ETH Zurich | Organization, Work and Technology Group HRM A: Work Process Design Tutorial Work Process Analysis: System Level Johann Weichbrodt October 7, 2008

Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 2 Overview Lecture  Overview of the semester project  Work process analysis at the system level -Theoretical background: order process & work system -Data collection methods  Report structure, deadlines – Small groups (see list)  Meet your supervisor  Clarify open issues

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Components of the work process analysis 3 Analysis and evaluation (through interviews and observations) work system order process individ. job Design recommendations next week

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t KOMPASS: Complementary System Design 4 Human qualification interests and needs Organization workflow division of work decision patterns communication patterns Technology machines work equipment spatial conditions InputOutputTransformation Primary task Secondary tasks Boundary regulation variances & disturbances problems (Grote et al., 2000)

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Order process analysis 5 InputOutputTransformation Primary task variances & disturbances

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Variances and disturbances  Variances =deviations from the planned process that do not interrupt the process  Disturbances =deviations which lead to an interruption of work  Both in the social (e.g. conflict at workplace) or the technical (e.g. machine breakdown) part of the system.  Important information about variances and disturbances:  source  discovery (when & by whom)  handling 6

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Variances, performance and system design 7 Variances / disturbances Performance of work system System design Task design reduce buffers reduces

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Order processing Transf.InputsTransformationOutputsTransf. baking of cake layers cake layers, sugar, cream, chocolate etc. „assembly“ and decoration of cakes cakedelivery of cake electronic assembly cabinet, electronic system, battery assembly of PDAassembled PDA testing of PDA 8 main work system preceding system subsequent system

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Variances and disturbances Description of variance / disturbance Cause of variance disturbance Source of variance / disturbance - where did it happen? Where / by whom was the variance / disturbance discovered? Where / by whom was the variance / disturbance handled? Burnt cake layers, not usable Temperature of oven to high Baking of cake layers (= preceeding system) Cake decorator (= main work system) Baking team after notice by decorators … 9

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Results order processing and variances  Depict order processing in graphical form (e.g., flow chart, process diagram)  Locate disturbances in the diagram 10

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Examples for graphical depiction 11 Process steps Decision Start process Process steps Process steps Flow chart Fancy complex diagram

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t System analysis 12 Human qualification interests and needs Organization workflow division of work decision patterns communication patterns Technology machines work equipment spatial conditions Boundary regulation

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t KOMPASS criteria: 1. Task completeness 2. Independence 3. Fit of regulation requirements and opportunities 4. Polyvalence 5. Autonomy 6. Boundary regulation by superiors 13

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 1. Task completeness  Definition: Measures whether a work system’s tasks incorporate a variety of functions (e.g. planning – production – control)  4 sub-criteria:  Vertical depth of production (range of manufacturing)  Product complexity  Rate of order repetition  Functional integration  The completeness of work system’s task is a precondition for local control of variances and for the design of complete individual tasks 14

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Example: Task completeness 15

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 2. Independence  Definition: Amount of variances and disturbances that affect the work system but are caused outside of it as well as those that are caused by the work system itself but have consequences outside of it.  3 sub-criteria:  Effects of production delays  Effects of deviations in quality standards  Degree to which workflow between work systems can be designed flexibly  A high degree of independence is characterised by local prevention and correction of variances and disturbances. 16

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 3. Fit of regulation requirements and opportunities  Regulation requirements which a work system faces (= amount of variances and disturbances)  Regulation opportunities of a work system (determined by the chosen cooperation form)  Fit between the two: Do opportunities match the needs? (= work system’s ability to adapt itself to changes and uncertainties) 17

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Example: Fit of regulation requirements and opportunities Manufacturing: assembly line work Product development: teamwork 18

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 4. Polyvalence  Definition: Measures how many of all tasks in the work system can be performed by each member.  Sub-criterion:  How many members know how to perform less (or more) than half of all tasks?  Design goal: as many members as possible are able to perform as many of the system‘s tasks as possible 19

