System Directed Resource Location Assignment (Guided Labor)

Objective is to help managers and associates more effectively assign resources to locations on the Locus floor where there is a work to be done, which has been requested by almost ALL customers. Additional details below.

Use Cases

• Resource Planning

  • Manager wants to know how many bots and resources (Associates) are required to pick the forecasted order volume for the next day/week/month

• Associate Location Work Assignment

  • Manager wants to know where to assign Associates based on estimated work volume (current + planned line items to pick) and estimated bots in the area/aisles for the next XX minutes (e.g., next 1 hr)

    • How many Associates do I need for planned work and where do I assign them on the Locus floor?

  • Associate wants to know where he/she should go to next based on estimated work, estimated bots, and estimated Associates in the work area/aisles for the next XX minutes

Info Needed

• Estimated work volume by aisle location for next XX minutes

• Estimated bots waiting for work to be done by aisle location for next XX minutes

  • Quantity of bots waiting in each aisle (work density) or will be there shortly (work on its way)

  • Need aisle # and possible section/zone since that is how Associates know locations in warehouse

• Location of Associates

  • Note: Currently cannot track Associate locations only when/where Associated last picked based on User Tag

“Possible Ideas” to Visually Indicate Location of Work & Need for Resources

• Passive

  • For Manager:

    • Enhanced Bot Map dashboard showing estimated work and bot density by aisle for next XX minutes, along with current Associates in area

      • Need enlarged view of aisles and aisle #

      • Manager can direct Associates to locations in person or via radio

  • For Associate:

    • Enhanced Bot Map dashboard mounted in several locations on the Locus floor

      • “Wearable Dashboard” Associate checks to see where work is located

    • Light bar at end of aisles/zone that lights up based bot/work density (1 bar = 2 bots, 2 = 4, 3 = 6, 4 bars = 8 bots)

• Proactive

  • Wearable device that notifies Associate if need to move to another aisle/section

    • Notification display on Bot iPad triggered after complete pick/putway task if there is a resource need in another aisle/section