operational excellence assignment
Chapter 7
Niccole Hyatt, PhD
Key Questions
What is layout and how can it influence performance?
What are the basic layout types used in operations?
How does the appearance of an operation affect its performance?
How should each basic layout type be designed in detail?
Layout
Figure 7.2 Layout involves the relative positioning of transforming resources within operations and processes, the allocation of tasks to the resources and their general appearance, which together dictate the nature and pattern of the flow of transformed resources through the operation or process
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Most practical layouts are derived from only four basic layout types…
Fixed-position layout
Functional layout
Cell layout
Product layout.
These layout types are loosely related to the process types described in Chapter 4 of Slack et al.
Layout types
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Service functional types
Mass services
Service shops
Manufacturing functional types
Continuous processes
Mass processes
Batch processes
Basic layout types
Fixed position layout
Functional layout
Cell layout
Product layout
The relationship between functional and layout types
Jobbing processes
Professional services
Project processes
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An innovative layout in a surgery improves its efficiency
Figure 7.3 ‘Assembly line’ surgery
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Figure 7.4 An example of a functional layout in a library
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‘Shop-within-a-shop’ (cell) in a department store
Figure 7.5 The floor plan of a department store showing the sports goods ‘shop-within-a-shop cell’ within the functional layout of the rest of the store
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Advantages and disadvantages of functional layout
Advantages
Disadvantages
Functional layout
High mix and product flexibility
Relatively robust in the case of disruptions
Relatively easy supervision of transforming resources
Low facilities utilization
Can have very high work-in-progress or customer queuing
Complex flow can be difficult to control
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Advantages and disadvantages of cell layout
Advantages
Disadvantages
Cell layout
Gives a compromise between cost and flexibility for relatively high-variety operations
Fast throughput
Potential good staff motivation
Can be costly to rearrange existing layout
Can require more equipment
Can give lower equipment utilization
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A space saving seating layout (but would you want to?
Figure 7.11 Using ‘hexagon’ seats and requiring some passengers to face backwards could increase seating density, but would you be prepared to?
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Questions?
Niccole Hyatt, PhD