ABSTRACT
This chapter will introduce the general theory of time study and procedures for performing them. Advantages and disadvantages of performance measurement are shown, as well as challenges to this theory and typical practices. Also shown in this chapter are procedures for speed ratings (also called leveling) used to develop normal times of operations. Different methods of speed rating are used in various companies and many controversies arise. An ergonomic designer needs to know the strengths and weaknesses of these methods. A third topic covered here is the concept of allowances and how they are used in conjunction with normal time to establish time standards (or standard times) of specific operations. Allowances are subtractive, rather than additive, and are sometimes fixed and at other times variable with the situation.
