Improvement of Work Process Performance with Task Assignments and Mental Workload Balancing

The outcome of a work process depends heavily on which tasks assigned to which employees. However, sometimes-optimized assignments based on employees’ qualifications may result in an uneven and ineffective workload distribution among them. Likewise, an even workload distribution without considering the employee\u27s qualifications may cause unproductive employee-task matching that results in low performance of employees. This trade-off is even more noticeable for work processes during critical time junctions, such as in military command centers and emergency rooms that require being fast and effective without making errors. This study proposes that optimizing task-employee assignments according to their capabilities while also keeping them under a workload threshold, results in better performance for work processes, especially during critical time junctions. The goal is to select the employee-task assignments in order to minimize the average duration of a work process while keeping the employees under a workload threshold to prevent errors caused by overload. Due to uncertainties inherent in the problem related with the inter-arrival time of work orders, task durations and employees\u27 instantaneous workload, a utilized simulation-optimization approach solves this problem. More specifically, a discrete event human performance simulation model evaluates the objective function of the problem coupled with a genetic algorithm based meta-heuristic optimization approach to search the solution space. This approach proved to be useful in determining the right task-agent assignments by taking into consideration the employees\u27 qualifications and mental workload in order to minimize the average duration of a work process. Use of a sample work process shows the effectiveness of the developed simulation-optimization approach. Numerical tests indicate that the proposed approach finds better solutions than common practices and other simulation-optimization methods. Accordingly, by using this method, organizations can increase performance, manage excess-level workloads, and generate higher satisfactory environments for employees, without modifying the structure of the process itself

Human System Engineering Applications from Distracted Driving Simulations

Most of the studies to explore the impact of distracted driving have been descriptive in nature; i.e. the research is conducted in naturalistic settings to evaluate the performance of the driver with and without distracters. However simulation models can also be used that predict the workload for driving tasks. Using concepts from process modeling, baseline models of driving tasks can be created for different driving sequences that include the associated fine motor, visual and cognitive human resources. These models can then be used to evaluate incidents of workload overload caused by different distracters, from both the internal and external vehicle environment. Identifying specific overloaded resources can lead to mitigation strategies to reduce workload and minimize distracted driving. Lessons learned from distracted driving research can then be applied to evaluation other types of manual, visual, and cognitive intensive tasks. Identifying combinations of tasks that contribute to peak workload of operators, and then simulating the impact of multi-tasking using personal devices (i.e. cell phones) can lead to management insights for other types of work environments. Additionally, iterative modeling can also include the impact of sensors and alerts, as well as enhanced workstation displays. Individual component overload can help understand causes for performance detriments during different task sequences, and the impact of additional types of technologies and activities. Using the simulation analysis, the impact on overall workload, identification of peak workload occurrences, and specific overloaded resources can lead to mitigation strategies to reduce workload and improve operator performance

Employee-Task Assignments for Organization Modeling: A Review of Models and Applications

In this study, we present a review of task assignment problems in organizations, an area that has become more important as tasks become more complex and personnel skills become more specialized. The challenge is to design task assignments that meet all requirements and result in the best organizational performance. The consequences of poor design include failed tasks, reduced efficiency, and inability to meet deadlines. Moreover, inequity of workload between employees can cause lack of job satisfaction, loss of motivation and also boredom. In general, work processes in organizations consist of different tasks, which require different expertise. Personnel usually have various degrees of qualifications and their performance may vary for different tasks. The outcome of the work process depends heavily on which tasks are assigned to which personnel. Performance of an organization can be increased by assigning the tasks to the most qualified available personnel. However, it could result in overloading some personnel while the others remain under-loaded. So, the even distribution of the workload between them also needs to be taken into consideration. In addition, it helps to increase organization\u27s productivity by distributing personnel\u27s knowledge, time, and attention more extensively. We review task-employee assignment problems in organization modeling with the computational models that have been reported in the literature with their applications. Human factors engineering, in terms of workload in organizational modeling is included as the work process performance is heavily dependent on the human (personnel). Based on the initial findings, we propose to investigate an improved workload model that allows the use of optimization of select constraints, such as balancing workload among team members. While current workload models allow the evaluation of workload among team members interacting in a work process, it is up to the analyst to suggest improvements. By providing an optimized solution, we present the Engineering Manager, that can then be adjusted to meet practical criteria

Digital twin for Advanced Service delivery systems: Opportunities and challenges

Implementing an Advanced Services strategy may bring economic, social and environmental sustainability, but requires orchestration of a complex system of interdependent actors. Customers, suppliers, contractors and other intermediaries must be co-ordinated effectively for mutual benefit. Doing so requires appropriate data not only related to products, but also service delivery and (customers’) use environment. This research proposes a Digital Twin approach to capturing and processing real-time data from each of these three levels, in order to orchestrate successful value creation

