Comparison of Various Time Motion Studies
What Is a Time and Motion Study?
A time and motion study is a structured method for improving how work is done by combining two complementary analyses:
A time study (how long each task element takes) and a motion study (how the work is physically and cognitively performed). In simple terms, to explain time and motion study: time defines “how long,” motion defines “how best.” Together, they set fair standards, remove waste, improve ergonomics, and elevate quality—across factories, services, and administrative work. This is the practical heart of time and motion and the clearest time and motion study meaning in modern operations.
Time study: purpose, what it measures, how it’s used
Purpose:
A time study measures how long defined task elements take at a normal pace so that organizations can establish fair, repeatable standards. This is the essence behind time motion study meaning from the “time” perspective.
What it measures:
Elemental times for a stable method—often averaged over multiple cycles, adjusted for normal performance, and finalized with allowances (fatigue, personal needs, unavoidable delays).
How it’s used:
- Setting standard times for planning and scheduling.
- Staffing and capacity modeling.
- Costing and pricing decisions.
- Incentive systems and productivity tracking.
In short, the time component of a time and motion study turns observed work into reliable numbers that guide management decisions—the “time” pillar of time and motion. For a practical deep dive into the purpose, scope, and benefits of time studies, visit our comprehensive Time Study blog.
Motion study: purpose, what it improves, therbligs concept
Purpose:
A motion study optimizes how work is performed—removing unnecessary motions, simplifying necessary ones, and arranging work so the body moves efficiently and safely. This is the second pillar in motion study and time study.
What it improves:
- Motions and task sequence (eliminate search, reduce re-grasping, standardize hand use).
- Fatigue and ergonomics (shorter reaches, neutral postures, less twisting and lifting).
- Quality and repeatability (fixtures, guides, poka yoke to position and use correctly).
Therbligs concept:
Motion analysts classify elemental motions—like search, grasp, transport loaded, position, use, inspect, release—often called “therbligs.” By identifying and minimizing high-cost therbligs (e.g., avoidable “search” or excess “hold”), the motion portion of a time and motion study transforms the method before it’s timed. This is core to the practical time and motion study meaning in industrial engineering.
For a practitioner’s walkthrough of motion study goals, scope, and method-first principles, see our comprehensive Motion Study blog.
How they complement each other
- Time sets how long; motion sets how best.
- Motion study designs the most efficient, ergonomic method; time study then measures that method to establish a standard.
- Without motion improvement, time numbers can lock in waste; without time standards, motion improvements lack operational traction. Together, motion study and time study produce durable gains in flow, quality, safety, and cost—capturing the full value of a time and motion study.
History and Evolution
- Taylor and the time study: Frederick W. Taylor pioneered systematic timing of task elements to create fair standard times, launching the management science behind time and motion.
- The Gilbreths and motion study: Frank and Lillian Gilbreth focused on motion economy and fatigue reduction, introducing micro motion analysis and therbligs that still inform ergonomics today.
- Modern integration: Over time, motion study and time study were combined into methods engineering and later woven into Lean and continuous improvement. Today, a time and motion study may use video, digital timing tools, and analytics, but the core principles—design the method, then measure and manage it—remain the enduring time and motion study meaning.
Why Time and Motion Study Matters: Tangible Business Outcomes
A well-executed time and motion study turns everyday operations into a reliable engine of performance. When leaders ask to explain time and motion study, the most practical answer is this: design the best way of working (motion), then set fair, accurate times (time) so the system can plan, cost, and continuously improve. This dual lens is the core time and motion study meaning—and why it consistently delivers measurable, enterprise-level outcomes in time and motion management initiatives.
1) Productivity Gains and Throughput Increases
The fastest route to more output is eliminating friction. Through time and motion analysis, teams identify micro-delays, re-grasps, unnecessary transport, and uneven hand use—then redesign flow, tools, and layout to remove them. When the redesigned method is standardized and timed, the operation achieves predictable cycle times and higher units-per-hour. In short, a time and motion study converts hidden inefficiencies into visible, fixable targets—clarifying the real time motion study meaning for frontline productivity and end-to-end throughput across lines, cells, and service processes.
2) Reduced Waste and Cost-to-Serve
Waste isn’t just scrap—it’s excess motion, waiting, over-processing, and rework. By aligning motion economy with accurate standard times, time and motion programs decrease touches, travel, changeovers, and variability. That lowers labor content per unit, reduces overtime, and stabilizes takt adherence. The operational pay-off of a time and motion study is a leaner cost-to-serve profile that scales, which is precisely why executives value time and motion management for margin protection during growth or volatility.
