Charting and Diagramming

Techniques for Operations Analysis

Sections:
Chapter 9 1. Overview of Charting and Diagramming Techniques

2. Network Diagrams

3. Traditional Engineering Charting and Diagramming

Techniques

4. Block Diagrams and Process Maps

Gantt Charts ?
Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Objectives of Charts and Diagrams
Used in Methods Engineering

1. To permit work processes to be communicated and

comprehended more readily

2. To use algorithms specifically designed for the particular

diagramming technique

3. To divide a given work process into its elements for

analysis purposes

4. To provide a structure in the search for improvements

5. To represent a proposed new work process or method

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 How to Create / Develop the Chart or
Diagram?
 Analyst is intimately familiar with the process and
develops a graphic to represent it

 Analyst observes and records information about the

process

 One-on-one interviews with those familiar with the

process
 A graphic model of the process is developed based on
these interviews

 Group meetings with personnel familiar with process

 The analyst records the discussion of the meeting.
 A graphic model of the process is developed based on the
group meetings

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 How to Analyze the Chart or Diagram
 Algorithmic analysis
 Line balancing, critical path methods

 Checklists
 General questions applied to the particular process to
assess whether they can be applied to the problem of
interest

 Brainstorming
 Team activity in which participants contribute
recommendations

 Separating value-added and non-value-added operations

 Value added steps:
1. Important to customer
2. Physically change the product or service

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Checklist of Questions - Example
 What alternative starting material could be
used?

 Should the part be produced or purchased?

 Can this operation be eliminated, combined, or

simplified?

 Could a different joining method be used?

 Could the inspection task be automated?

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Categories of Charts and Diagrams
1. Network diagrams

2. Traditional industrial engineering charts and

diagrams
 Operation charts
 Process charts
 Flow diagrams
 Activity charts

3. Block diagrams and process maps

4. Gantt charts
Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Network Diagrams
 Consist of:
 Nodes representing operations, work elements, activities or other
entities
 Arrows connecting the nodes indicates relationships among the
nodes
 Direction of work flow between nodes
 Precedence among nodes

 Used to represent
 Work elements in assembly line balancing
 Work activities in CPM and PERT

 Two-way flows (movement of materials):

Maximum number of arrows = n(n -1)

 One-way arrows (precedence):

n n  1
Maximum number of arrows =
2

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Network Diagram - Precedence Constraints

 Restrictions on the order in which work

elements can be performed

Precedence
diagram

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Traditional IE Charts and Diagrams

 Operation charts

 Process charts

 Flow diagrams

 Activity charts

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Operation Charts
 Graphical and symbolic representation of the operations used
to produce a product

 The time to accomplish the operation is sometimes also

included.

 Two types of operations:

1. Processing and assembly operations

 Changing the shape, properties or surface of a
material or workpart
 Joining two or more parts to form an assembly

2. Inspection operations
 Checking the material, workpart, or assembly for
quality or quantity

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Operation Chart

Component

Subassembly

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Checklist of Questions Used to Analyze an
Operation Chart
 The focus of the operation chart is on the materials of a product
and the operations on them

 Questions related to material

 What alternative starting material could be used?
 Make or buy decision: should the part be produced in the
factory or purchased?

 Questions related to operations

 Is this processing operation necessary?
 Can this operation be eliminated, combined, or simplified?
 Could a different joining method be used?

 Questions related to inspection

 Is this inspection necessary?
 Could the inspection task be automated?

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Operation Charts

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Process Charts
 Graphical and symbolic representation of the processing
activities performed either on something or by somebody.

 The chart consists of a vertical list of activities using symbols

to represent operations, inspections, moves, delays and
storage and other activities.

 Principal types of process charts:

1. Flow process chart – analysis of a material or workpiece being
processed
2. Worker process chart – analysis of a worker performing a task
3. Form process chart – analysis of the processing of paperwork
forms

 All these charts are used to examine for possible

improvements of operations

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Process Chart
 Uses five symbols to detail the work performed
on a material or workpart as it is processed
through a sequence of operations and activities:

 Operation – processing of a material

 Inspection – check for quality or quantity
 Move – transport of material to new location
 Delay – material waiting to be processed or
moved
 Storage – material kept in protected location

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Process Charts
 If the processing operation combined with an inspection
at the same workstation: combine symbols - a circle
inside a square

 Provides more detail about the steps required to process

a material than in the operation chart:
 is used to study a single work part rather than the
multiple components of an assembly

 The chart also indicates distances for move activities

and time values for other activities

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Form for Flow Process Chart

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Checklist of Questions Used to Analyze a
Flow Process Chart
 Questions Related to Material
 Make or buy decisions: Should the part be produced in the factory or
purchased from an outside vendor?

 Questions Related to Operations and Inspections

 Is the operation time too high?
 Is the inspection operation necessary?

 Questions Related to Moves

 How can moves be shortened or eliminated by combining or eliminating
operations?
 Can the level of mechanization in material handling be increased?

 Questions Related to Delays

 Is the delay avoidable?
 What is the reason for the delay? Can the reason be eliminated?

 Questions Related to Storage

 Is the storage necessary?
 Why can’t the material be move immediately to the next operation?

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Process Chart

Unplanned
vs.
Planned
stoppage
Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Process Chart

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Worker Process Charts
 Used to analyze the activities of a human
worker as (s)he performs a task that requires
movement around a facility.

