Learning, Unlearning and Re-Learning Curves

6 Multi-variant learning

This chapter looks at the situation where we have more than one variant of a product being produced using the same production line facilities, tools and, importantly, personnel and infrastructure. here, we will assume that there are elements of work in common, elements that are similar and other elements that are peculiar to specific variants.

Where we have commonality or similarity in the work content, there is the opportunity to observe the mistakes of others on the same or similar tasks, and to learn from them rather than make the same mistakes ourselves, which is the essence of what Samuel Levenson (1979) is reported to have said (as cited by Gribetz, 1997). However, learning is not just about avoiding the mistakes ...