Stopwatches and Click Boxes: The Intersection of Scientific Management and Family Medicine

摘要

At the beginning of the 20th century, Frederick Taylor applied the scientific method to the manufacturing industry to determine the “one best way to do every job.”1 His method, now known as “time and motion study,” systematically recorded a worker’s movements, using direct observation and stopwatches. Taylor would analyze multiple methods of completing a task, such as bricklaying, to determine which method was the most efficient. After identifying the one best way, Taylor proposed two additional principles to maximize efficiency—the proper selection of workers and the importance of training workers in the one best way. This scientific approach to management and work continues to impact how organizations function today.