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Reducing Passenger Wait Time Using Simulation Modeling and Optimization
Algorithms
Description
The passenger and carry on screening workflow aspect of airport security operations was modeled based on data made available by knowledge experts. This
project refers to the application of simulation modeling and optimization techniques to reduce the time a passenger spends waiting in line prescreening
(wait time = 15 minutes for 80% of passengers per day) by analyzing the workforce requirements during peak hours. Nonlinear optimization algorithms were
used to generate multiple workforce solutions (data points) based on the passenger wait time and workforce capacity constraints.
Objectives
- To monitor the time a passenger spends in line prescreening
- Wait time = 15 minutes for 80% of passengers per day
- To generate an optimal workforce mix that alleviates passenger wait time during peak hours
- To assess the impact on security operations during breeches
Process aspects measured by simulation
- The time a passenger spends waiting in line
- Workforce productivity
Process aspect minimized by nonlinear optimization techniques
- The time a passenger spends waiting in line by generating multiple workforce scheduling alternatives
Demonstration
Model
HTML - Output of the Model
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Creating a Paperless Municipal Court
Client - City of Beaverton Municipal Court
Project Statement
The city of Beaverton Municipal Court (MC) was experiencing growing pains associated with its current business practices and the introduction of a new
source of citations - photo radar. The MC had experienced an average increase of 19.5% in total cases filed and projected a conservative annual increase
of 14%. It was estimated that photo radar citations were going to increase MC workload by an additional 14,000 to 21,000 citations a year. These volumes
exceeded the capacity of the MC staff and their current processes and systems.
The MC staff felt they required additional resources and space to provide customers with an acceptable level of service. The workload volumes were
stretching staff capacity, forcing them to frequently work overtime. The core processes were paper driven. Computer systems support was limited and not
being fully utilized because of a technology fearful staff.
The city engaged CACI, Inc. (CACI) to conduct a Business Process Improvement (BPI) analysis and implementation plan for the MC. The goal of this effort
was to understand the MC's business needs, model and simulate the "As-Is" state, develop a "To-Be" simulation model and use the
simulation model to sell the City Council the recommended solutions which significantly improved the MC operation. The implementation plan addressed the
costs, benefits and actions associated with implementing the proposed solution.
CACI Services Involvement
The CACI team consisted of one CACI Program Manager and one Certified Management Consultant.
SIMPROCESS was used to plan a phased migration from a traditional municipal court to a paperless court. The simulation model was also used to provide
the financial justification, communication of the concept and plan staffing for the revised operational procedures.
Deliverables
CACI was contracted to study the "As-Is" state, develop a "To-Be" simulation model and then use the simulation model to sell the City
Council the recommended solutions.
Results
As a result of the 1996 BPI analysis CACI found that the MC required a solution to
- Provide users quick, easy and reliable access to current documents
- Ensure document completeness and accuracy
- Address formal procedures and technologies
CACI recommended the implementation of a two-phased plan. Phase I - "Less Paper" would ready the MC for technology insertion by addressing
quick hit improvement initiatives for benefits in
- Manual records and filing facilities
- Automated information systems
- Office facilities
- Work flow
- Scheduling
The BPI Analysis projected the city's annual cost savings would be between $33,000 - $100,000 with the implementation of Phase I - "Less
Paper." Benefits of Phase I included
- Reduced citation processing (search, retrieval, docketing) by 9%
- Gained 0.6 Court Clerk FTE
- Increase the MC's capacity to process citations, including photo radar
- Ready the MC for new technology and processes
Phase II - "Paperless" implementation would save the city between $100,000 - $250,000 per year after the solution is firmly established.
Benefits of the IDM system included
- Reduced citation processing by 35%
- Gained 2.1 Court Clerk FTE
- Improved customer service by decreasing citation search and retrieval by 20% - 50%
- Increased citation processing (capture, retention, display and printing of document images) capacity by 78%
- Eliminate risk of document loss through systematic document archival
- Reusable service delivery solution (intra-city or inter-government)
Phase III - "Less Paper" incremental savings would be addressed as soft savings since no hard data was collected for the January 1997
implementation. This analysis would measure the Phase II - "Paperless" implementation and address the following key questions
- What actually changed as a result of the consulting project and did it have an impact on the MC?
- Was the consulting project a good investment?
- Did the project drive key intangible measures, which are often difficult to quantify yet critical to the success of the MC?
- Does the MC require additional staff to support current and near future operations?
