JP7569773B2 - Work Support System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a work support system that supports the work performed by workers at a work site.

In recent years, on-site work has been increasingly digitized, and there are an increasing number of cases where workers are working while referring to electronic work instructions displayed on smart devices, rather than the traditional paper work instructions. Electronic work instructions have many advantages, such as the ease of creating the procedures themselves, obtaining evidence of work, making reporting more efficient, and using work data (analysis, etc.), and it is expected that they will become more widespread in all fields in the future.

When working according to work procedures, it is important that workers fully understand the important points (especially important points related to safety, security, and quality) before working. Initiatives are being made to encourage workers to thoroughly understand the important points, such as attaching a list of important points to paper work procedures and providing a mechanism for workers to check on their terminal screen that they have read the important points in electronic work procedures.

The following Patent Document 1 describes a technology for checking check items on a screen of a device. The document describes the technology as follows: "A check device comprising: a display device with a specified display screen; a position input device that is laminated and integrated on the display screen of the display device and detects a position indicated on the display screen; a means for inputting information on a check item to be displayed using the display device and prompting confirmation; a means for storing information on the input check item and displaying the input check item information on the display screen of the display device; a means for detecting a position indicated on a displayed check item with the position input device and identifying and judging the check item indicated by the indicated input position; a means for displaying a specified marker in an area on the display screen corresponding to the check item at the indicated position detected by the position input device according to the judgment result; a means for erasing the marker of the corresponding check item when the check instruction for the highlighted check item is released; and a means for judging whether or not all of the specified check items have been highlighted and judging the end of the check." (see claim 1).

Patent No. 2735254

As described in Patent Document 1, even if a system is provided for confirming check items on an electronic terminal, the checks may not function effectively, for example if a worker inputs that a check box has been checked without fully understanding the important points. This still results in cases where workers make operational mistakes due to not understanding important points.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a work support system that can encourage workers to reliably understand important aspects of their work when supporting the workers' work at a work site.

The work support system of the present invention classifies the confirmation items presented on the worker's terminal into categories that require marking on the terminal and categories that require marking and answering confirmation questions, and checks whether the worker has completed marking or both marking and answering according to the classification.

The work support system according to the present invention can encourage workers to reliably understand important aspects of their work when supporting the workers' work at a work site. Other issues, configurations, advantages, etc. of the present invention will become clear by referring to the following embodiment.

1 is a configuration diagram of a work support system 1 according to a first embodiment. 1 shows an example of the structure and data of a confirmation item category table 151 held in the confirmation condition data 15. 1 shows an example of the structure and data of a confirmation item table 152 held in the confirmation condition data 15. 4 shows an example of the configuration and data of setting data 16. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the work support system 1. 13 is a flowchart illustrating details of step S402. 13 is a flowchart illustrating details of step S406. 13 is a flowchart illustrating details of step S407. 4 is an example of a confirmation item registration screen provided by a confirmation item registration unit 11. 4 is an example of a confirmation item screen provided by a confirmation item presenting unit 12. 13 is an example of a level-of-understanding check screen presented by a level-of-understanding confirmation unit 14. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a work support system 1 according to a second embodiment. 4 shows an example of the structure and data of aggregated data 18. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the work support system 1 processes an entry request to a work site in the second embodiment.

<First embodiment>
1 is a configuration diagram of a work support system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The work support system 1 is a system that supports work performed by a worker at a work site. The worker goes to the work site holding a worker terminal 31, and performs the work while looking at a work procedure manual displayed on the worker terminal 31. The work procedure manual is provided to the worker terminal 31 from an electronic work procedure manual system 2 in the form of, for example, web content. In the first embodiment, the work support system 1 and the electronic work procedure manual system 2 are described as separate systems, but they may be configured as an integrated system.

The work assistance system 1 presents the check items in the work procedure on the worker terminal 31, thereby encouraging the worker to thoroughly understand the check items. A specific mechanism for encouraging understanding will be described later. The check items are presented on the worker terminal 31 as important matters that the worker should understand, separate from the work procedure itself.

