Design Team Decision Processes in Point of Dispensing Design Erica Gralla George Washington University Jeffrey W. Herrmann Michael Morency University of Maryland Funding Source: This project is supported by National Science Foundation grants CMMI-1435074 and CMMI-1435449. 1
Research aim and scope This research studies both how and how well teams of human designers solve complex system design problems like facility layout problems. Most design is carried out by teams of bounded rational human designers How do teams solve design problems and how do their decomposition strategies affect solution quality? Our research goals: to understand how design teams decompose complex design problems into sets of related subproblems and integrate the solutions; and to assess the impact of these decompositions on the quality of the solutions that the design teams generate. 2
In the POD design process, teams of experts decomposed the design problem. Facility layout problem Team of bounded rational human designers Decomposed problem Design solution 3
Research methods Setting During the 2-hour design exercise, each team worked in a separate room. Teams presented their designs to each other for discussion. Characteristics of the five design teams 20 participants: public health emergency preparedness professionals at county public health departments, with an average experience of 11 years (min = 1 year, median = 7 years, max = 42 years). Data collection Field observation: recorded activities and collected artifacts. Data analysis Described team activities using relevant codes for the variables they were discussing and setting. Used association rules learning and timelines to identify variables that were discussed at the same time. 4
The POD design problem was set in the first floor of a local high school. 5
Team 1 POD Layout 6
Team 1 timeline, sorted by variable categories Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 # Category Coded Additional staffing 2 Calculating Staff Needs 5 Design Drive Through 4 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 4 Drive Through Flow Entry to Greeting 2 Drive Through Flow Med Dsn to Exit 2 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 2 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 5 Internal Layout Med Dsn 6 Internal Layout Screening 5 Location Behavioral Health 3 Location Flow Control 4 Location Forms Dsn 2 Location Greeting 2 Location Inventory and Supplies 3 Location Med Dsn 1 Location Point of Entry 3 Location Point of Exit 4 Location Screening 2 Location Security 4 Location Staff Break Room 1 Location Triage 2 POD Layout 7 Staffing at Command Post 4 Staffing at Forms Dsn 1 Staffing at Greeting 4 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 2 Staffing at Med Dsn 3 Staffing at Screening 3 Staffing at Triage 1 7
Team 1 subproblems from association rules 8
Team 1 timeline, sorted by subproblem Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 # Category Coded Design Drive Through 4 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 4 Drive Through Flow Entry to Greeting 2 Drive Through Flow Med Dsn to Exit 2 Location Point of Entry 3 Location Point of Exit 4 POD Layout 7 Location Behavioral Health 3 Location Inventory and Supplies 3 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 2 Internal Layout Screening 5 Location Forms Dsn 2 Staffing at Forms Dsn 1 Staffing at Greeting 4 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 5 Internal Layout Med Dsn 6 Location Flow Control 4 Staffing at Med Dsn 3 Staffing at Screening 3 Additional staffing 2 Calculating Staff Needs 5 Location Greeting 2 Location Med Dsn 1 Location Screening 2 Location Security 4 Location Staff Break Room 1 Location Triage 2 Staffing at Command Post 4 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 2 Staffing at Triage 1 9
Team 2 POD Layout 10
Team 2 timeline, sorted by variable categories # Code Category d Additional staffing 2 Include Drive Through 1 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 4 POD Layout 3 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 4 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 8 Flow within Med Dsn 16 Flow within Screening 5 Internal Layout Forms Dsn 1 Internal Layout Med Dsn 16 Internal Layout Screening 5 Location Flow Control 3 Location Forms Dsn 1 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Med Dsn 2 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Point of Exit 2 Location Screening 1 Location Security 2 Location Staff Break Room 2 Staffing at Forms Dsn 2 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 1 Staffing at Med Dsn 8 Staffing at Screening 4 Visual Aids Residents 1 Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 11
Team 2 subproblems from association rules 12
Team 2 timeline, sorted by subproblem # Code Category d POD Layout 3 Location Med Dsn 2 Location Staff Break Room 2 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Internal Layout Med Dsn 16 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 4 Flow within Med Dsn 16 Location Flow Control 3 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 8 Internal Layout Screening 5 Flow within Screening 5 Additional staffing 2 Include Drive Through 1 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 4 Internal Layout Forms Dsn 1 Location Forms Dsn 1 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Point of Exit 2 Location Screening 1 Location Security 2 Staffing at Forms Dsn 2 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 1 Staffing at Med Dsn 8 Staffing at Screening 4 Visual Aids Residents 1 Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 13
Team 3 POD Layout 14
Team 3 timeline, sorted by variable categories Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 Category # Coded Calculating Staff Needs 12 POD Layout 2 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 2 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 2 Flow within Inventory and Supplie2 Flow within Med Dsn 2 Flow within Screening 2 Include Command Post 1 Include Flow Control 1 Include Medical Mgt 1 Internal Layout Med Dsn 3 Internal Layout Screening 3 Location Command Post 1 Location Flow Control 3 Location Forms Dsn 1 Location Greeting 2 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Med Dsn 2 Location Medical Mgt 1 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Point of Exit 1 Location Screening 2 Location Security 1 Staffing at Command Post 4 Staffing at Flow Control 5 Staffing at Greeting 2 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies2 Staffing at Med Dsn 4 Staffing at Parking Control/Mgt 2 Staffing at Screening 3 15
