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Construction Productivity
WORK OBSERVATION, TIME STUDIES, & OTHER WORK MEASUREMENT METHODS

CNST 4800/8806
Fall 2012

Todays Topics
! Productivity ! Measurement methods of Productivity ! Factors which affect Productivity ! Ways to Improve Productivity

What is Productivity?
Oxford Dictionary (9th Edition)
The capacity to produce, the state of being productive, eectiveness of productive eort, especially in industry; production per unit of eort.

Economics of Productivity The ratio of the quality of physical output to the quality of physical
input.

Construction Expressions: Units/MH or MH/Unit

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Which Sites Need Productivity Improvements?

Cost Control System Elements
Cost Monitoring Tools:
Method #1- The Overall Profit or Loss System Method #2 - Unit Costing Method Method #3 - Cost effective System

Which Sites Need Productivity Improvements?

PROCESS MONITORING A part of progress control involving comparison of actual physical progress with planned progress.

The Process of Process Monitoring

Which activities need improvement? ~Casual Observations~

! Managing By Walking Around ! Poor quality workmanship, poor design of temporary work and site congestion are readily observed and documented. ! Sometimes a longer observation period is required to

know what is going on.

! Top-level management usually asks questions to get data

about activities.

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Which activities need improvement? ~Cost Report~

! A good cost reporting system with sucient detail

can red ag cost overruns for all types of construction activities.

Which activities need improvement? ~Progress Reports~

! Project managers submit weekly progress reports. ! Indicate any deviations from the construction plan/schedule.

PHYSICAL PROGRESS VS. BASELINE

Which activities need improvement? ~Site Meetings~

! Attendees: Project Managers, Superintendents,

Supervisors, and Subcontractors

! Present and discuss any problems, delays, or

needs related to construction activities.

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Which activities need improvement? ~Scientific Observation~

! Uses scientic method to systematically observe,

measure, and interpret construction activities.

! Techniques
1.

Field Count

2. Productivity Rating 3. Activity Sampling

Measuring Productivity
Productivity Measurements can be used to: Check goal attainment.
Check for correct and effective use of tools and equipment. Examine construction methods and approach.

Efficiency can be defined as a measure of productivity Productivity is NOT performance.

Performance: record of outcomes produced on a specified job

function or activity during a specified time period

Difficulties in Measuring Productivity

! Ination ! Changes in supply-demand equilibrium.

! Changes in the quality of the output

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Difficulties ~External Factors~

! Nature of Industry ! Design-Build methods have changed the traditional relationship between the designer and contractor.
! Productivity Problems include
! Drawing Completion Delays, ! Design Changes, and ! Subsequent Rework

Difficulties ~External Factors~

! The Construction Client:
! Many clients lack knowledge of the construction

industry and construction methods.

! Owners frequently want to make changes during

construction.

Difficulties ~External Factors~

! Weather ! Hot and cold climates
! Humidity ! Ranked #1 in causes of construction delays in the

US

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Difficulties ~External Factors~

! Level of Economic Development
! Productivity increases if the economy booms with

money available to carry out development projects.

! Productivity suers most during recession or a

downturn in the economy.

Difficulties ~Internal Factors~

! Factors that could have been avoided

(controllable)

! Management
! Theory X & Theory Y Management.

! Technology
! Productivity improves with proper use of tools.

! Labor ! Motivation (How do you motivate workers?) ! Unions

Typical Work Day

Extra Breaks 13% Supervision Time 2%

Unproductive Time 29%

Productive Time 56%

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Unproductive Time
! What causes unproductive time? 1. Lack in materials
2. Gang interference 3. Rework 4. Supervision delays 5. Lack of equipment/tools 6. Absenteeism

Improving Productivity
Two Basic Methods:

1. 2.

Increase employment Hold employment level constant

Improving Productivity
! How is productivity improved? ! Apply motivation theories
! Leadership/Management Style ! Site Conditions

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Productivity Measurements
WORK OBSERVATION, TIME STUDIES, & OTHER WORK MEASUREMENT METHODS

Part 2

CNST 480/880

September 2, 2011

! History of work measurement ! Methods for observing and improving work ! Activity Sample and Field Ratings

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Pioneers of Work Measurement

! Frederick Winslow Taylor ! Founder of the Modern Time Study in the US
!

http://youtu.be/8PdmNbqtDdI

! Frank & Lillian Gilbreth

! Founders of the Modern Motion Study ! 18 Therbligs !

http://youtu.be/dVKTX_Sbwzw

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Bricklaying Ergonomics
Before After

Time Study
Process designed to develop standard time or standard output for any construction operation irrespective of the rate of work being observed.

Time Study Concepts

1. Timing: Recording of incremental times necessary to complete

various activity elements

2. Rating: Adjustment of the actual observed time to each element

to fit a normal operator

Assessed by observer

Time Study
RATE 0 50 75 100 125 150 DESCRIPTION No Activity Very Slow Not Fast Qualified, Skilled, Motivated Very Quick Exceptionally Fast

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Time Study
3. Basic Time: the time required for a qualied worker to

carry out a certain task with the standard rate of working.

