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Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
Early in
Frank Gilbreth's career he was interested in standardization and
the study of methods (the process of completing tasks).
One day at
the construction site where he worked as an engineer, he noticing
that none of the bricklayers used exactly the same method or even
the same set of motions when working fast as opposed to slow, he
decided to figure out an improved method.
By
carefully studying a bricklayer's job, Frank Gilberth reduced the
number of motions in laying a brick from 18 to about 5. Hence the
bricklayer both increased productivity and decreased fatigue. The
result was that he was able to raise output from 1000 to 2700
bricks per day.
Frand and
his wife Lillian later developed the laws of human motion and the
principles of motion economy.
'Cheaper
by the Dozen'
Frank and
Lillian Gilbreth were also the authors of the book 'Cheaper by the
Dozen' This was also made into a Hollywood movie.
Taylor thought that by analyzing work, the "One
Best Way" to do it would be found. He is most remembered for
developing the
time and motion study. He would break a job into its component
parts and measure each to the second. One of his most famous
studies involved shovels. He noticed that the workers used the
same shovel for all materials. He determined that the most
effective load was 21½ lb, and found or designed shovels that for
each material would scoop up that amount. |