Team 3 subproblems from association rules 16
Team 3 timeline, sorted by subproblem Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 Category # Coded Calculating Staff Needs 12 Staffing at Parking Control/Mgt 2 Staffing at Med Dsn 4 Staffing at Screening 3 Staffing at Flow Control 5 Location Flow Control 3 Location Greeting 2 Staffing at Greeting 2 Staffing at Command Post 4 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Med Dsn 2 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Screening 2 Internal Layout Screening 3 Internal Layout Med Dsn 3 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 2 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 2 Flow within Med Dsn 2 Flow within Screening 2 POD Layout 2 Flow within Inventory and Supplies 2 Include Command Post 1 Include Flow Control 1 Include Medical Mgt 1 Location Command Post 1 Location Forms Dsn 1 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Medical Mgt 1 Location Point of Exit 1 Location Security 1 17
Team 4 POD Layout 18
Team 4 timeline, sorted by variable categories Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 Category # Coded Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 8 Calculating Staff Needs 5 Include Drive Through 3 POD Layout 3 Flow Entry to Greeting 2 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 5 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 3 Flow through Forms Dsn 2 Flow through Greeting 2 Flow through Inventory and Supplies 2 Flow through Med Dsn 2 Flow through Screening 2 Include Command Post 2 Include Triage 2 Internal Layout Forms Dsn 6 Internal Layout Med Dsn 7 Internal Layout Point of Entry 2 Internal Layout Screening 6 Location Command Post 3 Location Flow Control 3 Location Greeting 3 Location Inventory and Supplies 3 Location Point of Entry 5 Location Point of Exit 2 Location Security 2 Location Staff Break Room 2 Staffing at Behavioral Health 2 Staffing at Command Post 5 Staffing at Forms Dsn 5 Staffing at Greeting 4 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 3 Staffing at Parking Control/Mgt 5 Staffing at Point of Entry 2 Staffing at Point of Exit 2 Visual Aids Station 3 19
Team 4 subproblems from association rules 20
Team 4 timeline, sorted by subproblem Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 Category # Coded Include Drive Through 3 POD Layout 3 Location Point of Entry 5 Staffing at Parking Control/Mgt 5 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 8 Staffing at Point of Entry 2 Location Inventory and Supplies 3 Flow Entry to Greeting 2 Location Greeting 3 Flow through Greeting 2 Staffing at Greeting 4 Staffing at Forms Dsn 5 Flow through Forms Dsn 2 Internal Layout Forms Dsn 6 Visual Aids Station 3 Internal Layout Screening 6 Internal Layout Med Dsn 7 Location Flow Control 3 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 3 Include Command Post 2 Location Command Post 3 Location Security 2 Staffing at Command Post 5 Flow through Med Dsn 2 Flow through Screening 2 Calculating Staff Needs 5 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 5 Flow through Inventory and Supplies 2 Include Triage 2 Internal Layout Point of Entry 2 Location Point of Exit 2 Location Staff Break Room 2 Staffing at Behavioral Health 2 Staffing at Inventory and Supplies 3 Staffing at Point of Exit 2 21
Team 5 POD Layout 22
Team 5 timeline, sorted by variable categories Category Calculating Staff Needs 4 Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 5 POD Layout 4 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 3 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 2 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 2 Flow within Med Dsn 2 Flow within Screening 6 Include Data Entry 1 Include Triage 1 Internal Layout Data Entry 3 Internal Layout Med Dsn 4 Internal Layout Screening 11 Location Data Entry 1 Location Flow Control 4 Location Forms Dsn 5 Location Greeting 3 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Med Dsn 2 Location Patient Education 1 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Point of Exit 3 Location Screening 3 Location Security 1 Staffing at Command Post 1 Staffing at Forms Dsn 3 Staffing at Greeting 2 Staffing at Med Dsn 6 Staffing at Point of Exit 1 Staffing at Screening 5 Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 # Coded 23
Team 5 subproblems from association rules 24
Team 5 timeline, sorted by subproblem Category Parking Plan and Vehicle Traffic Flow 5 Location Point of Entry 2 Location Med Dsn 2 POD Layout 4 Location Greeting 3 Location Forms Dsn 5 Location Screening 3 Flow Screening to Med Dsn 2 Internal Layout Screening 11 Flow within Screening 6 Flow Med Dsn to Exit 2 Flow within Med Dsn 2 Staffing at Greeting 2 Staffing at Forms Dsn 3 Staffing at Screening 5 Calculating Staff Needs 4 Staffing at Med Dsn 6 Flow Forms Dsn to Screening 3 Include Data Entry 1 Include Triage 1 Internal Layout Data Entry 3 Internal Layout Med Dsn 4 Location Data Entry 1 Location Flow Control 4 Location Inventory and Supplies 2 Location Patient Education 1 Location Point of Exit 3 Location Security 1 Staffing at Command Post 1 Staffing at Point of Exit 1 Seg: 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 # Coded 25
The teams PODs had different capacity based on staffing at critical stations. Team Screening Distribution Greeting Forms POD % of demand 1 343 660 480 480 343 59% 2 274 600 480 480 274 47% 3 309 270 480 n.a. 270 46% 4 206 180 240 480 180 31% 5 617 600 480 720 480 82% Capacity is measured in residents per hour. Demand = 583 residents per hour. 26
Insights into how teams decompose problems Different decomposition approaches seem to lead to different types of solutions Station-based: consider the design of one or two stations at a time. The screening and medication distribution stations were often coupled. Category-based: consider one type of variable at a time. Examples included staffing, location, and flow. 27
Conclusions Problem decomposition appears to influence the character and quality of design solutions. We identified different types of decompositions. Future work: Further investigate the correlation between decomposition and POD design characteristics. Compare to results on a factory redesign problem. Simulate decomposition strategies. 28