
  • Identifying labor resources as part of a cost analysis or Cost of Goods Sold or Cost to Serve,
  • Creating line-balancing in manufacturing,
  • Identifying opportunities to increase productivity and reduce labor costs,
  • Amount of time spent on random, non-value-added activities, and
  • Establishing challenging, attainable accurate productivity goals (e.g., Engineered standards and/or Reasonable Expectancies).

Argent’s extensive industrial engineering background, with over 35 years of field experience, uniquely qualifies us to effectively conduct time studies. We know how to measure anything that moves in your operation, so you can better manage it.

Time studies provide a valuable service and are frequently used for initiatives such as:

  • Objective data for comparisons of equipment or processes
  • Capturing process cycle times or lead times
  • Evaluating current staff utilization and performance
  • Quantifying gains achieved through layout or process improvements
  • Identifying labor resources as part of a cost analysis or Cost of Goods Sold
  • Creating line-balancing in manufacturing
  • Identifying opportunities to increase productivity and reduce labor costs
  • Amount of time spent on random, non-value-added activities
  • Establishing productivity goals or Engineered Labor Standards

What Does Argent Offer?

Time and Motion studies are core to Argent’s data collection and analysis methodologies and are utilized to determine the true requirements or cost of any activity. Our extensive industrial engineering background, with over 34 years of field experience, uniquely qualifies us to effectively conduct time studies. We know how to measure anything that moves in your operation, so you can manage it.

Industrial engineering methodologies are used to develop and conduct time and motion studies.

The approach Argent takes in conducting the studies will not be a distraction to team members or disrupt the operation. During the observation process, Argent staff will make notes of potential opportunities to improve both efficiency and customer service.

  • Engineers will identify the tasks or activities to be observed,
  • Activities will then be broken down into smaller pieces called elements,
  • Metrics will be defined for each activity and collected,
  • Protocols will be developed for conducting the time studies,
  • Those observed will be instructed to work in their normal manner,
  • The studies will include an adequate mix of individuals performing an activity,  
  • To ensure accurate data collection, Argent engineers will utilize electronic data collection devices that contain a running clock to ensure the actual time of each observed occurrence is recorded and no time is lost during the observation process,
  • Times will be recorded for each observed element as it occurs during the process,
  • The collected data will be downloaded for analysis, and
  • Regressions will be run on the elements utilizing the collected metrics, occurrences and observed times to ensure data integrity.

Work Sampling

Work Sampling is closely related to Tim and Motion Studies and involves a substantial amount of data collection and analysis. It also is an established statistical technique for determining the percentage of total time spent on various activities. The technique involves taking a relatively large number of observations at pre-set or random intervals throughout the day. Over the course of the project, the work sampling data will provide an accurate picture of how much time is spent on each activity performed by those observed.

What are the Benefits of Work Sampling?

This technique is valuable because it permits quick analysis, identification, and enhancement of job responsibilities, tasks, staffing models and organizational workflows and the information obtained can be used to:

  • Understand the actual / “real world” proportion of time spent on each activity
  • Produce operational improvements such as:
    • Increased operational efficiency
    • Reduction of wasted time
    • Elimination of non-value added tasks
    • Improved compliance with Standard Operating Procedures/Policies (SOPs)
    • Potential SOP improvements

What Does Argent Offer?

Industrial engineering methodologies will be used to develop and conduct the work sampling study.

  • Engineers will identify the tasks or activities to be observed,
  • Protocols will be developed for conducting the work sampling study,
  • Argent engineers will not be a distraction to the worker or disrupt the operation,
  • Those observed will be instructed to work in their normal manner,
  • The studies will include all individuals performing the activities to be studied,
  • Argent will conduct a large number of direct observations over an extended time period utilizing electronic data collection devices and manual data collection techniques,
  • At the specified time interval, on a random basis, the activity being performed by each individual observed will be recorded,
  • The collected data will be downloaded for analysis,
  • Regressions will be run to ensure data integrity, and
  • During the observation process, Argent staff will make notes of potential opportunities to improve both efficiency and productivity.