How Technology Can Maximize Business Efficiency

Computers and technology allow for faster processing of data, easier

retrieval of information, and in some cases - automation can reduce
or replace physical employees. When people perform tasks by hand,
it can be time consuming and full of human errors. When technology
is used for repetitive operations, mistakes are reduced or eliminated,
and the time it takes to complete the task is greatly reduced.

In addition to making processes quicker, technology also makes it

easy to keep information up to date. Instead of searching through a
room of file cabinets and trying to guess how information was stored
in order to update a customer address, a few clicks of the mouse and
can pull up a customer file from a database. What used to take
several minutes to an hour can now be done instantly.

Automate Tasks to Save Time

Different types of technology can help your business maximize
efficiency and productivity, decrease expenses and increase
profitability. Don't use technology just for the sake of using
technology, though. Consider how your business operates and
determine which technologies will benefit your organization in terms
of saving time and increasing your bottom line.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/article/493/using-technology-to-
maximize-efficiency/

System Effectiveness

Extent to which a system may be expected to achieve its objectives

within its specified environment. System effectiveness is a function of
system availability, capability, and dependability.

Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/system-

effectiveness.html
System Effectiveness
Posted on August 24, 2011
System effectiveness is a measure of the ability of a system to
achieve a set of specific mission requirements.

 System effectiveness is a function of:

1. Availability
2. Dependability
 Reliability & Maintainability (R&M) considerations
1. Both R&M need to be continually reviewed to ensure high
availability
2. R&M must be evaluated over the system life cycle, rather than
merely from the standpoint of initial acquisition

 Factors influencing system effectiveness

 System performance (design adequacy)
1. Technical Capabilities
a) Accuracy
b) Range
c) Invulnerability to countermeasures
d) Operational simplicity
2. Possible Limitations on Performance
a) Space and weight requirements
b) Input power requirements
c) Input Information requirements
d) Requirements for special protection against shock, vibration, low
pressure, and other environmental influences

 Operational readiness
1. Reliability
a) Failure-free operation
b) Redundancy or provision for alternative modes of operation
2. Maintainability
a) Time to restore failed system to satisfactory operating status
b) Technical manpower requirements for maintenance
c) Effects of use cycle on maintenance. (Can some maintenance be
performed when operational use of the system is not required?)
3. Logistic Supportability
  System Cost
1. Development cost, and particularly development time, from
inception to operational capability
2. Production cost
3. Operating and operational support costs

 Optimization of system effectiveness

The optimization of system effectiveness is important throughout the
system life cycle, from concept through the operation. Optimization is
the balancing of available resources (time, money, personnel, etc.)
against resulting effectiveness parameters (performance, operational
readiness, etc.), until a combination is found that provides the most
effectiveness for the desired expenditure of resources. Thus, the
optimum system might be one that:

1. Meets or exceeds a particular level of effectiveness for minimum

cost, and/or
2. Provides a maximum effectiveness for a given total cost
optimization
The optimization process as a feedback loop consisting of the
following three steps:

1. Designing many systems that satisfy the operational

requirements and constraints
2. Computing resultant values for effectiveness and resources
used
3. Evaluating these results and making generalizations concerning
appropriate combination of design and support factors, which
are then fed back into the model through the feedback loops
Optimization also can be illustrated by the purchase of a new car or,
more specifically, by putting into precise, quantifiable terms the rule,
or criteria, that will be followed in the automobile selection process.
Although automobiles do have quantifiable characteristics, such as
horsepower, cost, and seating capacity, they are basically similar in
most cars of a particular class (lowprice sedans, sports models, etc.).

Thus, the selection criteria essentially reduce to esthetic appeal, prior

experience with particular models, and similar intangibles. In the
same sense, the choice of best design for the weapon system is
greatly influenced by experience with good engineering practices,
knowledge assimilated from similar systems, and economics. Despite
this fuzziness, the selection criteria must be adjusted so that:

1. The problem size can be reduced to ease the choice of

approaches
2. All possible alternatives can be examined more readily and
objectively for adaptation to mathematical representation and
analysis
3. Ideas and experiences from other disciplines can be more easily
incorporated into the solution
4. The final choice of design approaches can be based on more
precise, quantifiable terms, permitting more effective review and
revision, and better inputs for future optimization problems
The choice of parameters in the optimization model also is influenced
by system definition. The automobile purchaser, for example, may not
consider the manufacturer’s and dealer’s service policies. If these
policies are considered, the system becomes the automobile plus the
service policies. If service policies are not considered, the system
consists only of the automobile.

The optimization of system effectiveness is a highly complex

problem; there is a degree of interaction among the factors which
enter into consideration of this problem. The actual techniques used
to optimize system effectiveness will be described in greater detail
elsewhere in this blog. Examples include basic mathematical and
statistical concepts, simulation, queuing theory, sequencing and
Markov processes. These techniques are not peculiar to system
effectiveness optimization, nor are they limited to system engineering.

The remaining sections of this blog will expand upon these top level
system effectiveness concepts, in particular:

1. basic reliability/maintainability/availability theory

2. practical application of the theory in terms of the design
methodology and procedures of reliability engineering at the
equipment and system level
3. procedures for insuring that inherent reliability is not degraded
during production and field deployment of systems
 4. steps that management must take to insure the acquisition and
deployment of reliable systems at minimum life cycle cost

http://www.reliabilityanalytics.com/blog/2011/08/24/system-
effectiveness-notes/