Think about how you move your body throughout the day to complete your work tasks.
You’re likely using many different body parts to perform movements such as:
Lifting
Grasping
Placing
Bending
Writing
Walking
Reading
Reaching
The MODAPTS® System
The movements you perform each day can be classified under the MODAPTS® system.
MODAPTS® is a system that relates time values to body movements so that reasonable expectations
can be determined for how long tasks should take to complete.
Run your mouse over each letter box to learn more about the MODAPTSRacronym.
MODMODular
The numeric value for most MODAPTS® elements are in whole numbers.
These numbers are called MODular MODs. One MOD is approximately 1/8 of a second.
AArrangement of
All MOD values are predetermined by body part, which takes the guess work out of determining an activity’s value.
PPredetermined
All MOD values are predetermined by body part, which takes the guess work out of determining an
activity’s value.
TTime
MODs, which serve as units of time, assist managers with calculating the appropriate amount of time an activity should take a worker to complete under normal working circumstances.
SStandards
Use of standards in MODAPTS® allows managers to reliably measure the quality and quantity of work performed by workers.
Why Apply MODAPTS® Standards? (Sample Screen 3 of 3)
Planning and Control
Validity and Accuracy
Reporting
Corrective Action
Planning and Control
Planning and control are two important functions in a manager’s job.
Before work can even begin, managers need to plan the work.
When work is taking place, managers also need to control the work effectively.
MODAPTS® can help managers with both the functions of planning and control.
Use of MODAPTS® can assist managers with planning for effective work
and improving existing work processes.
Use of MODAPTS® can also help managers with controlling differences among workers
while applying basic work principles for expectations of reasonable work.
Validity
MODAPTS® is widely accepted as a valid and useful system of work measurement.
In fact, MODAPTS® is used in organizations across the world!
A 1982 study shows that MODAPTS® can even be successfully used by employees
to self-develop standards for work activity.
Accuracy
The accuracy of MODAPTS® as a system is reflected through its ability to measure
and develop reliable, consistent work standards.
Words like fast, slow, good, or bad do not objectively measure an individual’s
work performance. By using MODAPTS®, managers can precisely measure how fast or slow,
for example, a task should take to be completed.
Reporting
Once work has been accurately measured, there has to be a reporting system
that assists with the control process.
A good reporting system will provide managers with information on differences
between the standards set and the actual performance. This information is helpful
to a manager in determining if the standards are correct or if a worker is being
asked to perform above his/her capabilities.
Limitations
The MODAPTS® system is ideal for measuring work associated with manually controlled tasks.
However, the use of MODAPTS® is limited in process-controlled activities in which the process
controls the operator. MODAPTS® can offer advantages in measuring and setting standards during
total or partial machine-paced work.
MODAPTS® could be useful in determining how the worker is occupied with the cycle time
of the machine, and the output based on the speed of the machine.
Partially Machine Paced (Machine and Worker Perform Task)
MODAPTS® could be useful in determining output based on both the machine speed
and the operator.