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 5. Autonomy  Definition: team has decision-making freedom regarding the setting of goals as well as the definition of rules and procedures for reaching these goals  Sub-criterion: determine number of areas of decision-making that are subject of collective autonomy with regard to:  Internal coordination  Internal personnel issues  External coordination  Continous improvement processes  Important: high autonomy means that all members are involved in the decision-making, not just head of system 20

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Example: Autonomy 21

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t 6. Boundary regulation by superiors  Definition: the superior coordinates processes with other work systems or external units  4 sub-criteria:  Internal (-) and external coordination (+)  Frequency of coordination with external units (+)  Length of time the superior is present in the work system (-)  Supervisors of work systems should leave internal coordination as much as possible to the work system’s members. 22

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Results for the system analysis KOMPASS criteria ---ø+++ Task completeness Independence of work system Fit of regulation requirements and opportunities Polyvalence of work system members Autonomy of work groups Boundary regulation by superiors 23

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Data collection Overview:  Interview with head of work system  Observation of work processes  For job analysis: interview with one employee 24

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Approach for the whole analysis 1. Make arrangements with company 2. Choose work system, order process, and individual job for analysis 3. Collect data for all analyses (about ½ - 1 day) 1. Interview with head of the work system 2. Observation of system and order process 3. Observation interview with employee 4. Analyse and evaluate work system and task 5. Develop design recommendations 6. Write report 25

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t MethodUnit of analysis Interview Structure of work system: KOMPASS criteria Observation Process(es) within work system: order process with variances and disturbances 26 Methods and unit of analysis Important:Focus on those variances / disturbances occuring in the chosen order process.

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Interview  Head of work system  Topics of interview guideline:  KOMPASS criteria (e.g., polyvalence of employees)  Order processing  Variances / disturbances  Duration: approximately 1.5 hours  Important:  Tape-record interviews and take notes  Analyse data only after data collection 27

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Observation  Members of work system  Observation guideline:  KOMPASS criteria  Order processing  Variances / disturbances  Rule of thumb for observation:  Focus on the order processing  Pay particular attention to differences between information given in interview and your observation  Duration: approximately 3 h  Important:  Take extensive notes  Analyse data only after data collection 28

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Results and design recommendations 29 Analysis and evaluation (through interviews and observations) work system order process individ. job Design recommendations

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Results and design recommendations  Use result sheets to summarize findings on:  KOMPASS criteria  Order processing with variances / disturbances  Give design recommendations to improve the work system by linking all relevant findings  Give specific design recommendations and illustrate them specifically with regard to the order processing 30

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Writing the report  In English or German  Deadline for draft version: December 2  Feedback on draft and discussion between groups on December 9  Deadline for final version: December 16  Send a copy to the company you studied 31

October 7, 2008Organization, Work and Technology Grouporg.ar.t Literature Grote, G., Ryser, C., Wäfler, T., Windischer, A. & Weik, S. (2000). KOMPASS: A method for complementary function allocation in automated work systems. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 52, Wäfler, T., Grote, G., Windischer, A. & Ryser, C. (2003). KOMPASS: A method for complementary system design. In E. Hollnagel (Ed.), Handbook of Cognitive Task Design (pp ). London: Lawrence Erlbaum. Grote, G., Wäfler, T., Ryser, C., Weik, S., Zölch, U., & Windischer, A.: Wie sich Mensch und Technik sinnvoll ergänzen. Die Analyse automatisierter Produktionssysteme mit KOMPASS. In: Ulich, E. (Hrsg.): Schriftenreihe Mensch-Technik-Organisation Band 19. Zürich: vdf Hochschulverlag AG 1999 Wäfler, T., Windischer, A., Ryser, C., Weik, S., & Grote, G.: Wie sich Mensch und Technik sinnvoll ergänzen. Die Gestaltung automatisierter Produktionssysteme mit KOMPASS. In: Ulich, E. (Hrsg.): Schriftenreihe Mensch-Technik-Organisation Band 18. Zürich: vdf Hochschulverlag AG