Process Design Flashcards
What is a process and what does a process map comprise of?
Activity that transforms inputs into outputs
Tasks/ operations, storage, decisions, flows of materials, flows of customers
What is blocking?
Activities in a stage must stop because there is no place to deposit the item just completed
What is Starving?
Occurs when activities in a stage must stop because there is no work
What is a bottleneck?
Limits the capacity of the entire process
What is Pacing?
Fixed timing of the movement of items through a process
What is a “work in process” (WIP)?
Number of units within a process waiting to be processed further
What is littles law and its equation?
Mathematical relationship between a cycle time, throughput time and the amount of work in-process inventory
Throughput time = work-in-progress *cycle time
Explain the features of project processes with an example?
Discrete and highly customised, relatively long timescales, low volume and high variety, process maps complex (rarely 100% complete)
Ship construction
Explain the features of jobbing processes with an example?
Discrete and highly customised, low volume and high variety, short timescales and small items, dynamically share resources, activities similar but slightly different, process maps complex
Car repairs
Explain the features of batch processes with an example?
Similar to jobbing but reduced variety , batches of the same product, manufacturing of the same product, can be small or large numbers, process maps are predictable
Manufacturing aircraft
Explain the features of mass processes with an example?
High volume, low variety (product customisation), large proportion of process has NO variety, equipment automatically handles variety, process rate constant, process maps predictable.
Car production
Explain the features of continuous processes with an example?
Almost NO variety, even higher volume, even lower variety, process rate is constant, process maps predictable.
Fresh water, electricity, petrol
Explain the features of professional processes with an example?
High contact with customers, staff/customer ratio is high, high received variety
Architects
Explain the features of a mass service with an example?
Minimal contact with customers, set procedures, division of labour, staff/customer ratio is low (often non-professional staff)
supermarket tills, call centres, airport check-in