The work support system 1 can be configured, for example, by a computer equipped with a calculation device and a storage device. The work support system 1 includes a check item registration unit 11, a check item presentation unit 12, a marking detection unit 13, an understanding level confirmation unit 14, check condition data 15, and setting data 16. The check condition data 15 and setting data 16 are stored in the storage device equipped in the work support system 1.

The check item registration unit 11 records the check items to be presented on the worker terminal 31 in the check condition data 15 according to instructions from the manager terminal 32. The check item presentation unit 12 presents the check items to the worker terminal 31 (for example, in the form of Web content). The marking detection unit 13 detects the marked areas on the screen of the worker terminal 31. The understanding confirmation unit 14 presents the worker terminal 31 with an understanding check to check whether the worker has understood the check items. The check condition data 15 describes the check items. The setting data 16 describes the operation settings for the understanding check, etc. These will be described in detail later.

Figure 2A shows the structure and example data of the check item category table 151 held in the check condition data 15. The check item category table 151 is a data table that lists item names (in other words, major item names) that aggregate one or more check items. Each check item category is identified by a unique identifier.

Figure 2B shows the structure and example data of the check item table 152 held in the check condition data 15. The check item table 152 is a data table that lists character strings that describe the check items to be presented on the worker terminal 31. One or more check items are listed for each check item category in the check item category table 151. For example, three check items are listed for the category identifier "C001".

The degree to which an operator should check each check item varies depending on factors such as the importance of the check item. Therefore, check item table 152 specifies a "level" for each check item, indicating the degree to which checking is required. A higher level means that checking must be done more carefully. As shown in the example screen below, three levels, levels 1 to 3, are specified here.

In this embodiment 1, for level 2 check items, the worker is required to mark the check item on the screen of the worker terminal 31. Specific examples of marking and screen examples of check items for which marking is performed will be described later.

In this embodiment 1, for level 3 check items, the worker is required to pass a check. The check is composed of a check question presented to the worker. The check question can be presented, for example, in the form of a multiple-choice question that prompts the worker to select the correct answer. The example in FIG. 2B shows an example in which a check question is composed of two options, with a part of the character string describing the check item being the correct answer and a different character string being the incorrect answer.

Figure 3 shows the configuration of setting data 16 and an example of the data. Setting data 16 specifies the upper limit speed when a worker marks a check item on worker terminal 31. Marking here is assumed to be an action of dragging a character string displayed as a check item on the screen of worker terminal 31 with a screen pointer (e.g., a mouse pointer). However, it is not limited to this, and other actions may be used as long as the worker can distinguish between the action of marking a check item and other actions.

The marking action involves tracing the part displayed as the check item on the screen from one end to the other, which causes the screen pointer to move. If the movement speed is too fast, there is a concern that the worker may not be reading the check item carefully. Therefore, setting data 16 specifies the upper limit speed at which the screen pointer can move during the marking action.

The setting data 16 also specifies the marker color to be used when marking the screen of the worker terminal 31 by the marking action. It may also specify other appropriate parameters when the worker terminal 31 presents confirmation items.

Figure 4 is a flowchart explaining the overall operation of the work support system 1. For convenience of description, the electronic work procedure manual system 2 is also partially involved in this flowchart. Each step in Figure 4 is explained below.

(FIG. 4: Step S401)
The procedure manual creator creates an electronic procedure manual on the electronic procedure manual system 2. This step can be performed separately from the operation of the work support system 1, but for convenience of description, it is written together with S402 in this flowchart.

(FIG. 4: Step S402)
The procedure manual creator registers the check items in the work support system 1 (i.e., the check condition data 15) using the check item registration unit 11. Details of this step will be described later in another flowchart.

(FIG. 4: step S403)
The procedure manual creator links the created work procedure with check items. First, he/she specifies at least which check items are to be presented in the work procedure manual. Furthermore, he/she specifies which check items are to be presented for which work items in the work procedure manual. To explain using the example of Figures 2A to 2B, he/she specifies that check items C001-1 to C001-3 are to be presented for the work item in which curing work is to be performed.

