Recent agreements with the labor union had established MODAPTS® as the tool for establishing time standards. Industrial engineering staff members were certified in using the tool, but no one in production had yet received any training. The IE manager knew that his efforts to increase productivity through improved line balancing would be more successful if the front-line production supervisors and managers understood MODAPTS® and how it was applied. The more production supervisors accepted the standards that were developed by the industrial engineers, the easier it would be to implement changes. He needed someone who could train the production staff.

Being a professional, industrial engineering firm, IET was familiar with several predetermined time study systems including MODAPTS®. IET leveraged its knowledge of time study and experience with MODAPTS® to design a three-day training program for production supervisors. The course utilized lecture and self-study materials, supplemental in-class exercises, and a certification exam that emphasized the practical application of the tool to measure time requirements.

Over thirty production supervisors and managers participated in the training sessions with 95% earning certification. Several supervisors commented that they now felt qualified to review and question the standards being developed by the industrial engineers.