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Glite Dictionary
time-and-motion study

time-and-motion study

6.0
People watch how workers do a job to find the fastest, easiest way to do it
  • noun
  • /ˈtaɪm ənd ˈmoʊʃən ˈstʌdi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : estudio de tiempos y movimientos
  • The company conducted a time-and-motion study to improve productivity on the factory floor.

Examples

  • A time-and-motion study revealed that workers could save two hours a day by rearranging their workstations.

  • After the time-and-motion study, several steps in the process were eliminated to streamline operations.

  • The company conducted a time-and-motion study last month.

  • Have you ever participated in a time-and-motion study?

  • A time-and-motion study revealed that workers could save two hours a day by rearranging their workstations.

  • The company conducted a time-and-motion study to improve productivity on the factory floor.

  • After the time-and-motion study, several steps in the process were eliminated to streamline operations.

Synonyms

work study
vstime-and-motion study
  • UK
1 4.1

A careful check of a job to find faster, easier ways to do it

is focused on observing how tasks are done rather than just general analysis
motion study
vstime-and-motion study
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A careful look at how a job is done to find faster, easier steps

is the same analysis but uses a longer combined name
time-motion study
vstime-and-motion study
  • Specialized
6.2

A careful timing of movements to find faster ways to do a job

is the same analysis but written with the conjunction included
time study
vstime-and-motion study
  • Specialized
5.3

A careful measure of how long a task takes to find faster ways to do it

is broader, examining how tasks are performed not only timing them

How Detailed

time-and-motion study
  • Specialized
6.0
motion study
  • Specialized
1 5.3
time study
  • Specialized
5.3
work study
  • UK
1 4.1
observation
  • Specialized
57 3.2

Surface Forms

time-and-motion study singular
time-and-motion studies plural

Morphology

time-and-motion + study

The noun phrase literally denotes a study of 'time' and 'motion' (how tasks take time and involve movement), so a learner who knows the words 'time', 'motion' and 'study' can infer it examines efficiency of tasks. Although it is a technical term from industrial engineering, its meaning is compositionally transparent and follows a common noun-compound pattern, so it should be understandable to a B1 learner familiar with the constituents.

Etymology

Time-and-motion study comes from a simple idea: observers used a stopwatch to record time and watched every small motion a worker made to find faster ways to work. So today it means 'a study to find the most efficient way to do a job'.