(FIG. 4: Step S403: Supplement)
When both the electronic work procedure manual and the check items are presented as Web contents, the two can be associated by forming a connection relationship between these Web contents using a hyperlink. When the two are presented in other formats, the two can be associated by, for example, providing the data in which the two are packaged together to the worker terminal 31. Any other appropriate method may be used.

(FIG. 4: step S404)
A worker goes to a work site holding a worker terminal 31. The worker terminal 31 acquires a work procedure manual from the electronic work procedure manual system 2, and acquires check items associated with the work procedure manual from the work support system 1. The worker performs the work items according to the work procedure manual while displaying it on the screen of the worker terminal 31.

(FIG. 4: step S405)
Since a confirmation item is associated with each work item, some work items may not have any confirmation items (e.g., a work item with no important items). If there are no confirmation items, the process proceeds to the next work item via S408. If there are confirmation items, the process proceeds to S406.

(FIG. 4: step S406)
The check item presentation unit 12 presents the check items to the worker terminal 31. For example, in the case where an electronic work procedure manual and check items are presented as Web content, when a worker specifies that the current work item is completed on the electronic work procedure manual, the worker terminal 31 requests the check items specified as link destinations from the work support system 1, and the check item presentation unit 12 presents the check items in response to the request. The worker checks the check items on the screen of the worker terminal 31. The specific procedure for checking the check items will be explained again in the flowchart described later.

(FIG. 4: step S407)
When the worker finishes checking the check items, he/she instructs the next item to be presented on the screen of the worker terminal 31. If the check items include a level 3 item, the understanding confirmation unit 14 presents a confirmation question to the worker terminal 31. The link between the check items and the confirmation questions is the same as in S406. The worker answers the confirmation question on the screen of the worker terminal 31. The specific procedure for the confirmation question will be explained again in the flowchart described later.

(FIG. 4: step S408)
The worker instructs the display of the next item on the screen of the worker terminal 31. If there is a next work item, the process returns to S404, and if there is not, the process ends. If the worker instructs the display of the next item even though the confirmation items have not been completed, a warning may be displayed on the screen to prompt the user to complete confirmation of all confirmation items, without the next item being presented.

Figure 5 is a flowchart that explains the details of S402. Each step in Figure 5 is explained below.

(FIG. 5: Step S501)
The procedure manual creator accesses the work support system 1 using, for example, the administrator terminal 32, and requests a screen for registering check items. In response to the request, the check item registration unit 11 presents the check item registration screen.

(FIG. 5: step S502)
The confirmation item registration screen is configured to input the following items: (a) confirmation item category; (b) confirmation item; (c) level; (d) correct answer phrases for the comprehension check; and (e) incorrect answer phrases for the comprehension check. The procedure manual creator inputs these items into the confirmation item registration screen.

(FIG. 5: step S503)
The confirmation item registration unit 11 checks whether there are any errors in the input contents. If there are any errors, the process returns to S502. If there are no errors, the process proceeds to S504. For example, the check targets include whether the confirmation item category has been entered, whether the correct and incorrect answers to the confirmation questions for the level 3 confirmation items have been entered, and so on.

(FIG. 5: step S504)
The check item registration unit 11 automatically assigns category identifiers and item identifiers, and records them in the check condition data 15 together with the input contents.

Figure 6 is a flowchart explaining the details of S406. Each step in Figure 6 is explained below.

(FIG. 6: step S601)
The check item presentation unit 12 presents check items to the worker terminal 31 .

(FIG. 6: step S602)
The marking detection unit 13 detects the marking action and its speed performed by the worker using the screen pointer on the screen of the worker terminal 31. The marking action is, for example, a drag action using a mouse pointer. Alternatively, if the worker terminal 31 is configured with a touch panel, the marking detection unit 13 may detect the finger touch.

