Question

Imagine US is a startup that offers high-definition 3-D prenatal ultrasounds for high-end customers. The service process includes five activities that are conducted in the sequence described below. (The time required for each activity is shown in parentheses):

Activity 1: Welcome a patient and explain the procedure. (7 minutes)

Activity 2: Prep the patient (e.g., show them to the room, apply ultrasound gel). (3 minutes)

Activity 3: Take images. (14 minutes)

Activity 4: Analyze images. (9 minutes)

Activity 5: Discuss diagnostic with patient. (23 minutes)

They have three workers. Suppose they are to assign activities to workers such a. that each activity is assigned to only one worker and each worker must be assigned consecutive tasks. What would be the maximum capacity of this process (patients per hour)?

Suppose tasks are assigned to three workers and now workers are able to do

b. multiple tasks and their assigned tasks do not need to be consecutive. What would be the maximum capacity of this process (patients per hour)?

Answer 1

Question a)

Conditions are

1. Each activity should be assigned to only one worker

2. Each worker must assign consecutive tasks

then work assigned to each worker as below

WORKER	ASSIGNED	TIME
W1	A1	7
W1	A2	3
W2	A3	14
W3	A4	9
W3	A5	23
	TOTAL	56

Activity 1 and 2 capacity = 10 minutes

Activity 3 and 4 capacity = 23 minutes

Activity 5 = 23 minutes 

Maximum capacity = 60/23 = 2.61 patients per hour

Question b

Conditions-

1. Workers can do multiple task

2. Assigned task do not needto be consecutive. That is it can be consecutive also.

If so each worker can attend each patient at a time. then

	W1	W2	W3
	Start	Stop	Start	Stop	Start	Stop
A1	0	7	0	7	0	7
A2	7	10	7	10	7	10
A3	10	24	10	24	10	24
A4	24	33	24	33	24	33
A5	33	56	33	56	33	56

If one worker is there then he could complete the job in 56 minutes.

Capacity = 60/56 = 1.07patients per hour

Now there three workers

capacity = 1.07 x 3 = 3.21 patients per hour

Answer 2

As per above given instruction the the job sequence should be as below

(AL) A2 - A3 A+ 2A5 27 a 14 3 구

Question a)

Conditions are

1. Each activity should be assigned to only one worker

2. Each worker must assign consecutive tasks

then work assigned to each worker as below

WORKER	ASSIGNED	TIME
W1	A1	7
W1	A2	3
W2	A3	14
W3	A4	9
W3	A5	23
	TOTAL	56

Total time for attending one patient = 56 min

Maximum capacity = 60/56 = 1.07 patients per hour

Question b

Conditions-

1. Workers can do multiple task

2. Assigned task do not needto be consecutive. That is it can be consecutive also.

If so each worker can attend each patient at a time. then

	W1	W2	W3
	Start	Stop	Start	Stop	Start	Stop
A1	0	7	0	7	0	7
A2	7	10	7	10	7	10
A3	10	24	10	24	10	24
A4	24	33	24	33	24	33
A5	33	56	33	56	33	56

If one worker is there then he could complete the job in 56 minutes.

Capacity = 60/56 = 1.07patients per hour

Now there three workers

capacity = 1.07 x 3 = 3.21 patients per hour