Martina Berglund

Contextual conditions influencing the scheduler's work at a sawmill

This case study addresses the issue of how contextual conditions influence scheduling work in practice at a sawmill in Sweden. Based on observations and interviews, activity analysis was used to study the work activities of the main scheduler. It is shown how the contextual conditions related to constraints, either in the technical system and the technical scheduling tools used by the scheduler or in the social system, delimit the possible ways for the scheduler to perform his work. It is furthermore illustrated how the scheduler sometimes used the contextual conditions as a means to control the sawmill production. Moreover, the presence of the numerous uncertainties in the production process is shown. Finally, the study demonstrates that the schedulers thorough knowledge, experience, and skills of both the technical and the social systems had immense influence in his ability to perform during daily scheduling work.

The Unsung Contribution of Production Planners and Schedulers at Production and Sales Interfaces

This chapter sets out to demonstrate the unsung contribution of production planners and schedulers in manufacturing businesses. In particular it focuses on their contribution at production and sales interfaces by highlighting their activities and influence across functional interfaces, and the knowledge and skills they apply to make and implement planning and scheduling decisions. To achieve this it addresses the following questions in relation to these interfaces: What tasks and work activities does planning, scheduling and control consist of in relation to these interfaces? How do planners and schedulers perform their tasks? How can planners’ and schedulers’ activities related to production and sales interfaces be captured and modelled? How do planners and schedulers influence others in the organization? What knowledge do they contribute and how is it incorporated into decisions?

TOWARDS EFFICIENT AUTOMATION IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract New technology may contribute to several advantages, but shop-floor requirements need to be considered to achieve expected benefits. Results are based on an industrial study, where new machinery was implemented. Identified critical aspects include transfer of new knowledge related to the modified production system, scenario building, and situation awareness both within and outside the company. These critical aspects may also be relevant during planned changeovers between different levels of automation. An initial model is proposed, describing effects of varying the levels of automation and the potential of automation if critical aspects are sufficiently regarded.

Towards understanding and managing the learning process in mail sorting.

OBJECTIVE This paper was based on case study research at the Swedish Mail Service Division and it addresses learning time to sort mail at new districts and means to support the learning process on an individual as well as organizational level. PARTICIPANTS The study population consisted of 46 postmen and one team leader in the Swedish Mail Service Division. METHODS Data were collected through measurements of time for mail sorting, interviews and a focus group. RESULTS The study showed that learning to sort mail was a much more complex process and took more time than expected by management. Means to support the learning process included clarification of the relationship between sorting and the topology of the district, a good work environment, increased support from colleagues and management, and a thorough introduction for new postmen. CONCLUSIONS The identified means to support the learning process require an integration of human, technological and organizational aspects. The study further showed that increased operations flexibility cannot be reinforced without a systems perspective and thorough knowledge about real work activities and that ergonomists can aid businesses to acquire this knowledge.

On Human Terms – A First Evaluation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Ergonomics

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) ‘Work and Technology on Human Terms’ (www.onhumanterms.org ) was launched in July 2017 with the aim to contribute to safer and healthier workplaces by increasing the knowledge about how products, systems, and work organizations can be designed on human terms. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a first evaluation of the MOOC. The online course was used in four different university courses in Ergonomics in Sweden, two given at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and two given at Linkoping University. The MOOC material was used in different ways in the courses: (1) suggested voluntary, alternative material for the students’ self-studies, (2) scheduled activity for self-studies with appointed chapters, and (3) mandatory, selected course material being discussed in follow-up seminars. Data for the evaluation was collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers. The results showed that the MOOC served as a repetition of lectured material and gave increased understanding of the theories. The recorded interviews with practitioners and researchers in the MOOC highlighted the importance of the subject in real working life. The knowledge tests were appreciated as rehearsal of understanding. However, the MOOC in parallel with the other course material was also considered to be too much work by some students. A recommendation is to carefully consider how to use and integrate the MOOC as a meaningful, individual, theoretical learning activity for the students. Thereby the lectures in classroom could focus more on discussions and problem-solving regarding the topics and less on basic theory.

