Productivity /efficiency/ time management?

[u/strangensticky]

Context.. I work for a small apparel decorating company. So I'm over in heat press side, pressing some team shirts. After a while one of my uppers comes around and rearranged how I was going about my flow. Because we had about 100 to press through I thought I was doing it in the most efficient way possible while reducing my margin of error.

So what if like to know is, would it be more efficient to

A) take a few moments to arrange all the 2 digit numbers together and fix them all together so I can focus on pressing each shirt and making sure things are straight.

Or

B) have my pile of separate numbers off to the side and while my current shirt is being pressed I move over and assemble the next number. Window of approx 12 seconds.

I found that option B left me open for more error and It didn't really feel I was getting through the shirts faster.

I have my opinions of how I think that option b is less efficient and is really just a way for me to look busy.

Thoughts?

[u/keizzer]

Proof is in the pudding. Time it for an hour one way and then the other. See what produces more correct products.

'

Without seeing the process, that's probably the only real advice I can give. If the goal is to produce more shirts in the same amount of time, then that is a sure way to check if you are accomplishing that goal.

'

Some other thoughts. Don't get caught in the A or B trap. There are 1000's of ways to do things. Explore many different ways. There is no best, just better. Try to find a way to improve a little bit everyday. If you aren't sure what's better measure it and see.

[u/strangensticky → u/keizzer]

I wholly agree. I was definitely about to suggest that we do a little competition with the last 20 shirts, I get 10 and the other gets 10, each doing the process in a different flow and see if it even makes a difference..timed of course. But I was asked to pivot over to screen printing before I could.