L.M. Camarinha-Matos et al. (Eds.): PRO-VE 2009, IFIP AICT 307, pp. 274–281, 2009. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2009 People at Work: Modelling Human Performance in Shop Floor for Process Improvement in Manufacturing Enterprises Siti Nurhaida Khalil, R.H. Weston, and J.O. Ajaefobi MSI (Manufacturing System Integration Institute), Loughborough University Leicestershire, UK, LE11 3TU s.n.khalil@lboro.ac.uk, r.h.weston@lboro.ac.uk, j.o.Ajaefobi@lboro.ac.uk Abstract. Predicting actual human performance in manufacturing plants is dif- ficult and not a straightforward task. This motivates further investigation of ways of modelling, measuring and predicting behaviours of people working in production systems. People can be modelled in terms of their competences in relation to the roles they play in realising enterprise activities. This research in- troduces a combined application of Enterprise Modelling (EM) and Simulation Modelling (SM) to investigate and understand how people systems can be matched to process-oriented roles in production situations. EM facilitates the development of static models of structural aspects of people system from both top-down and bottom-up points of view. It can also provide organisational models in terms of roles and role relationships. Developed versions of EMs can also explicitly define key attributes of current and possible future ‘work con- texts in which productions systems’ are used. In this way any given EM can un- derpin the creation of multiple SMs that characterise important structural and dynamic aspects of production systems (in terms of human configuration, per- formance, flexibility, etc), and production throughput within specific contexts of use. The research methods are illustrated via the use of case studies in which roles that people play in the production systems of an international company were studied and modelled. The findings of related SM experiments have gen- erated useful insights for industrialist and academics. Keywords: Enterprise Modelling, Simulation Modelling, Competency. 1 Introduction As designers and managers of Manufacturing Enterprises (MEs), assigned person’s need, ‘abilities’ and ‘tools’ to help them systematically determine appropriate ‘roles’ for other groups of people, i.e. ‘human systems’ that can appropriately resource role sets determined by responsible designers and managers. But ME design and manage- ment is in general very complex, not least because competent human resources will be limited and costly and will themselves be complex. Recently there has been increased interest in the study of human systems and human systems integration with MEs. This