Human-centred Collaborative System Supporting JIT Delivery in Manufacturing

The study presented in this paper is part of a wider research into practical testing and further improvement of methods and tools for human-centred design and evaluation of complex socio-technical systems and advanced technology-based products. A computer-aided collaborative system supporting just-in time (JIT) delivery of components in the manufacturing of electrical energy meters was evaluated by means of criteria for human-centred design. For this purpose, the existing KOMPASS method was extended for use in evaluation of service-type socio-technical systems. Results show, first, that the extended KOMPASS method is appropriate for evaluation of collaborative systems, and second, that the evaluated system has the greatest potential for improving its working efficiency and cost-effectiveness in a more flexible allocation of functions between humans and machines.