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Combine activities

Combine small activities into composite activities

A technique for combining smaller tasks into larger ones to reduce setup times and improve the quality of work.

Reijers, H., & Liman Mansar, S. (2005). Best practices in business process redesign: an overview and qualitative evaluation of successful redesign heuristics. Omega, 33(4)

Description

Task Combination is a process optimization technique that involves combining smaller tasks into larger ones. This technique reduces setup times, which are the time that resources need to become familiar with the specifics of a case, and can improve the quality of work. However, it is important to strike a balance between the size of the tasks and their workability. Tasks that are too large can result in smaller run-time flexibility and lower quality. Smaller tasks, on the other hand, can result in longer setup times. 

Task Combination
Task Combination

Performance considerations

By finding the optimal balance, organizations can achieve the best of both worlds: shorter setup times, higher quality, and greater flexibility.

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Foundational free Patterns

Assign cases

Let workers perform as many steps as possible for single cases

Distinguish case types

Determine whether activities are related to the same type of case and, if necessary, distinguish new business processes

Isolate exceptions

Design business processes for typical cases and isolate exceptional cases from the normal flow

Minimize numerical involvement

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Specialist-generalist

Consider to deepen or broaden the skills of resources

Offer location flexibility

Let customers interact with the company wherever they want to

Role-based task assignment

Assign tasks based on resources' roles in the organisation

Teamwork-based assignment

Allocate task based on collaborative experience: handover time, interactions, diversity

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Connected to

Apply triage

Consider the division of a general activity into two or more alternative activities

Consolidate Work

Collect similar work items and work in batches

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