"Factory Design" Group exercise

Participants assume the roles of team leaders who are working on the design of a new factory that will produce garden furniture. The group is given a plan of the factory site and empty building and needs to put together a detailed design of the layout of the future factory. Participants are given information about the production process, likely number of deliveries, employees, budget available, space constraints and legal and Health & Safety requirements. The group’s design should include a plan of the location and space needed for production machinery, storage, goods in/out, employee facilities and office space. The group also needs to consider quality and efficiency within the factory, as well as how to maintain the company’s principles of being an ethical retailer. Participants will be asked to present their findings using a map of the factory floor.