3) Ergonomics and Safety Improvements
An efficient method must also be a safe method. Motion redesign reduces reaches, twists, lifts, and sustained holds, embedding ergonomics into the workflow rather than treating it as an add-on. With fewer high-risk motions and better workstation design, injuries decline and stamina improves—boosting performance quality and consistency. This is a human-centered dimension of time and motion study meaning that strengthens morale and reduces incident-related downtime, a major advantage of integrated time and motion analysis.
4) Better Planning, Capacity, Staffing, and Incentives
Reliable standard times are the backbone of planning and scheduling. A robust time and motion study provides dependable task-level durations, enabling precise capacity models, staffing plans, and labor budgets. Leaders can set incentive structures that reward genuine improvement, not lucky variance. This is where time and motion study in management becomes strategic: finance gets trustworthy standards for costing and pricing, operations gets stable plans, and HR gets equitable performance frameworks—showcasing the pragmatic value behind time motion study meaning for decision-making.
5) Quality and Consistency via Standard Work
Quality follows method. When the best sequence, grips, and checks are defined through time and motion redesign and then documented as standard work, defect opportunities fall and first-pass yield rises. With clear start/stop points and visual job aids, teams replicate success shift after shift. The outcome is a tighter process window with less rework and scrap, reinforcing the practical time and motion study meaning: engineer the best method, then measure and manage it for consistent results.
6) Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 Readiness
Digital tools are only as good as the processes they support. A time and motion study clarifies the “ground truth” of how work should be performed, making it easier to select and deploy technologies—MES integrations, digital work instructions, vision-based inspection, or automated time capture. Clean, standard data from time and motion analysis accelerates analytics, AI-driven decision support, and continuous improvement at scale. In this way, time and motion management lays the operational foundation for Industry 4.0 maturity—ensuring digitization amplifies well-engineered methods rather than digitizing waste.
Time and motion study is about finding the best way to perform a task (motion) and defining how long it should take (time). When applied well, it boosts productivity, lowers costs, improves ergonomics and safety, enables accurate planning and fair incentives, stabilizes quality through standard work, and supports digital transformation. Effective leaders present it not as surveillance, but as a structured path to safer, faster, more consistent, and future-ready work.
Time Study vs Motion Study: A Clear, Practical Comparison
Understanding the interplay between motion study and time study is essential for building reliable, high‑performance operations. Think of them as two lenses on the same task: one perfects the method, the other quantifies the time. Used together, time & motion study becomes a disciplined approach to design efficient work and lock in fair, sustainable standards across manufacturing and services—this is the essence of modern time and motion practice.
Aspect | Time Study | Motion Study |
Focus | Duration, performance normalization, and allowances | Method engineering, motion economy, and ergonomics within a time & motion framework |
Primary Outcomes | Standard time for staffing, costing, and planning | Optimized workflow, fewer non-value motions, safer workstations |
Typical Tools & Artifacts | Element definitions, cycle timing sheets, allowance policies, standard time statements | Motion maps, therblig analysis, fixtures/jigs, redesigned layouts, standard work visuals |
Risks if Used Alone | Risks “timing waste,” locking in slow or unsafe methods | Lacks the numbers needed to run the business (capacity, incentives, cost) |
Why Both Matter: Method First, Then Timing
- Method first: Start with motion study to remove non value motions, reduce risk, and engineer an ergonomically sound, repeatable method.
- Then timing: Apply time study to the improved method to set a fair, realistic standard time with appropriate allowances.
- Result: Standards that are efficient, fair, and durable—aligning productivity, quality, safety, and cost. This is the operational backbone of time & motion study programs.
Real World Impact When Combined
- Productivity and flow: Better method reduces cycle variability; accurate time stabilizes takt alignment—hallmarks of effective time and motion deployment.
- Quality and safety: Motion improvements reduce defects and injuries; time standards ensure consistency and accountability.
- Planning and incentives: Standard times enable reliable schedules and equitable pay-for-performance, while motion design sustains achievable targets.
In summary, use motion study and time study as a sequence, not a choice: engineer the best way to work, then measure and manage it. This integrated time and motion approach is how high‑performing operations achieve speed, safety, and stability—simultaneously.
Types of Time and Motion Study (With Use Cases)
Understanding the spectrum of time and motion study methods helps teams select the right tool for the job—balancing accuracy, speed, and practicality. Below is a practitioner’s guide to core approaches used in a time and motion study, with real-world use cases to embed each method into everyday improvement. Throughout, the term time motion study refers to the integrated discipline of measuring time and engineering motion for better performance.
