Shift Log & Reporting System can be implemented with the help of the Systems Development Life Cycle and used to control shift performance.
Planning and Analysis
It is critical to consider how the current reporting system works and what should be improved. All requirements should be thoroughly investigated and discussed, and a decision to implement the Shift Log & Reporting System supported (Demir, 2015).
Design
The advantages of such a solution should be mentioned (real-time view, etc.). The costs needed for implementation are to be predicted, including personnel training. The limitations of the system should be pointed out.
Build
Shift Log & Reporting System should be created according to the company’s needs and requirements. It should be placed so that every employee who needs to work with it can have free access. The final point should be considered (Brugha, 2001).
Implementation
The Shift Log & Reporting System should be installed. The workers are to receive training and start working in a new way.
Maintenance
The assessment should be done to define what is working and what needs improvement. The employees should be encouraged to continue working if the project brings success (Moore, Nolan, & Gillard, 2006).
Shift Log & Reporting System presupposes that each operating unit has its own log. In this way, there are separate ones for individual workers, team leaders, and shift managers. Except for that, there are logs that can be seen by everyone (operating instructions and KPI dashboard) (IES Group, 2015). The employee enters the system and creates a shift note, in which he/she describes what has happened during the shift. Team leaders gather all their notes regarding the events that took place and any related information. Finally, shift managers take the data from the team leader logs and adapt it, adding further information. The analysis process starts with identifying what should be done during the shift and pointing out all peculiarities (for example, the time needed to accomplish a task) so that this information can be then compared with the reported one (Shift notes and reports, 2007).
Such a system replaces paper reports and streamlines operations. It provides direct access to all gathered information and allows to find particular data in no time. Work teams start to cooperate better, and overall performance improves (Improving efficiency and control, 2014). This project is feasible for the company, in which the work is scheduled. It helps to control the working process and allows to see all issues and successes as soon as they occur. Moreover, one and the same information is not uploaded more than once, which helps to avoid any confusion.
Shift Log & Reporting System requires new software for the logs and employee training (to teach the workers how to use a new system), which might be rather costly. However, the advantages, which are likely to be brought soon, overweight expenditures. The project can be successful only if it is thoroughly designed. It is critical to make a list of requirements and point out the information that is to be reported obligatory. Otherwise, there will be no systematic work, and the logs will be full of inaccurate notes that will have no advantages for the organization. Another significant aspect is training. If the employees do not receive assistance and knowledge, they will not be able to use the Shift Log & Reporting System efficiently. As a consequence, the personnel will only have problems with filling out the logs and no decent information will be gathered. Finally, the hardware and software should be considered, as the project cannot work without them. Frequent database connection failures and other related problems will prevent successful maintenance.
References
Brugha, C. (2001). Implications from decision science for the systems development life cycle in information systems. Information Systems Frontiers, 3(1), 91.
Demir, K. (2015). Requirements for systems development life cycle models for large-scale defense systems. Journal of Defense Resources Management, 6(2), 87-94.
IES Group. (2015). Shift log & reporting system. Web.
Improving efficiency and control with electronic shift logs. (2014). Web.
Moore, W., Nolan, E., & Gillard, S. (2006). Towards a higher-level systems development life cycle. International Journal of Management, 23(3), 646-652.
Shift notes and reports. (2007). Web.