(FIG. 6: Step S602: Supplementary Note 1)
When the confirmation items are presented as Web content, for example, a script running on a Web browser can be used to detect mouse events, thereby tracking the trajectory of the mouse pointer and detecting the pressing of the mouse button. The marking detection unit 13 receives the detection result from the Web browser, thereby detecting the marking action on the screen of the worker terminal 31.

(FIG. 6: Step S602: Supplement 2)
To add a marker to Web content, an appropriate method can be used, such as dynamically changing the style of a character string by a script, dynamically adding a marker tag by a script, etc. Alternatively, a transparent CANVAS object (an HTML element newly added in HTML5) may be superimposed on the screen in advance, and the marking effect may be superimposed on the screen by drawing the marking on the CANVAS during the marking operation.

(FIG. 6: step S603)
If the worker has marked a level 2 or level 3 check item, the process proceeds to S604. Otherwise, the process skips to S606. To detect which check item has been marked, for example, an object ID may be assigned to each check item, and a mouse down event for that object may be captured by a script. Any other suitable method may also be used.

(FIG. 6: step S604)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 checks whether the marking speed when the worker marks the confirmation item is equal to or lower than the upper limit speed defined by the setting data 16. If it is equal to or lower than the upper limit speed, the process proceeds to S606. If it exceeds the upper limit speed, the process proceeds to S605.

(FIG. 6: Step S604: Supplementary Note 1)
By specifying the start time, end time, start coordinates, and end coordinates of the marking operation (drag operation) in the script, the number of pixels per unit time moved by the screen pointer in the drag operation (i.e., the movement speed converted into pixels) can be obtained. Furthermore, the size that the character string of the check item occupies on the screen can be calculated from the number of characters of the check item and the font size of the characters (pixels or points). The number of marked characters can be calculated from this on-screen size and the movement speed of the screen pointer. The above calculation procedure makes it possible to calculate the number of marked characters per unit time in the marking operation. The result of this calculation can be compared with the upper limit speed specified by the setting data 16.

(FIG. 6: Step S604: Supplement 2)
When only a part of the character string of a check item is marked, it is desirable to consider that the character string is not marked. For example, by comparing the number of characters moved by the screen pointer by dragging with the number of characters of the check item, it is possible to determine whether or not the entire character string of the check item has been marked. The number of character strings of the check item can be obtained from the check item table 152. Alternatively, since a character string is selected by the mouse pointer in association with the marking operation, the selected character string may be obtained via the getSelection method of JavaScript and the number of characters may be counted. The same applies to the following supplementary note 3.

(FIG. 6: Step S604: Supplementary Note 3)
When acquiring the marking speed, the start and end coordinates of the marking motion are acquired, so that it is possible to determine whether or not all the character strings of the confirmation items have been marked. The understanding confirmation unit 14 may acquire the detection result of the marking motion acquired by a script on a Web browser, for example, and use this to make the determination in this step, and then return the result to the operator terminal 31.

(FIG. 6: step S605)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 displays a warning that the marking speed exceeds the upper limit speed on the screen of the worker terminal 31. For example, the confirmation item screen may be configured in advance to display a warning dialogue in response to the reply from the understanding confirmation unit 14.

(FIG. 6: step S606)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 confirms whether the worker has marked all the level 2 or level 3 check items. If all have been marked, the flow chart ends. If not, the process returns to S602. Whether all marking has been completed can be determined by, for example, storing a message each time marking for a check item is completed, and checking each time marking is completed whether marking has been completed for all check items belonging to the same category identifier.

(FIG. 6: Step S606: Supplement)
If the worker attempts to proceed to the next screen on the worker terminal 31 when all of the level 2 or 3 confirmation questions have not been marked, a warning may be displayed as in S605 and the process may return to S602.

Figure 7 is a flowchart explaining the details of S407. Since S407 is performed for level 3 check items, it is assumed that the check items in Figure 7 are level 3. Each step in Figure 7 will be explained below.