1) Direct Time Study (Stopwatch/Digital Timing)
Direct time study is the classic foundation of many time and motion study methods. An analyst observes a defined method, measures element times across multiple cycles, normalizes for performance, and applies allowances to set a fair standard.
Best for:
Repetitive, short‑cycle, stable tasks (e.g., pick‑place, fastening, packing).
Steps and accuracy considerations:
- Define clear work elements with observable start/stop points.
- Capture multiple cycles to control for variability and learning.
- Apply performance rating consistently to estimate “normal time.”
- Add allowances (fatigue, personal, unavoidable delays) to establish standard time.
Use case:
An assembly cell with consistent variant mix uses a time and motion study to validate takt alignment, rebalance tasks between operators, and set equitable incentives.
2) Work Sampling (Random Observation)
Work sampling is a statistical technique that uses many brief, random observations over time to estimate how work time is distributed across activities or states. It complements a time motion study by revealing systemic patterns rather than element-level timing.
Best for:
Variable or long‑cycle work, teams, indirect roles (e.g., maintenance, supervisors, nurses).
What it delivers:
Utilization rates, activity mix, and delay cause analysis to target bottlenecks and non-value tasks.
Use case:
A logistics hub applies time and motion study methods via work sampling to uncover high “search” and “waiting” time, then redesigns kitting and staging to lift utilization.
For a deeper dive into techniques, sampling plans, and real examples, explore our dedicated guide on Work Sampling Methods and see how to apply them alongside your time and motion study.
3) PMTS (Predetermined Motion Time Systems: MTM, MOST, MODAPTS)
PMTS determines time from motion codes without timing a live operator—ideal when designing new work or when precision and repeatability are essential in a time and motion study.
Time by motion codes:
Analysts break tasks into basic motions (reach, grasp, move, position, release) and sum published time values—no stopwatches required.
Best for:
Design phase, detailed standardization, micro‑ergonomics, and benchmarking alternatives.
Variants by cycle length/detail:
- MTM‑1 (most detailed) vs. MTM‑2/MTM‑UAS (faster analysis, less granularity). To understand MTM variants and when to use each, explore our comprehensive blog on Methods-Time Measurement (MTM).
- MOST family: MiniMOST (short cycles), BasicMOST (general use), MaxiMOST (long cycles). You can read our detailed Maynard Operation Sequence Technique methodology guide.
- MODAPTS: Modular approach often favored for ergonomics and training speed. To learn how MODAPTS accelerates ergonomic analysis and training while maintaining accuracy, visit our focused MODAPTS blog post.
Use case:
A new workstation is engineered with PMTS during a time motion study to compare tooling layouts; the team selects the configuration with the lowest motion cost and best ergonomic score.
For a deeper exploration of PMTS fundamentals, practical steps, and selection criteria, see our in‑depth blog on Predetermined Motion Time Systems (PMTS).
4) Standard Data/Synthetic Data
Standard data assembles element times from an existing library to build standards rapidly—vital for scaling time and motion study methods across families of similar jobs.
What it is:
Reuse of validated element times (e.g., “tighten M6 screw,” “apply label,” “scan barcode”) to synthesize job standards.
Benefits:
Speed, consistency, and easier governance across product variants.
Use case:
A multi‑SKU packaging area uses standard data to roll out updates quickly after line changes—keeping the time and motion study current without full re-timing.
5) Analytical Estimating/Comparative Methods
When work is long, varied, or project-like, analytical estimating blends expert judgment with partial data and comparisons to similar measured tasks within a time motion study framework.
Best for:
Job shop, maintenance overhauls, project builds, custom work.
How it works:
Break the job into elements; use known standard data where possible; estimate the rest based on expert comparison and documented assumptions.
Use case:
A maintenance turnaround plans manpower using analytical estimating, later refining with actuals to improve future time and motion study baselines.
6) Integrated Time and Motion Redesign
The most sustainable improvements come from redesigning the method first, then setting the time—an essential mindset within advanced time and motion study methods.
Approach:
Optimize layout, introduce fixtures/jigs, rebalance hands, and refine sequencing; only then measure and lock standard time.
Why it works:
Prevents “timing waste,” ensuring standards reflect the best method.
Use case:
A cell shows excessive “hold” and “search” motions; the team adds gravity-fed bins, shadow boards, and a positioner before conducting the time and motion study to set a new standard.
