Workstations, Information, and Empowered Employees
Written by: James K. Allred

Communism is dead. But when Karl Marx called for workers to "take control of the factories," he had unknowingly hit upon the very system that can significantly improve quality and decrease cycle time. I am referring, of course, to skilled, empowered employees who effectively control their work and the processes within which they operate.

As pointed out in previous columns, achieving significant reduction in cycle time requires rethinking the entire logistics process-away from old methods and toward the continuous flow of material through the value-adding activity.

But just when you think you've successfully made the transition, there's still a trap that must be avoided at all costs: while re-designing your work flow and process, don't become fixated on the machinery and forget about the people.

Logistics is managed by people. Without people, the tools are useless and the information is wasted. But people with access to the right tools and the right information can perform wonders.

The late Dr. Edwards Deming was fond of reminding us that "willing workers want to do a quality job." They can and will-if they're given the tools and processes they need. Those needs include a well-designed, integrated workstation for performing their work and the real-time information that they can use to control it. In other words, workstation design is as important as the production and material transport machinery.

For example, it's not enough to deliver material to the worker. It should be delivered at the right height and the right place. Body movements, noise, and chaos that cause excess fatigue should be minimized. Above all, it must be inherently safe. Fatigue and worry about safety are as much an enemy of quality and productivity as any other factor.

Along with that ergonomic workstation must come real-time, accurate information. The workstation of the future will include a computer terminal for access to real-time logistics data and the tools to do something with it. That means staging material in strategic buffers, close to the workstation, and letting workers "pull" it when they need it.

This optimum combination of ergonomics and information is amazingly powerful. A recently installed factory use-point-manager AS/RS, coupled with a computer terminal and an ergonomic workstation, enabled one assembler to increase her productivity, and that of her support team, by more than five times! Moreover, she was delighted with the re-designed logistics and information flow because it let her "take control" of her production.

That's empowerment in action. That's how you break the time barrier.

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