CASE-001 WorkTimer
Changing time awareness on the factory floor with a digital display
A wall display that counts down to the end of the working day.
This is a summary of the case study. Full details are available on the Japanese page.
Challenges
On the shop floor, managing working time directly affects productivity, but a wall clock leaves a large information gap.
A clock shows what time it is, but people had to work out for themselves how long was left until the end of the day.
In each morning and afternoon work block, remaining time was unclear until the break was almost over.
When focused on work, people often missed the start and end of breaks.
Our Approach: Visualizing the day with colors and numbers
WorkTimer automatically switches its colors and display through five phases of the day — before work, preparation, working time, break and after hours — so anyone can see at a glance what time it is for and how much time remains.
Key Features
Main countdown
Hours, minutes and seconds left until the end of the day, in a large font.
Sub-timers per work block
Remaining time for each block (1Q, 2Q, 3Q…), supporting short-span time management.
Automatic voice announcements
Announcements at 60, 30 and 10 minutes before the end of each block.
Flexible settings
Start, end and break times can be changed in the browser by staff on the floor.
Results
Greater time awareness
Staff report that they are always conscious of the end of the working day.
Planning by work block
Breaking the day into blocks makes it easier to plan work, and small goals add up to higher productivity.
No missed transitions
Voice announcements and color changes make break and restart times clear even during focused work.
TECHNOLOGY
HTMLCSSJavaScript