HomeDLSU Engineering Journalvol. 16 no. 2 (2004)

THE CONCEPT OF OPEN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: A PRESCRIPTION FOR PRODUCTION SYSTEMS WITH HUMAN ELEMENTS

Eric A. Siy

Discipline: Industrial Engineering

 

Abstract:

A production system can use its own human resources well if such resources are prompted to do predefined tasks at the correct time. Reminders must be created at opportune times to serve as signals to the human members of a production system. Such signals must be in a form that the concerned worker, manager or supervisor can understand and respond to appropriately. This paper assumes that most information in a production system is in a form that is not easily recognized by concerned personnel (e.g. when a machine is about to break down, when defective product levels become unacceptable) and hence are unable to react appropriately. A set of attributes for an information system is prescribed that serves as a checklist to enable designers and users of production systems (i.e. Industrial Engineers, managers, etc.) create signal-based systems that deploy appropriate action as necessary.