A Methods and Measurements Analyst needs to develop a time standard for a certain task. The task involves use of a ruler, square, and portable electric saw to mark and cut the "notch" in a rafter (a standard carpentry task of home construction)

Question

In a preliminary study, he observed one of his workers performing this task five times. The observations were made in an air-conditioned, well-lit training facility, at ground level, with all tools and equipment clean and readily available.

Observation: 1 2 3 4 5
Task time (seconds): 82 74 80 83 76

a. What is the actual average time for this task?
b. What is the normal time for this task if the employee worked at a 20% faster pace than is typical for adequately trained workers?
c. What is standard time for this task if allowances sum to 14%?
d. If the analyst then thought more carefully about his experiment and decided that the allowances needed to be increased to match the real (outside, not air-conditioned) work environment, and that the proper allowance was not 14% but 20%, what is the revised standard time?

Answer 1

a. Actual average time is 79 seconds.
b. Normal time is (79 )(1.20 ) = 94.8 seconds.
c. Standard time is 94.8 / (1 - .14 ) = 110.23 seconds.
d. The revised standard time is 94.8/(1 - .20 ) = 118.5 seconds.