Future improvements included moving the MC WINCS online via the Internet. This government-to-citizen Internet link included a site that gives both court
information and the ability to pay fines by credit card or electronic check over the Internet 24/7, without increasing staffing levels or hours of MC
operations. This use of the Internet is attractive given the likely increase in case volumes with the introduction of photo red light or the addition of
more photo radar vans. An online court payment system allowed the MC to collect a higher percentage of fines faster, while saving money currently spent on
processing walk-in defendants.
The MC has begun to investigate a courtroom videoconferencing link with jails and juvenile detention facilities in another area. Videoconferencing can
potentially save courts the cost of on prisoner transportation. Undoubtedly, the MC will continue to use SIMPROCESS models to analyze, communicate and
measure city investments.
Demonstration
Model - Justice System (Justice System.spm)
HTML - Output Of The Model
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Hallmark Gift Manufacturer
Background
The production of gift wrap from the initial artist's design to the final proofing before final printing was a cumbersome task involving eight departments
in diverse physical locations. Individual functions were isolated from one another. Poor communication between departments and a lack of understanding of
other people's responsibilities resulted in an unacceptably high level of costly remakes.
Three primary goals
- Reduce cycle time
- Reduce remakes
- Reduce production costs
Two approaches evaluated
- Integrating new digital engraving technology into the existing workflow, which would decrease costs within the 90-day cycle.
- Reengineer the whole process and create a work team to reduce cycle time and cost.
They decided upon the latter.
Existing situation
In the existing process there were eight vertical functions involved
- The artist - conceives the design according to timing and season
- The scanner - scans the artist's image and converts these images to four color film
- The color proofer - looks at many proofs with different color layouts
- The engineer - approves and oversees the color
- The finisher - makes the image the proper size through cropping and nesting and makes sure that Santa Claus' feet are intact
- The step operator - takes the image from the finisher and steps to proper cylinder size for printing
- The cylinder maker - photo etches or engraves image onto cylinder
- The engineer - proofs color and checks mechanics via proof press, which is the actual sheet of gift wrap
Gift wrap designs could loop through this cycle of people many times before going into final production. Moreover, even if the engineer realized that
the image need a different color even before cylinder engraving, by the time the design made its way back to the scanner responsible for color two months
had passed and the design was no longer fresh in the scanner's mind. Even with the many proofings before cylindrical etching a full 20% of all designs
which reached the final stage had to be remade.
Solution
- The project manager set up a pilot team with a representative from each department. Using SIMPROCESS from CACI they modeled, simulated, evaluated
the existing operations and pinpointed areas for improvement.
- Secondly, they used simulation to develop something entirely new so that they could evaluate benefits before any investment was made and also to
benchmark against traditional methods. The primary objective was to illustrate the conventional vs. proposed to management in relative and accurate terms.
- Following the simulation the team reasoned that the 13+ step process could be trimmed down to three steps. They created one work team from all the
existing departments, except for the artist who remained independent of the work team. The work team was installed in the same four walls with a
dedicated engineer on-hand full-time.
- Their motto became "make it right the first time," which meant that the engineer and scanner had to communicate closely to avoid designs
being sent back later from down the line. Now that they had improved communication they decided to tackle the mechanical problems arising from the
imprecise nature of cylindrical etching.
- Etching designs on cylinders was a tricky process - too much heat for too much time would etch the design too deeply - too little heat or too little
time would result in the opposite problem. To increase precision and eliminate the guesswork the team introduced digital engraving which gave an exact
specified depth and is, for all practical purposes, error free.
Results
- Cycle time of 90+ days reduced to 8 days
- Post-cylindrical remakes decreased by 50%
- Overall production costs reduced by 10%
This case study highlights how extraordinary improvements can be achieved through very ordinary means. Using simulation the team looked at what was
happening, what could be happening and how they could make it happen. They reorganized the process on a functional level with only a minimal introduction
of new technology. They realized that cycle times were long because of multiple remakes caused by poor communication between departments. Importantly,
they also realized that the capabilities already existed for the scanner and engineer to work together more closely and it was just a matter of
restructuring individual departments into a cohesive process team.
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Underwriting Administration New Business Process - A
Modeling and Simulation Process Improvement Project
Client - International Life Insurance Company
Project Statement
Use modeling and simulation to improve the underwriting process and improve the application cycle time. The current process was taking several weeks to
approve a new application. During this time premiums were not collected, thus each day process represents a day's premiums not collected.
Modeling and simulation help make these types of business decisions by allowing managers to make better decisions based on predictions of how various
controlling variables will influence the business system. These models represent complex business activities from a functional perspective and focus on
understanding and thus changing business practices.