! Basic Time = Observed Time * Observed Rating

Standard Rating

4. Relaxation Allowance: usually to exclude any elements

of relaxation, idle or waiting times so that the basic time is not aected by the degree of relaxation enjoyed by any individual worker.

Time Study
5. Contingency Allowance: typical contingencies are adjustment and

maintenance for tools, waiting time caused by subcontractors, machine breakdowns.

5% is usually sufficient

6. Standard Time: the proper time required for a qualified worker

working at standard rating to complete the task.

Standard Time = Basic Time + Relaxation Allowances +

Contingency Allowance

Activity Sampling
Technique in which a large number of instantaneous observations are made over a period of time of a group of machines, processes, or workers.
! Each observation records what is happening at

that instant.

! The percentage of observations recorded for a

particular activity is a measure of the percentage of time during which that activity occurs.

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Activity Sampling
Activity Sampling Concept A small number of chance occurrences tend to form the same distribution pattern as the whole operation.

The larger the sample, the higher the accuracy of the

predictions and also the higher the time and cost involved.

The series of tours of the site are made at irregular intervals to

avoid observing the activities at the same point in the work cycle.

Activity Ratings
Productivity ratings define the individual activities that

workers do and classify them into three categories:

1. Effective Activities involved in the actual process of

putting together or adding to a unit being constructed

2. Essential Contributory Work Work not directly adding

to, but essential to finishing the unit

3. Idle All other activities

Activity Ratings
Labor Utilization Factor = Eective Work + Contributory Work Total Observed

Total Observed = Eective + Contributory + Idle Typical Labor Factors: Laborers = 40-50% Electricians = 30-40% Painters = 45-55%

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Activity Ratings
Type of Worker Bricklayer Carpenter Electrician Labor Painter Effective 42 29 28 44 46 Contributory 33 38 35 26 26 Idle 25 33 37 30 28 Utilization Factor (42+33)/(42+33+25)=50% (29+38)/(29+38+33)=32% (28+35)/(28+35+37)=37% (44+*26)/(44+26+30)=50% (46+*46)/(46+26+28)=52%

Field Ratings
The activity of workers must be grouped at the moment

of observations

Working & Not Working

Basic Operation Rules 1. Mechanical counters mounted on a clipboard on which specific observations can be recorded. 2. A least 75% of the personnel must be in the sample. 3. The individual making the count should devote full attention to the count.

Field Ratings
Basic Operation Rules (continued)
4. The person doing the counting must understand the

reasons for making the count.

5. Normal activity records for a project or crew should not

begin until at least hour after the start of the shift and no closer than hour to quitting time. 6. No counts should be discarded.

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Field Ratings
Working Labor Carrying Material Participate in Active Physical Work Discussing the Work Not Working Labor Waiting for Another Worker to Finish Talking While Not Actively Working Attending Self Operating Machines Walking Empty Handed

Field Ratings
EXAMPLE Number of Workers on Jobsite = 132 Number of Workers Observed = 122 Number of Workers Classified as Working = 59

SOLUTION Sample = 122/132 = 92.4 % >75% (Excellent Sample) Percent Working=Classified Working/Workers Observed=59/122=48% Add for Foreman and Personal Time (Optional) ~10% Adjusted Field Rating Index = 58%

Field Ratings
Typical Days Productivity
100

Percent Active

80 60

40
20

0 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 Time of Day

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Questions for Foremen

Questionnaires can be valuable source of specific facts;

and, if properly designed, then can also:

1. Raise questions that management should be asking itself. 2. Identify the source of insufficiencies and delays and

possible suggest ways to mitigate them.

3. Provide job-to-job comparison of methods, materials,

management, and working conditions.

4. Identify demotivating policies and their sources. 5. Verify the accuracy of or raise questions about other

management reporting procedure.

Questions for Foremen

! Crew, area, type of

work.

! Rework: amount, why,

necessary.

! Provisions for personal

needs.

! Crew interferences. ! Overcrowded work

! Materials: availability, ! Contractor-supplied

suitability, conditions. tools: availability and tools.

areas.

! Availability of

instructions.

! Equipment availability

and conditions.

Foremen Delay Surveys

! These surveys involve periodic reporting by

foremen about factors that aect the productivity of their crews, such as:

! These surveys can be conducted in several ways,

! daily, ! weekly, and ! sometimes daily.

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Journal #3 Assignment
! Complete you own Activity Sampling Observation

& Field Count Study.

! Go to any actual jobsite and complete the provided

Activity Sampling Observation Form and observe 5 workers as well as the Field Count Study Sheet for the entire jobsite.
! Write a one (1) page eld report of your

experience and ndings.

Required Contents
! Title Page Required: Name, Date, Course Number, ! Statement of Assignment: When you attended ! Job Site and Worker Description: ! Methodology How you collected your data ! Analysis and Results Explain how you recorded your data and the results ! Conclusions and Discussion Your thoughts on the results ! 12pt font

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