Learning_Curve_Theory

Michael Rathburn Week 2 OPS 571 Learning Curve Theory Maggie Salas-Amaro February 22, 2010 Mario’s Pizzeria Current Customer Processing Data during Peak Times Currently, Mario’s Pizzeria uses a seating configuration of fourteen tables for four and zero tables for two. The current ratio of customer groups upon arrival is 60:40 for groups of two and four. The mean customer wait time per server upon customer entry until acceptance of the bill is eight minutes. Current customer wait time falls between seven and nine minutes which is close to the upper tolerance limit of 9 minutes. Michael observed customer processing on two occasions for 8 weeks before and after implementing process performance improvements and observed the following: Process Performance Data – Mario’s Pizzeria   Simulation #1 SAMPLE # |WEEKS |# OF CUSTOMERS GROUPS OF 2 |# OF CUSTOMERS GROUPS OF 4 |WAIT TIME (MINS) |QUEUE LENGTH |PROFIT |LOST SALES |ADJUSTMENTS | |1 |3 |73 |103 |12.24 |3.18 | $ 1,033 | $ 1,140 | | |2 |4 |71 |105 |5.84 |2.70 | $ 1,391 | $ 645 |TABLES FOR 4 = 9; TABLES FOR 2 = 10, WAIT STAFF = 4; KITCHEN = 2 | |3 |5 |69 |107 |11.69 |3.44 | $ 79 | $ 2,835 | | |4 |6 |71 |105 |4.59 |2.34 | $ 1,615 | $ 300 |2 PLAX OVENS; 2 MANUAL OVENS AND MENUPOINT | |5 |7 |97 |143 |4.80 |2.95 | $ 1,974 | $ 1,230 | | |6 |8 |93 |146 |3.46 |2.68 | $ 2,071 | $ 690 |CREAM PUFFS | |   Simulation #2 SAMPLE # |WEEKS |# OF CUSTOMERS GROUPS OF 2 |# OF CUSTOMERS GROUPS OF 4 |WAIT TIME (MINS) |QUEUE LENGTH |PROFIT |LOST SALES |ADJUSTMENTS | |1 |3 |70 |106 |11.48 |3.04 | $ 1,054 | $ 1,155 | | |2 |4 |73 |103 |5.34 |2.49 | $ 1,509 | $ 450 |TABLES FOR 4 = 10; TABLES FOR 2 = 8, WAIT STAFF = 4; KITCHEN = 2 | |3 |5 |68 |104 |11.89 |3.49 | $ 65 | $ 2,850 | | |4 |6 |70 |106 |4.46 |2.50 | $ 1,674 | $ 270 |1 PLAX OVEN-MENUPOINT | |5 |7 |94 |146 |4.5 |2.90 | $ 1,995 | $ 1,245 | | |6 |8 |92 |147 |3.36 |2.81 | $ 2,061 | $ 720 |CREAM PUFFS | | Simulation #1 Sophia determines the current customer service process is inefficient due to improper seating configuration, outdated equipment and capacity issues which directly affect labor and time utilization. Sophia reviews customer and wait staff utilization however determines that adjustments are currently unnecessary. Sophia used a logarithmic scale to plot the data for analysis of the learning curve. Simulation #2 Simulation #2 Using the Learning Curve Theory Sophia determines that there is a notable improvement in average waiting time for customers from weeks one through seven to weeks eight through fourteen of the process analysis. From week two to week nine for instance, wait times decreased from 11.83 minutes to 4.73 minutes after reconfiguring Under Simulation #1 - Michael changed the current seating from 14 tables for four and zero tables for two, to 9 tables for four and 10 tables for two, by adding two manual ovens and acquiring two new Plax ovens, MenuPoint and by renting Cream Puffs to answer the demand for increased capacity. Michael used the learning curve theory to analyze data from the control charts noting that the amount of time required to complete each phase of customer service is less each time, the unit time decreases at a decreasing rate and that the reduction time for customer processing follows a predictable pattern. In analyzing the learning curve Sophia notes that average waiting time has decreased more than half from 12.24 to 3.46 minutes from week two to week nine. Michael applied approximation to fit the curve. Under Simulation #2 - Michael changed the current seating from 14 tables for four and zero tables for two, to 10 tables for four and 8 tables for two, by acquiring 1 new Plax oven, MenuPoint and by renting Cream Puffs to answer the demand for increased capacity. Michael used the learning curve theory to analyze data from the control charts noting that the amount of time required to complete each phase of customer service is less each time, the unit time decreases at a decreasing rate and that the reduction time for customer processing follows a predictable pattern. In analyzing the learning curve Michael notes that average waiting time has decreased more than half from 11.48 to 2.81 minutes from week two to week nine. Michael applied approximation to fit the curve. ----------------------- [pic] [pic]