Performance Improvement - Factors, Solutions, Intervention, & Evaluation

Read the following scenario and respond to the problems that follow.

The workers on the assembly line of the WizzyWats factory were not identifying defective components correctly, as the items passed their stations. This led to an increase in defective products, a loss of production, and a frustrated management team.

The company hired a consultant to monitor the workflow, but the consultant was unable to locate any problems with the machines or the speed of the line. Therefore, the only conclusion identified, related to the workers' level of alertness and fatigue. Based on this conclusion, the consultant made two recommendations:

1. Comfortable chairs were added to the assembly line.
2. Timely breaks were scheduled for the workers.

Over a period of time, these interventions did not produce any significant change in production. Workers still failed to identify defective components properly.

1. What factors could be included in this study that were overlooked by the consultant?
2. Select a solution and decide which level of intervention seems most appropriate for implementing your solution.
3. State the reasons for your selection and describe what that intervention might look like.
4. How would you evaluate your intervention to know that you were successful?