(FIG. 7: step S701)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 presents an understanding check screen (confirmation questions) to the worker terminal 31. One confirmation question screen may be presented for each confirmation item, or confirmation questions for two or more confirmation items may be presented together in one confirmation question screen. In order to avoid placing an excessive burden on the worker, it is considered preferable to display all the confirmation questions on one screen.

(FIG. 7: step S702)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 replaces the part of the character string of the confirmation item that matches the correct answer wording with a blank, and presents the result as a confirmation question. Furthermore, the unit 14 presents a correct answer wording and an incorrect answer wording as answer options.

(FIG. 7: steps S703 to S705)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 acquires the answers to each confirmation question (S703) and compares the answers with the correct answer phrases in the confirmation item table 152. The understanding confirmation unit 14 checks whether all the answers are correct (S704). If all the answers are correct, this flowchart ends. If any answers are incorrect, a warning is displayed on the worker terminal 31 prompting the worker to retry the confirmation question (S705), and the process returns to S703.

Figure 8 is an example of a check item registration screen provided by the check item registration unit 11. The check item registration screen is a screen for inputting each item in S502. Check item categories and check items are input using character strings. For check items that require the worker to mark, level 2 is selected, and for check items that require marking and answering a check question, level 3 is selected. For level 3 check items, a portion of the check item's character string is designated as the correct answer, and a different word is entered as the incorrect answer. To increase or decrease the number of check items, the plus or minus button is used. To change the order of the check items, the arrow buttons are used.

Figure 9 is an example of a check item screen provided by the check item presentation unit 12. Here, an example is shown in which three check items (C001-1 to C001-3) recorded in association with the check item category "Care points" (C001) are displayed. Check item C001-1 is level 2, so the worker has marked it. Level 1 may also be marked, but in this embodiment 1, it is sufficient to only display a warning for levels 2 and 3 if no marking is performed.

Figure 10 is an example of a comprehension check screen presented by the comprehension confirmation unit 14. Here, a confirmation question about confirmation item C001-2 is shown as an example. The worker selects the option that he or she thinks is the correct answer and presses the check button. If the worker wants to reconfirm the contents of the confirmation item and then answer the confirmation question again, he or she may return to the confirmation item for the time being.

<Embodiment 1: Summary>
The work support system 1 according to the first embodiment predefines the check items of the second category (level 2) for which the worker should perform marking, and the check items of the third category (level 3) for which the worker should perform marking and answer the confirmation questions, and issues a warning to that effect if marking has not been performed for the second category, and issues a warning to that effect if neither marking nor correct answering has been performed for the third category. This can encourage the worker to reliably understand important items in the work. This is because the third category in particular requires correct answers to the confirmation questions.

The work support system 1 according to the first embodiment predefines an upper limit speed for marking, and if the moving speed of the screen pointer when the worker performs marking exceeds that upper limit speed, a warning to that effect is issued. This encourages the worker to check important matters with a certain degree of care, even for second-class check items that do not require an answer to a confirmation question. This encourages the worker to understand important matters more reliably than if the check were simply done using a check box or the like.

<Embodiment 2>
Some work sites may have characteristics that require only workers who fully understand important work-related matters to be allowed to enter. The work support system 1 described in the first embodiment encourages workers to understand the important matters. By utilizing this, it is possible to statistically grasp whether or not a worker understands the important matters, and use the statistical tabulation results to determine whether or not to allow entry into the work site. In the second embodiment of the present invention, an example of the configuration will be described. However, as described later, the second embodiment is not limited to entry into a work site, and can be generally used when determining whether or not to allow the start of work.

Figure 11 is a configuration diagram of the work support system 1 according to the second embodiment. In addition to the configuration described in the first embodiment, the work support system 1 newly includes a start permission unit 17 and aggregated data 18. The start permission unit 17 determines whether or not to permit the worker to enter the work site according to the aggregated data 18. The aggregated data 18 is data stored in a storage device included in the work support system 1, and a specific example will be described later.