From Safety I to Safety II: Applying an HTO Perspective on Supervisory Work Within Aviation

In aviation, there is a strong focus on safety to prevent accidents. This paper deals with how supervisory authorities in aviation can apply a Safety II perspective. In particular, the aim is to analyze how the concept of HTO (Humans, Technology, Organization) is related to a possible shift from Safety I to Safety II within supervisory work within aviation. Data for this case study research was collected through semi-structured interviews with inspectors at the civil aviation authority in Sweden. The study showed that the important building stone of proactivity in Safety II could be promoted by the Safety Management System (SMS), the Safety Performance Indicator, and systems for reporting incidents and near-accidents. These systems constituted examples of Technology. Similarly, the Humans consisted of the inspectors, and the Organization included international and national regulations that the inspectors needed to follow during inspections. In the analysis, it was clear that an internal HTO-perspective could be taken. The study indicated that the shift towards Safety II should first be done within the supervisory authority by applying an internal HTO-perspective. This could later be developed to an external HTO-perspective also including the operator organizations.

On Human Terms – Integration of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Ergonomics in University Courses

The aim of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) ‘Work and Technology on Human Terms’ was to be a modern, highly accessible study material in Ergonomics/Work science to contribute to safer and healthier workplaces. The course targets engineering students, but also students in economics, human relations, physiotherapy, occupational health, as well as professionals. The purpose of this paper is to describe the course and how it has been integrated in six Swedish university courses dealing with various ergonomic issues, and reviewing how the lecturers and students experienced the outcome. The MOOC covers the subjects: Human-Technology-System, Psychosocial and organisational environment, Physical environment, Information and interaction in technical systems, Methods/design processes, and Economic/legal conditions. Theory and models are presented in in photos, illustrations, animations, documentary clips, expert interviews etc. It contains four workplace cases, knowledge tests and a textbook. The course material was integrated in three ways; as voluntary, alternative material for the students’ self-studies, as a scheduled activity for self-studies with appointed chapters, and as compulsory, selected course material discussed in seminars. The type of integration that is most beneficial depends on the content and organization of the course and type of students. It opens up the possibility for flexible and blended learning based on the student’s individual conditions. It also saves lecturer time by excluding some traditional theoretical lectures in favor for supervised discussions, problem-solving in workshops, and practical projects.

The Influence of Human Factors on Access and Scheduling of Primary Care Services

This paper explores human and organisational factors (HOFs) related to access and scheduling (A&S) of Healthcare services. Here human factors relate to the ‘processed’ (patients) as well as the ‘processors’ (people working in the operation). A ‘whole system perspective’ is taken to investigate how these influence outcomes. The analysis differentiates acceptable demand on the service from failure demand [1], where failure demand represents unnecessary demand placed on acute care (such as Accident and Emergency in hospitals) as well as primary care services. For eight General Practices in the UK, approaches to practice organisation, including A&S, are analysed to establish HOFs that influence service delivery and performance. Findings highlight HOFs affecting outcomes and ways in which A&S arrangements can be modified to improve them. These should inform the choice and management of effective A&S in a range of Health service scenarios, as well as for General Practices in the UK.

New ways of organizing product introductions

The aim of this paper is to describe and reflect on an interactive research approach used to address the challenges on how to improve product introductions, the part of the product realization process associated with the transfer of a product from product development to serial production. In the interactive research approach, research results as well as improvement of practice are given equal importance. The collaboration between researchers and practitioners therefore addresses both the focus and the process of the change. The approach includes four main iterative steps: 1) mapping/diagnosis, 2) feedback of results, 3) participation in development activities, and 4) follow-up/evaluation. The paper reports findings from interactive research in one company within office product industry and one company group, consisting of three company units within the engine industry. Preliminary findings indicate that the participating companies afterwards work in a more structured way with product introductions and that the employees have gained deeper knowledge about product introductions as well as experienced the advantages of working across functional boundaries. Furthermore, the interactive research approach is suitable to run projects from an ergonomics perspective as it focuses on developing both practice and theory, it is human-centered, and it emphasizes broad participation from practitioners.

Assessment of Production Planning and Scheduling Work Using Ergonomic Work Analysis

Production scheduling is an important and complex activity in manufacturing enterprises. Increasing market demands concerning service has to be managed, often within reduced time space and decision latitude. This paper reports findings from studying scheduling in a Swedish sawmill with the twofold aim to describe and analyze scheduling work and to assess ergonomic work analysis as a method for this. The conclusions drawn were that sawmill scheduling work was complex and that the scheduler was exposed to a high degree of uncertainty. The scheduling in practice was performed by a group of people, relating to different parts of the entire business processes in the company. The scheduling tools, developed by the individual schedulers, were efficient and flexible complements to the MPC-system. Finally, ergonomic work analysis proved to be a useful method for analyzing scheduling work, although there may be difficulties in distinguishing between the prescribed work and work as it is actually carried out.