In a recent article in the Manufacturing Business Technology magazine, Julie Fraser discusses how “software can bring some capabilities to the plant environment that are very difficult - if not impossible - to achieve by other means.” In particular, she highlights resource allocation as a need that can only truly be addressed by systems that look at multiple products and a highly skilled workforce that cannot all be cross-trained. Software also provides visibility into the plant through automated data collection, and performance reporting. The article, “Why buy plant software in a Lean environment?” can be found HERE.

At some point I’m usually asked “Why automate (the process) when our scheduler is already doing a good job?”  It might seem counter-intuitive, but this is actually the best time to bring the tools of automation to bear.  This is the time, before a talented scheduler moves-on to something else, to gather what they know, document it, write the software code, and fine-tune the results under their experienced and knowledgeable eyes.  If your operation is running smoothly, it’s more likely you will have the time to devote their skills to a successful implementation. Wait until they’re overwhelmed or gone, and it becomes a much tougher project.

New approaches to managing the workforce can be unsettling to your line employees.  Change is often a tough pill to swallow.  Automating your scheduling process, by definition, can appear de-humanizing – ‘I’m scheduled by a black box!’  Actually, if handled correctly, union members come to embrace this technology.  Why?  Because it is consistent (fair) in the application of the contract.  It is accessible to everyone, regardless of their shift.  It is able to provide an ‘audit’ of every assignment it makes.  You are ‘known’ to the scheduling system by your skills alone.  What’s not to love?