I used to be fascinated by how things are managed in construction.
These trucks cost about $5M USD so you would want to make sure it was productive!
I am still fascinated although I love finding out about other industries now as well.
During my time as a Civil Engineer I clearly remember the day it was explained to me why all this seemingly chaotic activity on a construction site can somehow be organised.
A surveyor I was working with told me about a foreman on a large expressway job. There were many trucks were carting earth backwards and forwards as well as other activity going on.
The foreman was able to stay in his office, not observing all the movement of the expensive machinery because he had someone reporting truck movements in via radio. He tracked the data on a chart on his wall.
If the movements slowed, he would investigate. Otherwise he could tend to other duties (safety, reports, forms, specifications, planning, budgets and costings).
When the movements reach the blue line it is time to act.
He did NOT have to witness all the work being done, despite the huge daily expense of the hire equipment, as his wall chart report did the supervision for him. He had 'made himself redundant' from the supervisory task (thanks for this expression Nick Psaila, I love it!).
This type of tool is indispensable at work if you too want to 'make yourself redundant'. If you would like me to show you how to have something like this set up cheaply and easily please let me know.
Now, I'm off for smoko :)
