Task analysis (often called activity analysis) studies how individual tasks are carried out in relation to factors (including):

the length of time to carry out the task,

the frequency of the task,

the complexity of the task,

how many people are required to complete it,

the level of skill/training  required by the people,

the levels of “manual”, “cerebral”, or other capabilities,

how “time critical” or "time elastic" the task is,

elements of the task which can be eliminated (and how) or how the time taken can be reduced (and how).

Output from a cell, line or departmental task analysis will allow a comparison between the "calculated" hours and the deployed hours within the area. 

Comparing the output from a task analysis with that from a productivity analysis, will assist the company to plan deployment requirements in the “future state” - in relation to changing  business needs, increased levels of automation, legal requirements etc.

An example from a "picking and packing" operation in a warehouse is shown in the chart to the right.

This illustrates a comparison of the actual deployment - "what we did achieve in the last year" - with the hours calculated from a task analysis - "what we should have been able to achieve".

The potential improvement shown here is equivalent to 18% across the year.

The solution in this example was an annualised hours scheme which enabled the deployment  of employees on a more flexible basis which matched the demand more appropriately.