Workflow Sample: Episode 538: Analyzing Time Required for Translating 100 Characters in Japanese

Measuring working time on certain process

For example, when you want to measure the "time required for translation" in the translation process, you can consider a method that having "reporting (inputting)" actual working time" together with the"translation result".

However, in that method, it requires to have the workers to measure the actual work time in the means such as;

Write down the start time
Use old-fashioned stopwatch
Use a stopwatch software to measure working time
Use the "Stopwatch button" displayed on the screen of entering the translation

Such an act of "self-measuring and reporting working hours" must be a major effort.

* However, there are still advantages that it is possible to respond flexibly, such as temporarily stopping the measurement, when time to be excluded such as "coffee break" or "corresponding to interrupt work " occurs halfway.

The accuracy of the reported value

Also, "Inaccurate actual work time" may be reported as a result.

For example, the "work time" would be entered a little differently from the fact, if it is a system in which some incentive affects to make the "translation time" looks shorter (or longer) in terms of personnel evaluation and ability assessment.

Alternatively, if there are workers who are proud of their outcome of the work itself and have no interest in such as "translation time", we have to assume that 'perfunctory data' will be entered.

[Translation flow]

Status of Translation work being in progress

In this business process definition, "time required for translation process (numerical type)" is entered by automatic measurement. Noteworthy point is that the step of "2. Designate Translator" is dare to be set separately.

In other words, the statuses of such as "Offered", "Undertaken", Start working", "Finished" should be covered at the step of "3. Translation" alone on the principle. However, in this example, a work pre-production step named "2. Translator designation" is separately prepared so that "translation start time" and "translation end time" can be recorded explicitly. (In terms of progress monitoring, only Issues where translation works is actually undergoing are in the step of "3. Translation".)

<Values to be automatically stored>
* Translation start time: Time when the step of "2. Translator designation" is completed
* Translation end time: Time when the step of "3. Translation" is completed

And specific operation is like;

The translator will undertake the step of "2. Translator designation", and let it stay there until start the translation work.
And finish the step of "2. Translator designation", at the timing of actually starting the translation work (designating him or herself as "translator")

[Time storage setting]

Difference between two of the times

After that, the Issue reaches the automatic step "Elapsed minutes calculation".

There, "Time required for translation step (Numerical type)" is automatically calculated from "Translation start time" and "Translation end time".

In this example, "Number of original text characters" is also automatically counted in the upstream step. So, if translation Issues are handled 10 or 100 cases, from the actual results of these case, the correlation between "Number of original text characters" and "The time required for translation step "will also naturally be visible.

In addition, this auto-step can be implemented by either of

Script Task: describe in server side JavaScript
Service Task: Add-on of "Elapsed minutes calculation" equipped in advance

In this example, "Service Task with add-on" is used.

It is recommended to use "Service Task (Add-on)" from the viewpoint of maintainability, unless expansion, such as "indicate in hour / minute representation" or "calculate commissions", are not planned.

[Translation flow:"4. Completion check" screen]