7) Digital Video and AI Assisted Methods
Modern time and motion study practice leverages video and analytics to accelerate learning and reduce observer bias.
Capabilities:
Video time‑coding, computer vision for motion detection, automated cycle analytics, heatmaps of movement, and digital work instructions.
Benefits:
Faster analysis, richer insights, easier training, and scalable governance for time motion study programs.
Use case:
A high‑mix operation uses video analytics to identify frequent re‑grasping and off‑hand idle time, informing a fixture redesign that boosts throughput without added labor.
Choosing the Right Method: Practical Guidance
- For short, repetitive tasks: Direct timing or detailed PMTS offer precise standards in a time and motion study.
- For many roles with variable work: Work sampling reveals utilization and delay causes to target systemic fixes within a time motion study roadmap.
- For new designs or high precision: PMTS guides method choices before launch, ensuring the standard time reflects an engineered best way.
- For rapid scaling across variants: Standard data keeps standards consistent and fast to update across time and motion study methods.
- For project-type work: Analytical estimating provides pragmatic planning, refined later with actuals.
By combining these approaches, organizations build a resilient system of time and motion study that continuously engineers better methods, sets fair times, and sustains performance. This is the operating backbone of a modern time motion study program: choose the right method, redesign before timing, and use digital insights to compound gains over time.
Step-by-Step: How to Conduct a Time and Motion Study
A well-structured time and motion study follows a disciplined sequence: define the scope, engineer the method, measure with rigor, formalize standards, and sustain the gains. The roadmap below blends practical field steps with analytical guardrails to ensure credible time and motion study analysis and scalable deployment of time and motion study methods.
1) Preparation and Scoping
Start by picking the battles that matter and aligning everyone on purpose and approach.
- Select the right process: Target bottlenecks, high-volume/value streams, safety-critical tasks, or customer pain points. Focusing the time and motion study where flow is constrained ensures measurable impact and faster organizational buy-in.
- Clarify objectives: Standard setting (accurate times for planning and incentives), improvement (waste elimination and flow), ergonomics (risk and fatigue reduction), or a hybrid. Clear intent shapes the time and motion study analysis plan and success criteria.
- Stakeholder alignment and change plan: Brief operators and supervisors on goals, method-first philosophy, and how data will be used. Transparent governance turns time and motion study methods into a collaborative improvement effort, not surveillance.
2) Method Analysis
Engineer the “best way” before timing to avoid locking in waste.
- Break into elements; define start/stop points: Create crisp, observable work elements (e.g., “pick part,” “position,” “tighten 2 screws”). Precise element design is the backbone of a high-quality time and motion study.
- Map motions and identify risks: Use a therblig-level lens to flag non-value steps (search, re grasp, hold, excess transport) and ergonomic risks (long reaches, twists, sustained force). This deep time and motion study analysis reveals where to act.
- Redesign the method: Remove, combine, or rearrange steps; rebalance hands; introduce fixtures/jigs; improve layout, presentation, and line-of-sight. The aim is smoother flow with fewer high-cost motions—core to modern time and motion study methods.
3) Measurement
Once the method is engineered, measure it with the right tools and checks.
Choose the technique:
- Stopwatch/digital timing for short, repetitive work.
- PMTS (e.g., MTM/MOST/MODAPTS) to derive times from motion codes—ideal in design or when precision and repeatability are key.
- Work sampling for variable/long-cycle or multi-role environments. Selecting the correct technique aligns the time and motion study with process realities.
Decide cycles/observations:
Capture enough cycles/observations to stabilize averages and capture natural variation. Document conditions (crew, tools, layout) to keep the time and motion study analysis reproducible.
Performance rating and normalization:
Normalize observed times to a defined “normal performance.” Calibrate raters to reduce bias and add data-quality checks (outlier review, repeatability).
4) Establish Standard Time
Turn observations into fair, usable standards for planning and improvement.
Compute normal time:
Average verified element times or sum PMTS values to get normal time for each element and the full cycle. Element-level fidelity is crucial to robust time and motion study methods.
Add allowances:
Apply justified allowances (fatigue, personal, unavoidable delays) that reflect the work and environment. This step ensures the time and motion study yields standards that are both ambitious and achievable.
Document standard work:
Encode the engineered method in clear visuals: element sequence, key points, quality checks, and safety notes. Documentation connects time and motion study analysis to daily execution.
5) Implementation and Sustainment
Make the new standard the easiest way to work—and keep it current.
