Presentación de los resultados

Cycle time is defined as the duration for accomplishing a preestablished set of activities;

therefore cycle time analysis (CTA) is the formal process of cycle time review to ensure delivery of exactly what is needed, when it is needed, and the amount needed, while eliminating

unnecessary activities from all functions of an organization (CII: Schedule Reduction 1995, pp. 18).

Applied to the construction industry, cycle time analysis is the systematic process of examining each and every step in the process of delivering a project with the objective of eliminating activities and events that add no value to the project aiming at achieving overall project schedule reduction (CII: An Investigation of Schedule Reduction techniques 1996).

b. Implementation

Cycle time analysis has been mostly applied to project construction to remove non-value adding activities in construction processes; nonetheless, the same principles that guide cycle time

analysis during construction can be applied to any phase of the project. Thus, cycle time analysis applied to planning, design, construction and start-up can lead to reduced delivery schedules by eliminating those processes that add no value to the project.

There is no recorded formal procedure for implementing cycle time analysis; however, based on extensive research in combination with case studies, the CII provides the industry with a set of implementation guidelines (CII: Schedule Reduction 1995):

o Form a cross-functional steering team with representation of key stakeholders under the leadership of the project or construction manager.

o Select a target process or focus area for the analysis. Examples of target processes can be inventory reduction, routing and approval procedures of paperwork, just-in-time

manufacturing, minimizing equipment downtime, innovative construction sequences, and so on.

o Form teams around the selected work areas. For construction cycle time analysis teams should be developed at the worker level around the selected work areas. Use facilitators and provide the teams with training in team dynamics and techniques specific to the focus area, for example, statistical techniques and just-in-time management.

o Map the overall work processes with the use of flowcharts and identify problem areas. Problem areas may include redundant and unnecessary steps, inconsistent handling of the same task, same information regenerated at different stages for different purposes by different groups, lack of uniformity on repetitive processes, excessive waiting times, etc. Work teams can help in identifying specific issues within their work areas.

o Select performance indicators, execute measurements, and chart and post the process and results in each work area (e.g., productivity yields, delivery schedule, absenteeism, cost of poor quality and throughput time, etc).

o Communicate the goals and progress of the analysis to the employees involved with the process, and provide them with necessary retraining.

o Use technology to provide common databases and automate information transfer and transactional type activity.

c.

Advantages

Cycle time analysis implementation has great potential of reducing project delivery time considerably, while implementation costs are minimal compared to overall installed project costs and the achievable time savings.

In addition to reducing overall project schedule, other benefits that can be achieved with cycle time analysis include reduction in operating capital and identification of bottlenecks. Cycle time analysis also enhances employees’ sense of ownership, augments productivity, leading to increased job satisfaction. All these gains generated by this technique ultimately translate into reduction of total project cost.

The application of cycle time analysis through the formation of teams is important as it considers input and recommendations from individuals actually involved in the process under study for compression. This approach triggers employees’ motivation and enhances commitment to accomplish schedule reductions. Involvement and input from team members also enable consensus to be formed considering not only the priorities of the project but also the priorities of the team, which encourages adherence to the cycle time program. Consensus also promotes an environment of work team which is always fundamental for achieving common goals.

One last benefit of employing cycle time analysis is that it enables the identification of hidden problems in disciplines other than time and schedule related. Analysis and involvement of employees in work processes also encourage innovation.

d. Key elements to ensure a high degree of success

There are several important factors that contribute to the success of implementing cycle time analysis (CII: Schedule Reduction 1995):

o Commitment and support of top management.

o Strong and open communication at all levels of the project, particularly when approaching problem resolution to avoid adversarial consequences.

o Training of employees in cycle time analysis and problem-solving techniques. Lack of a structured approach leads to ineffective cycle time analysis and eventual loss of employee interest.

o Open communication and support to employees. Employees need to feel comfortable with the process to be willing to recognize and resolve problems, particularly when identifying bottlenecks, without the fear of job loss.

Cycle time analysis results can be improved if its implementation is combined with other schedule reduction techniques such as constructability and concurrent engineering.

e.

Disadvantages

One particular disadvantage of cycle time analysis is that, to be effective, it requires constant guidance from management to keep the team focused on the objectives of the technique’s

application. Cycle time analysis requires team participants to carry out the functions they usually perform to achieve project progress but, in addition, to devote time and effort in following and analyzing processes to recognize wasteful activities that add no value. Consequently, if adequate guidance and awareness is not constantly provided to team participants, these tend to easily

loose focus on objectives hindering successful results from analysis of cycle times. Moreover, once the areas of waste have been identified and addressed, constant awareness is required to maintain workers and employees performance aligned with adjusted processes. Participants’ commitment can also be easily weakened by lack of genuine motivation. Without the appropriate support, employees will unconsciously tend to go back to their work routine in which wasteful activities are allowed.

f.

Applicability and use

Cycle time analysis as an approach to schedule reduction has been successfully applied within the industry. Research proves that this technique can result in dramatic overall cycle time reductions. However, case studies also demonstrate that a strong motivation for improvement and for achieving results is important to commit to the process.

The applicability of cycle time analysis highly depends on management commitment and dedication in terms of time and budget, and most importantly, a willingness to implement the findings of the cycle time analysis (CII: Schedule Reduction 1995).

To reduce processes durations and therefore project delivery time, this technique can be successfully implemented in any phase of the project individually, or applied to the phases or processes that show greater potential for wasteful areas. Examples of phases that may benefit from cycle time analysis the most are project funding approval, drawing and specification reviews, and material procurement approvals (CII: Schedule Reduction 1995).

E. Concurrent Engineering