Visual Plan Copy for Non-Expert Facility Event Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing planning tools for managing sequences of events in facilities require specialist skills, making it difficult for non-experts to interpret and update plans, as manual animations or mock-ups are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that generates a graphical representation of the sequence of events, allowing users without specialist skills to modify the plan through user interfaces, updating the timeline and graphical representation simultaneously, and synchronizing user views with temporal flags for collaboration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual animations or mock-ups are generated to help workers understand the plan, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the plan that is easier to understand than the original complex planning tool interface. This copy serves as an intermediary that workers can interpret without needing specialist skills, while the original planning tool remains unchanged and can still be used by experts for detailed work.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary visual representation layer between the complex planning tool and the workers. This intermediary translates the complex plan data into a more accessible format, allowing workers to understand and provide feedback on the plan without directly interacting with the complex planning tool interface.
2Ease of operation
If manual animations or mock-ups are generated to help workers understand the plan, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity decreases due to costly and time-consuming generation process
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital copy of the plan that can be generated automatically and updated efficiently. This copy can be regenerated quickly when plan changes occur, avoiding the need for time-consuming manual animation creation while still providing workers with an easy-to-understand visual representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables workers to update the plan themselves by interacting with the visual copy, eliminating the need for specialist personnel to make all modifications. Workers can directly manipulate the visual representation, and the system automatically updates the underlying plan data, making the process self-serving and more efficient.
3Manufacturing precision
If specialists update the plan after workers identify errors, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but loss of time increases due to repeated cycles of animation generation and plan amendment
Solution Approach 1:
The system empowers workers to update the plan directly by interacting with the visual copy, eliminating the need for specialists to intervene in every modification. Workers can make corrections and improvements themselves, reducing the iterative cycle time while maintaining plan accuracy through the system's automated validation and update mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where workers can identify issues in the visual copy, make corrections, and the system automatically updates both the visual representation and the underlying plan data. This continuous feedback mechanism allows for rapid iteration and correction without requiring repeated manual intervention from specialists.
4Manufacturing precision
If specialists are required to operate the planning tool, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates for non-specialist workers
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified visual copy of the plan that is accessible to non-specialist workers. This copy maintains fidelity to the original plan data while presenting it in a more intuitive format, allowing workers to understand and interact with the plan without needing specialist training on the complex planning tool interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual copy acts as an intermediary between the complex planning tool and non-specialist workers. It translates the specialized data structure and interface of the planning tool into a more accessible visual format, enabling workers to engage with the plan without requiring specialist skills, while the original planning tool remains available for expert-level work.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method of managing a plan of a sequence of events associated with a part in a facility. The computer-implemented method comprises: receiving, from a planning tool, a plan of a sequence of events associated with a part in a facility; generating automatically a graphical representation illustrating the sequence of events over time; presenting, on a plurality of user interfaces, the graphical representation; receiving, from at least one of the plurality of user interfaces, a user input changing the graphical representation to modify the sequence of events; updating the plan based on the user input changing the graphical representation; and outputting the updated plan to the planning tool