Train operators and leaders:
Use job breakdowns, visual aids, simulations, and side-by-side coaching. Effective training translates the time and motion study into consistent practice on the floor.
Audit adherence and run kaizen loops:
Layered process audits check method compliance and reveal drift. Use before/after metrics (cycle time, UPH, defects, ergonomic scores) to drive iterative improvement—keeping time and motion study methods alive, not static.
Update standards after changes:
Any change in layout, tools, materials, or product mix warrants a quick re-check. A nimble refresh process sustains the integrity of the time and motion study as operations evolve.
By following this sequence—scope, engineer, measure, standardize, sustain—organizations turn a single time and motion study into an operating system for performance. The payoff of disciplined time and motion study analysis and fit-for-purpose time and motion study methods is cumulative: predictable throughput, healthier teams, better quality, and resilient cost structures.
FAQs
A. A motion study optimizes how work is performed (method, ergonomics, waste removal), while a time study determines how long each element should take to set fair standard times. Used together, motion study and time study create a robust time and motion system that is both efficient and measurable.
A. A time study converts element observations into standard time, enabling precise capacity models, staffing levels, line balancing, and reliable scheduling. This is a core benefit of time study motion study within modern operations.
A. Therbligs are elemental motions (e.g., search, grasp, transport loaded, position, use, inspect, release) used to analyze and simplify work. In a time and motion study, identifying high-cost therbligs helps eliminate waste before standard times are set.
A. Predetermined Motion Time Systems (like MTM, MOST, MODAPTS) are ideal during design or when precision and repeatability matter. They provide time from motion codes without live timing, strengthening time study motion study decisions early in the process.
A. By engineering the best method (motion) and setting fair standard times (time), industrial engineering reduces waste, stabilizes quality, and boosts throughput—forming a practical backbone for lean operations. For end-to-end support, explore our Industrial Engineering services.
A. Work sampling uses many random observations to quantify utilization and activity mix over time, which is best for variable or long-cycle work. Direct time study times defined elements repeatedly. Both belong to time and motion study methods and can be combined for a full picture.
A. Allowances (fatigue, personal, unavoidable delays) are added to normal time to create a realistic standard time. This ensures time and motion study analysis leads to fair targets that reflect real-world conditions.
A. After motion study defines the best method, standard work captures sequence, key points, and quality checks, ensuring repeatable execution. Measuring with a time study then stabilizes cycle time—an essential pairing in time and motion.
A. Yes. Time and motion study methods work in healthcare, banking, retail, and back-office operations to reduce waiting, streamline handoffs, and standardize tasks—often using work sampling, PMTS variants, or digital timing.
Conclusion
High-performing operations are engineered, not improvised. Bringing together a disciplined time and motion study with daily management converts good intentions into reliable, repeatable results. The core idea is simple yet transformative: design the most efficient and safe method first, then measure and manage it. That is the practical power of a modern time motion study—it aligns people, process, and data so productivity, quality, and safety improve together instead of competing with one another.
Why Combining Time and Motion Is Non Negotiable
- Productivity: Motion design removes non value tasks and ergonomic strain, while accurate timing stabilizes cycle times and throughput. Together, a time and motion study unlocks sustained gains rather than short-lived bursts.
- Quality: Standardized best methods reduce variation at the source; quantified times reinforce consistency and cadence. Integrated time motion study practices protect first-pass yield and reduce rework.
- Safety: Motion optimization minimizes risky reaches, twists, and holds; standards ensure safer practices become the default. This integration shows that performance and well-being can—and must—advance in tandem through rigorous time and motion analysis.
Continuous Improvement Is the Operating System
Lasting results come from a loop, not a project. Establish a cadence where method improvement, timing validation, and performance review reinforce each other. Treat the time and motion study as a living system:
- Improve the method, validate the time, implement standard work.
- Audit adherence, measure outcomes, and run focused kaizen to close gaps.
- Refresh standards whenever layouts, tools, or product mixes change. This continuous loop is where time motion study moves from measurement to momentum.
A unified approach to time and motion turns everyday work into a high-performance system. By integrating engineered methods with accurate, fair standards—and by nurturing a culture that improves them continuously—organizations translate time and motion study insights into durable competitive advantage. Done well, a time motion study doesn’t just measure work; it elevates it. And with ongoing time and motion analysis, the organization keeps learning, adapting, and leading—one improved motion, one reliable second, one safer shift at a time.
Discover how Sugoya India elevates performance with time and motion study expertise—visit our homepage for tailored guidance, hands-on implementation, and end-to-end support.