A model mimics the operations of a business by stepping through the events in compressed time while displaying an animated picture of the flow. The
simulation allows the manager to measure the processes, people and technology within the model. The simulation model makes it possible for a manager to
evaluate the company's current business practices and look for ways to improve them.
Within a simulation model a manager can analyze time, cost, resources, throughput, capacity and bottlenecks. The model also allows the manager to
design and test improvements in resource allocation and system streamlining. Together with performance and financial data, these factors allow the manager
to make informed business decisions.
CACI consultants followed their standard approach to modeling and simulation projects. The first step was to understand the current business
environment by collecting system metrics (such as work schedules, hourly rates, number of applications per day, etc.) and talk to users of the current
system. An "As-Is" model is then built showing life and disability applications being processed. This model underwent verification and
validation. The current cycle time per application is believed to be three months with an issue rate of 77%. These numbers were used to check the behavior
of the "As-Is" model.
Once the "As-Is" model is built questions can be answered such as
- What is the application cycle time?
- Where do delays occur in the system?
- What is the labor costs?
- What is the cost per application?
Once the "As-Is" model has been built and validated the consultants began looking at various ways to improve the current business process. These
improvements were incorporated into a new "To-Be" model that produced encouraging results.
CACI Services Involvement
CACI consultants utilizing SIMPROCESS software to build the "As-Is" and "To-Be" models of this life insurance company's business practices.
Deliverables
"As-Is" and "To-Be" simulation models built with SIMPROCESS software. Written documentation outlining the results of the project was
also provided.
Results
The "As-Is" model produced results that were similar to the predicted results. The average cycle time came out to 86 days, as compared to the
predicted 90 days. The application issue rate figured out to 76%, as compared to the predicted 77%. Therefore, the "As-Is" model was accepted as
the baseline for the project.
The CACI consultants began to examine alternatives to the current business practices. Ideas were tossed around such as increasing the staffing levels,
accepting applications and credit card numbers via email and generating email applications. All of the improvements were constructed with the following goals
- Reduce application cycle time
- Increase quality
- Improve cost effectiveness
The following changes were made in the "To-Be" simulation model
- Applications were accepted via email
- The underwriting rules and criteria for agents were modified
- An electronic underwriting worksheet was developed to allow for real time status updates
- Staffing was increased
After the "To-Be" model was run there was a reduction in almost 10 days in the application processing time (76 days, down from 86 days). This
reduction allowed for almost a 60% increase in the number of applications this company could process yearly. The "To-Be" scenario did raise
operating costs close to 16% with the addition of the extra staffers. However, given the dramatic increase in the number of applications processed this
increase in cost was acceptable.
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Managing an Electronic Personnel Records System
Project - Managing an Electronic Personnel Records System
Client - DoD
Project Statement
This electronic personnel record system is an image-based system for the management of permanent military personnel records and provides online user
access to the database. It provides for input, storage, retirement, modification and retrieval of personnel records via electronic images. These images
are captured from paper and microfiche personnel records.
This Functional Assessment Analysis (FAA) project was initiated to provide a baseline from which to plan a reengineering of the records system. The
original charter was to thoroughly document the system, which required analysis of its operations as well as the usage of the system and its data. The FAA
team was tasked with documenting the flow of information and paper into the records system and the production operations of the scanning process. An
"As-Is" simulation model and report was to be provided at the conclusion of the project. Any metrics gathered or generated would be included,
but the main thrust was the documentation of processes itself.
CACI Services Involvement
The CACI FAA team consisted of a technical lead, two simulation analysts and a customer liaison. SIMPROCESS software was used to build the
"As-Is" simulation model.
Deliverables
CACI provided the client with a SIMPROCESS "As-Is" simulation model, briefing slides and a final report documenting findings from the model and
personal research.
Results
The FAA provided the client with some short-term recommendations to help with immediate problems and long-term recommendations with an eye towards a
future system reengineering. The recommendations focused on four aspects of the electronic records system
- Data Quality
- Image Quality and Operating System Limitations
- Training of Users
- Other Improvement Ideas
The system users that were interviewed often questioned the completeness of the data. Specific comments with regard to the records system included
documents being illegible, missing, miss indexed or filed in the wrong record. A couple of users stated that 100% of the records were in error. This
appeared to be an exaggeration, but some data was missing. This could have resulted from production errors before the documents were uploaded to the
server or possibly because the information was never sent in from the fleet (or individual). Whatever the reason, it is important to provide personnel
with as complete a record as possible. It was recommended that a data quality assessment be undertaken to gain a general understanding of how many records
contain some type of error. This helped the client determine the true extent of this problem.