 Also known as process chart-person analysis

 The symbols are the same as flow process

chart
 Storage activity is omitted since it is difficult to
interpret in the context of human work activity

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Form Process Charts
 Used to analyze the flow of paperwork forms
and office procedures

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Diagram
 Drawing of the facility layout with the addition of lines
representing movement of materials or workers within
the facility

 Arrows on the lines represent direction of movement

 Often used in conjunction with a process chart

 Operations, inspections, delays, and storages at specific
locations are identified by numbers referenced to the
activity number

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Diagram
 The flow diagram reveals problems in the work flow that
may not readily be identified using the process chart
alone.

 For example, if the work flow involves considerable

backtracting, this can be identified in the flow diagram,
whereas it is indicated only as distances in the process
chart.

 Thus, it can be used to detect excessive backtracking

(which might be missed in a process chart), excessive
travel, possible traffic congestion, points where delays
typically occur and inefficient layout.

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Flow Diagram

Flow diagram for worker

setting up a milling
machine:

Note the large number of

trips back and forth
between the milling
machine and the tool crib

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Activity Charts
 A listing of the activities of one or more subjects (e.g.,
workers, machines) plotted against a time scale to
indicate graphically how much time is spent on each
activity

 These activities are generally repetitive.

 Types of activity charts:

 Right-hand/left-hand activity chart (a.k.a. workplace activity
chart)
 Worker-machine activity chart
 Worker-multimachine activity chart
 Gang activity chart (a.k.a. multiworker activity chart)
Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Shading Formats for Activity Charts
 Instead of using symbols for the work activities, as in the other
charts, the activities are indicated by vertical lines or bars

 When bars are used, they are shaded or colored to indicate

the kind of the activity being performed.

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Activity Chart
Activity charts usually have more than one time scale
e.g., activity time and cumulative time

Activity chart for a worker performing a repetitive task:

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Multiple-Activity Charts
 Used to track several participants working
together

 They consists of multiple columns, one for

each participant.

 Objective: to analyze how the workload is

coordinated and shared among the entities.
 Right-hand/left-hand activity chart
 Worker-machine activity chart
 Worker-multimachine activity chart
 Gang activity chart (a.k.a. multiworker activity chart)
Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Right-Hand/Left-Hand Activity Chart
 Shows
 contributions of the right and left hands
 balance of the workload between the right and left
hands
 Remember the example with pegs
 Task involves placing pegs into a peg board
 Note that left hand is used as a workholder

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Worker-Machine Activity Chart
 Shows how work elements are allocated
between a worker and a machine

 Help to identify opportunities for cycle time

improvements e.g., replacement of external
work elements by internal work elements

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Worker-Multimachine Activity Chart
 Can be used to indicate machine interference
(when a machine must wait for service
because worker is currently servicing another
machine)

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Gang Activity Chart
 This chart indicates activities in which two or
more workers performing together as a team

 Also known as multiworker activity chart

 Can be used to analyze the operations of

different stations in the the same chart

 Objective: To better coordinate the activities

and balance the workload among the workers

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Block Diagrams
 Graphic consisting mostly of blocks and arrows
to portray the relationships among components
of a physical system

 Commonly used in linear control theory, where

 Arrows represent the flow of signals or variables in
the system
 Blocks contain transfer functions that define how
input signals are mathematically transformed into
output signals

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Block Diagram
•Used to depict flows and interrelationships
among components in complex systems
•Block diagrams are commonly used in linear
control theory, as shown below for a feedback
control system

Output y AB
 
Input x1 1  AC
x2  x1  Cx3 , x3  Ax2 x3  Ax1  ACx3

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Process Maps
 A process is a sequence of tasks that add value to inputs
to produce outputs
 Basic process map is a block diagram showing the steps
in a process
 Widely applied to business processes
 Also applicable to production, logistics, and service
operations
 Levels of detail:
 High-level process map – macroscopic view of
process and includes only the most important steps
 Low-level process map – used to map each of the
steps in a high-level process map

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Symbols in the Basic Process Map
Process map symbols:
(a) beginning/ending point of the process,
(b) task or activity step,
(c) decision point
Symbols are connected by arrows to indicate
sequence

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Basic Process Map

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Alternative Forms of Process Maps
 Relationship process map – block diagram that
shows the input-output connections among
departments (or other functional components)
of an organization
 Cross-functional process map – block diagram
showing how the steps of a process are
accomplished by various departments
 Departments listed as rows separated by
dashed lines
 Also called a swim-lane chart

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Relationship Map
 Block diagram that shows the input-output
connections among departments (or other
functional components) of an organization

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Cross-Functional Process Map
 Block diagram showing how the steps of a
process are accomplished by departments

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Gantt Charts
 A graphical display of schedule project
activities on a time axis

 Project activities are listed on a vertical axis

 Activity time durations are shown as horizontal

bars with starting and ending times

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Gantt Chart: Planned Activities

Shows planned activities for a construction project

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Gantt Chart: Progress
Shows actual work accomplished at some
point during week 7

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
 Gantt Chart Showing Precedence
Arrows can be used to indicate precedence
relationships among activities

Work Systems and the Methods, Measurement, and Management of Work

by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.