Kindling uygulanmış wistar ve genetik absans epilepsili sıçanlarda nörogenezin incelenmesi

Kindling Uygulanmış Wistar ve Genetik Absans Epilepsili SıçanlardaAmaç: Dünyada yaklaşık 50 milyon kişiyi etkileyen epilepsinin en sık görülen tipi temporal lob epilepsisidir (TLE). Hayvanlarda uygulanan kimyasal ve elektriksel kindling yöntemleriile TLE modeli oluşturulabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada pentilentetrazol (PTZ) uygulanmış erişkin Wistar ve GAERS sıçanların hipokampusunda immünfloresan yöntemlerle nörogenezin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem:250-300 gr ağırlığında erişkin Wistar ve GAERS albino suşu sıçanlara kimyasal kindling oluşturmak amacıyla gün aşırı subkutan yol ile PTZ (35 mg/kg) uygulandı. Ardı ardına 5 kez evre 5 nöbet geçiren hayvanlar kindled olarak kabul edildi. Son evre 5 nöbetten sonra 7. ve 14. günlerde derin anestezi altında intrakardiyak perfüzyon fiksasyonu yapıldı.İmmünfloresan metodlarla yeni oluşan nöronları göstermek amacıyla anti-doublecortin (DCX), astroglial hücreleri göstermek için anti-glial fibriller asidik protein (GFAP), olgun nöronları göstermek için anti-nöronal nüklear antijen (NeuN)primer antikorlarıyla boyamalar yapıldı ve kesitler floresan mikroskobunda incelendi.Bulgular ve Sonuç: GAERS kontrol grubunda Wistar kontrol grubuna göre, Wistar PTZ gruplarında kendi kontrollerine göre daha fazla DCX pozitif hücre olduğu saptandı. Bu çalışmanın bulguları GAERS sıçanların daha önceki çalışmalarda saptanan elektriksel kindlinge olan dirençlerinin nörogenez artışıyla ilişkili olabileceğini düşündürmektedir. --------------------Investigation of Neurogenesis in Kindled Wistar and Genetic AbsenceEpileptic RatsAim: The most common type of epilepsy affecting about 50 million people worldwide is temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Chemical and electrical kindling methods in animals can be used to form TLE model. In the present study, it was aimed to investigate neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult kindled Wistar and GAERS rats by immunofluorescence methods. Materials and Method:Adult Wistar and GAERS albino rats weighing 250-300 grwere injected PTZ (35 mg/kg) subcutaneously every other day to produce chemical kindling. Animals having 5 times grade 5 seizures were considered to be kindled. Intracardiac perfusion was performed under deep anesthesia on the 7th and 14th days after the last grade 5 seizure. Immunofluorescence methods were used todemonstrate newly formed neurons, astroglial cells, and mature neurons, by usinganti-doublecortin (DCX),anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and antineuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN)primary antibodies, respectively. Sectons were then examined under fluorescence microscope. Results and Conclusion: DCX positive cells were found to be increased in GAERS control group compared to the Wistar control group; and in Wistar PTZ group compared to the Wistar control group. The findings of the present study suggest that the resistance to electrical kindling of GAERS reported in previous studies might be related to the increased neurogenesis in this strain

Antidepressant-like effects induced by chronic blockade of the purinergic 2X7 receptor through inhibition of non-like receptor protein 1 inflammasome in chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression in rats

Objective: Purinergic 2X7 receptor (P2X7R) activation is known to be involved in pathogenesis of depression. Our aims were to investigate P2X7R-activated inflammasome pathways in parallel with induction of depression and to test the antidepressant-like effects of the selective P2X7R antagonist Brilliant Blue G (BBG) in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)

Using discrete event simulation to explore food wasted in the home

Food waste is an issue of global importance. Households generate more food waste than any other source in high- and middle-income countries. There are many solutions to reduce household food waste, but measurement of the impact of each solution is costly, and therefore usually not undertaken. This is a major barrier to decision makers adopting the most effective solutions. Discrete event simulation (DES) modelling is ideally placed to overcome these problems. This paper presents the most developed application of DES to household food waste to date: The Household Simulation Model (HHSM). The HHSM has the flexibility to model several food items. It includes many household dynamics that can affect food waste (e.g. purchasing, storage, consumption). The HHSM simulates a range of household types to reflect the diversity of the population in question (for this paper, the United Kingdom). This paper demonstrates the innovation of the HHSM: it provides a framework allowing different types of evidence to be brought together to help understand how food waste is influenced by a range of factors. To illustrate its usefulness, we provide an analysis of six potential interventions to reduce milk waste, covering both product innovation and behaviour change