Performance Assessment and Optimization in Manual Order Picking

Abstract

In order fulfillment, manual labor remains invaluable due in part to humans’ flexibility in respect to task assignment and their ability to handle objects of various sizes. In order to evaluate individual workers’ performance, heterogeneous work contents must be considered. For example, it is assumed that picking orders containing relatively heavy items require more time to fulfill than picking orders with lighter items. By the same token, the required picking effort is increased as the number of order lines and the required walking distance increase. Through the quantification of such performance-relevant input factors on the employee level, individual performance profiles can be created. These profiles can then be used as a basis for holistic performance evaluations as well as for optimizations in personnel planning and picking order assignment.