How To Calculate Work Measurement

Work measurement is used to identify and estimate the time-period or duration of a job, using various methods. In other words, work measurement is applying identified methods to evaluate the time taken for an experience worker/ technician to complete a specific job at an optimum level of performance. We know that the total time to manufacture a product is increased when you add undesirable features to the product, bad operational processes and ineffective time management between the management and workers. As a result this leads to low productivity.

Work measurement is concerned with investigating, reducing and eliminating effective time whatever may be the cause. Once ineffective time shows up in a series of processes and operations, it can be separated and removed using work measurement. Setting standards of performance are attainable only if all avoidable ineffective time is eliminated and work is performed by the best method available.

Although there are many methods by which work can be measured, the below methods are the most popular ones.

1. Time study
2. Activity sampling
3. Timing
4. Synthesis from standard data
5. Predetermined motion time system (PMTS)
6. Estimating
7. Analytical estimating
8. Category estimating
9. Comparative estimating

Time study
The time taken to complete a specific job under defined conditions. The data is then taken and analyzed so as to estimate the time necessary to complete the job at an optimum performance level.

Activity sampling
Random observations of the workers are made at random times by an observer so as to identify what the workers are doing during these periods.

Timing
The work is timed using a watch or computerized electronic study board and observation times are noted. The time pace is then computed by the observer and then basic time frames are set for specific jobs. These time frames would then be compared with the time taken by a trained and experienced worker to complete the same job under similar conditions.

Synthesis from standard data
Observed information is fed into the computer to generate mathematical formulae for identifying the time taken to complete a process. Useful methods as variables can be changed to get new results with each project.

Predetermined motion time system (PMTS)
PMTS uses measurement units in 0.00001 of an hour or ten thousands (0.0001) of one minute. These can be used to compute short cycles of work that takes about one minute to complete

Estimating
Estimating consists of three types - Analytical estimating, category estimating and comparative estimating.

Analytical estimating
Depends on the findings and experience of the estimator. Using his experience and estimating the work content, he provides an educated guess of the time needed for completing the job.

Category estimating
This requires some experience as well as a good know-how about the job. Generally, estimators provide range estimates which are computed statistically, rather than providing probable analytical estimates

Comparative estimating
This is another form of range estimation. Generally, the work that is to be estimated is compared with similar jobs, until the best fir is found.

These are the dominant factors that are used to calculate work measurement.