Managing data tasks using concepts of industrial engineering and operations management
Preparing a set of quality data is a task which usually requires time, effort, and cost, and involves people, equipment, materials, and methodologies. Because of the enormity of the aspects of the data task, it has been difficult to devise one methodology to address it and several approaches have usually been employed. It may be possible, however, to facilitate performing activities of the data task, and improve resource utilisation by applying concepts from industrial engineering (IE) and operations management (OM) to it. The objectives, activities, and problems encountered in the data task have counterparts in manufacturing, where the concepts of IE and OM are primarily applied, which may render these concepts suitable to the data task. This paper proposes application of concepts from IE and OM to the data task, and presents several examples and suggestions on their effectiveness, suitability, and usefulness to it.