Many interviewees made comments with regard to the quality of the images retrieved from the system. There are many reasons for poor images. Some of the
original documents sent in for scanning are of poor quality. Some images were created from older microfiche. These images were the best available and
there was nothing that can be done to alleviate the problem.
Electronic versions of documents could not be directly uploaded to the server because they needed to contain authentic signatures. This resulted in the
image being printed out and faxed to the client before it was scanned into the electronic record. This process lessens the image quality and increases the
time it takes for it to be included in the digital record. A system that would allow electronic files to be directly uploaded to the server (using
electronic signatures) would allow individuals to update their records themselves and maintain the quality of the images. In addition, the DoD should be
able to access individual records online. This would help sailors determine the missing documents (if any) in their record and reduce the amount of
paperwork production receives.
The current system was not compliant with the latest Microsoft operating systems (Windows NT 4, ME and 2000), so its usage was often relegated to the
older equipment. Thus, the users of electronic records system often mentioned the speed of retrieval as a criticism of the system. It was recommended that
the client investigate the options for integrating Windows NT and Windows 2000 compliant drivers in the system as a temporary fix, versus delaying until
the reengineered system was completed.
The speed of image retrieval was further complicated by the amount of duplicate images that appeared in many of the personnel records. DoD members are
aware that their digital records are often incomplete so they submit the same paperwork every time they are eligible for a promotion. This leads to an
increased workload for production and more images in the record. The current system could not recognize when a duplicate was entered into the record, so
the analyst had to spend extra time sorting through many of the same images.
Users would benefit from a text-based portion of the system. This would allow improved search functions to pull up a specific group of records or to
search within an individual record. It would also reduce the amount of time it took to research records, especially when looking for very specific
information. To this end it was recommended that within a record all similar reports be grouped together. Better organization within the actual file would
allow the user to locate the information in a timelier manner.
Better training of the system operators would alleviate many of the concerns the FAA team heard over and over again. Some of these issues included
- Waiting for many records to be retrieved, versus running a batch request the prior evening
- Printing and not knowing which printer was used
- Many users printing from the TEMPFILE as a work around to a perceived printing problem with the current system
- Settings for screen resolution
- Perception that portions of the records were located in different locations
- Perception that ongoing promotional selection boards inhibited the system performance
It was also suggested that an ongoing series of email announcements with user tips or a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for the records system
be provided as a low cost method of getting accurate information to the users or potential users.
The "As-Is" simulation model uncovered several problems with the current process flow which should be addressed during the future redesign.
Many of the users wish more functions of the system could be automated. For example, confirmation letters sent to DoD personnel could be an automated
task. In addition, there were some duplicate parts of the process that can be consolidated to make the system more efficient.
The "As-Is" simulation model allowed the FAA team to visualize many of the complaints and problems users are currently having with the system
and provide possible solutions for the future design.
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Purchasing Process Demonstration Model Description
The high degree of change in the business environment has created a new challenge for industrial and service enterprises. That challenge is to determine
an organizational structure that minimizes administrative costs while maximizing service to its customers.
Traditionally, managers have used organization charts to describe hierarchical structures and evaluate business decisions regarding changes to the
organization. Unfortunately, these tools are no longer adequate because they do not take into account the process view and dynamics associated with
administrative processes. Documenting the processes, understanding the dynamics of the business processes and activity costs in a changing administrative
process can only be achieved with a tool like SIMPROCESS.
This hierarchical model of a purchasing process consists of five major processes
- Select Supplier
- Negotiate Terms and Pricing
- Prepare Purchase Order
- Place Purchase Order
- Audit Invoice
The demonstration model highlights one of the powerful features of SIMPROCESS - the ability to create alternative representations of a hierarchical
business process. In this model the purchasing process object consists of three alternative organizational representations.
- Functional, Centralized Purchasing - The purchasing process is performed by centralized functional organization where the five functions are
performed by staff dedicated to each function.
- Product-Based, Decentralized Purchasing - The purchasing process is performed by three decentralized product organizations where the each
product organization performs all five functions for its product line.
- Hybrid Purchasing - The purchasing process is performed by a hybrid organization where the supplier selection and terms and pricing functions
are performed by a centralized organization. The other three functions are performed by decentralized product organizations.
Demonstration
Model - Purchasing (Purchase.spm)
HTML - Output Of The Model
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