The roped-off aisles replacing the previously chaotic jumble of lines in The Front Room is the brainchild of several engineering students at Ohio University.
While students were away during Winter Intersession, a group of engineering students completed a senior design project that attempted to create a more efficient design for the inner workings of The Front Room.
Under the direction of Associate Professor Gary Weckman, four senior industrial engineering students — Moniquea Grier, Zach Phillippi, Dereck Smith and Kyler Torrence — teamed up with Culinary Services and OU’s Design and Construction department to bring their vision to life.
“The goal was to increase employee utilization in order to limit customer wait time to less than four minutes,” Grier said in an email.
With this in mind, the team proceeded to move the large pastry case from its prominent position in the center of the counter to a less obstructive location on one of the wings. That helped to eliminate some of the confusion created by the divided counter space, which ultimately led to two separate ordering and pick-up locations.
“There is now a more dedicated queuing spot for customers when they first enter the facility and also a more dedicated pick-up point for when drink orders are completed,” Director of Auxiliaries Brian Thompson said.
Thompson added that he has observed greater efficiency in The Front Room since the change.
Students have noticed the dramatic shift in the flow of The Front Room’s operations. Jarrod Bess, a freshman studying aviation, said he is pleased with the new layout.
“Before, there was hardly a sense of order, as multiple lines would form across the room,” he said. “Now, a simple queue exists with the addition of the ropes. I think it is a very effective solution.”
However, the changes extended past the line setup.
Behind the counter, two new machines were implemented: a shuttle brewer, which allows a large quantity of coffee to be produced in a smaller time frame, and a steamer, a machine that creates those sweet, creamy coffee drinks students have come to expect from The Front Room.
Both of these help Front Room employees process drink orders in a more efficient manner.
“We look at it as being two-fold,” Thompson said. “How we’ve aligned the equipment makes it easier for the production staff to complete an order when it’s received, and it gives customers the efficiency and speed of service of knowing that as they step in line that their needs are going to be quickly met.”
The layout was created using a methodology called “Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control,” Grier said.
The students first identified the problem; in this case, it was finding the cause of a wait-time longer than four minutes.
Then, they collected data by setting up a camera, which allowed them to observe how long it took for customers to receive their drinks after placing their orders.
Next, they proceeded to evaluate how to solve this problem and developed several tentative layouts. They presented three of them to the Baker University Center staff.
Finally, they had to make sure the system would stay in control by documenting the new work steps for employees to follow.
The students involved with the project weren’t paid for their work; however, it offered students something else, Thompson said.
“They can look back and say that they had a part in how that layout and renovation was completed, and how it led to a positive project and positive experience overall for the campus environment,” he said.
oh994610@ohiou.edu
