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Developing a lean and agile work force
Author(s) -
Plonka Francis E.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
human factors and ergonomics in manufacturing and service industries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.408
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1520-6564
pISSN - 1090-8471
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6564(199724)7:1<11::aid-hfm2>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - agile software development , flexibility (engineering) , lean project management , lean manufacturing , work (physics) , process management , mistake , process (computing) , lean software development , quality (philosophy) , product (mathematics) , agile manufacturing , manufacturing engineering , work in process , engineering , operations management , risk analysis (engineering) , computer science , business , management , mechanical engineering , software engineering , philosophy , mathematics , software , software system , law , operating system , software construction , geometry , epistemology , political science , programming language , economics
This article examines the contribution that human factors practitioners can make to improve work force capabilities in the lean and agile manufacturing environments. The article addresses the demands that lean and agile manufacturing initiatives will place on the current and emerging work force to achieve increasing levels of quality and flexibility with lower costs and shorter product life cycles. The issues of worker selection, continuous skill development, work place design, equipment maintenance, process improvement, mistake proofing, and process reconfiguration for new products are discussed from a human factors perspective. The article concludes that a new production system where human factors play a central role will be needed to help work force members achieve greater success in meeting these demands. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.