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Macroergonomics

• The analysis, design, and evaluation of work systems. • Concerned with the ‘human-organization’ interface.• Top-down approach concerned with:

Personnel subsystems Technology subsystems Organizational structure External environment

• Key issues of concern: How do organizational constraints affect how people work with

machines (i.e., human-machine systems) What factors come into play when people work together in

groups?

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Six Ergonomics Guidelines

1. Plan the work, then work the plan.

2. Reward results.

3. Optimize system availability.

4. Minimize idle capacity.

5. Use filler jobs or filler people.

6. Communicate information.

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In-class assignment

Assume you are planning to start a new fast-food business designed to be both customer-friendly AND worker-friendly. Your mission statement includes, among other things, a pledge to use the principles of macroergonomics as a guiding force for the business.

1. Work in your project groups. Use your homework assignment as a guide for the following:a. Approach the problem from the perspective of specific guidelines

outlined in chapter 11.

b. Use the ‘thinking hats’ method to develop and discuss ideas, focusing in on the ‘hat’ your group chose first.

c. After 2 minutes, you will switch hats with another group and work on additional ideas.

d. Your deliverables include a list of one or more ideas and suggestions based on the ‘thinking hats’ approach (you will need to specify which ‘hat’ you were working under.)

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White Hat: Red Hat: Black Hat:

Yellow Hat: Green Hat: Blue Hat:

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G1. Plan the Work, Then Work the Plan

Plan the Work

1. List goals.

2. Set goal priorities.

3. Make a “to do” list.

4. Set activity priorities.

Work the Plan

1. Start with A’s, not with C’s.

2. Do it now.

3. Cut big activities into bits.

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G2. Reward Results

• Get people to work hard and smart.• Types of motivation:

Positive• Internal (self-motivation)• External

– Financial– Nonfinancial

Negative

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G3. Optimize System Availability

• Availability = Uptime ÷ Total Time• Strategies to improve availability:

Increase uptime. Decrease downtime. Make loss of availability less costly.

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G4. Minimize Idle Capacity:

• Fixed Costs Annual cost of many machines and people varies little with

output. Solutions:

• Operate more hours/year.• Use pools.• Revise work schedules.• Encourage off-peak use.

• Variable Costs Some team members are more expensive than others. In the U.S. the expensive part of the team is usually human labor. Solutions:

• Duplicate components.• Idle low-cost components (use double tooling).• Do not use one on one.

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G5. Use Filler Jobs or Filler People

• Problem: Match worker time to job requirements.• Strategies:

1. Adjust the workload but keep the workforce constant.

2. Adjust the workforce but keep the workload constant.

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Adjust the Workload

• Break longer jobs into shorter jobs.• Do short, low-priority jobs during idle time.• Use scheduling to decrease idle time.• Assign more work to subordinates than they have time

to do.

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Adjust the Workforce

• Use staggered work times. Different workers have different start and stop times. The business can be open more hours with no additional cost. Consider compressed work weeks and flexible schedules. Require vacations to be taken during slack times.

• Use temporary workers. Usually cost more. Allow the business to staff for the bottom of the business cycle

and have a no-layoff policy for core staff. Can be removed from the payroll quickly.

• Use part-time workers.

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G6. Communicate Information

• Provide job instruction or training.• Provide command and control: short messages that

trigger behavior patterns.