Figure 12 shows the structure of aggregated data 18 and an example of the data. Aggregated data 18 is a data table that describes the aggregated results of the incorrect answer rate for confirmation questions answered by workers in the past. Aggregated data 18 holds the latest incorrect answer rate for confirmation questions for each worker. The latest incorrect answer rate here may be, for example, the incorrect answer rate for the confirmation question asked of the worker at the work site immediately prior to the present, or the incorrect answer rate for confirmation questions asked of the worker at the work site within a specified period going back from the present. Any other data may be used as long as it reflects at least a more recent trend than the cumulative incorrect answer rate described below.

The aggregated data 18 further holds, for each worker, the cumulative incorrect answer rate (total incorrect answer rate) since the aggregation of the incorrect answer rates began. The aggregated data 18 further holds, for each worker, the number of entry permission requests and the number of times permission has been granted.

The aggregated data 18 can be prepared for each work site, for example. In this case, each incorrect answer rate is stored for each worker as the results for confirmation questions previously administered at that work site. Alternatively, the results of tallying up the results at all work sites can be stored as aggregated data 18. In this case, aggregated data 18 has the nature of data that tally up the level of engagement with confirmation questions in general for each worker.

Figure 13 is a flowchart explaining the procedure by which the work support system 1 processes an entry request to a work site in this embodiment 2. The work support system 1 starts this flowchart when it receives a request to allow a worker to enter the work site. Each step in Figure 13 will be explained below.

(FIG. 13: steps S1301 to S1302)
The start permission unit 17 acquires a record related to the worker from the aggregate data 18. The start permission unit 17 reads the latest incorrect answer rate (S1301). If the latest incorrect answer rate is less than 50% (S1302: No), the worker is considered to have a sufficient understanding of important matters, and therefore entry is permitted via S1309. If the latest incorrect answer rate is 50% or more, further checks are performed from S1303 onwards. The numerical value of the incorrect answer rate is one example, and other threshold values may be used. The same applies to the following steps.

(FIG. 13: steps S1303 to S1304)
The start permission unit 17 reads the overall incorrect answer rate from the compilation data 18 (S1303). If the overall incorrect answer rate is less than 50% (S1304: No), the worker is considered to have a sufficient cumulative understanding of important matters, and therefore entry is permitted via S1309. If the overall incorrect answer rate is 50% or more, further checks are performed from S1305 onwards.

(FIG. 13: steps S1305 to S1306)
The start permission unit 17 reads the number of entry requests and the number of permission attempts from the aggregate data 18 (S1305). If the entry permission rate (number of permission attempts/number of entry requests x 100) is less than 50% (S1306: Yes), the worker may not have a sufficient cumulative understanding of the important matters, so a further check is performed in S1307. If the entry permission rate is 50% or more, the worker is considered to have a sufficient cumulative understanding of the important matters, so entry is permitted via S1309.

(FIG. 13: steps S1307 to S1308)
The understanding confirmation unit 14 reconfirms the worker's understanding of the important matters by presenting a confirmation question about the work site corresponding to the entry request (S1307). The start permission unit 17 determines whether or not to permit entry based on the result (S1308).

(FIG. 13: Step S1307: Supplement)
The verification questions in this step can be selected from the following, for example:
(a) any previous verification questions administered at the work site the worker is entering;
(b) Any previous verification questions administered to the worker (including questions outside the work site);
(c) Clarification questions regarding the work that the worker is scheduled to perform at the work site that day.

(FIG. 13: Step S1308: Supplement)
The start permission unit 17 judges whether or not to permit entry based on an appropriate criterion, such as permitting entry if the correct answer rate in S1307 is equal to or greater than the total incorrect answer rate.

(FIG. 13: step S1309)
The start permission unit 17 permits the entry request from the worker, for example by sending a reply to an entrance gate installed at the work site indicating that entry is permitted.

(FIG. 13: Step S1309: Supplement)
The above processing by the start permission unit 17 is not limited to permission to enter a work site, but can be generally applied to whether or not to permit the start of work. For example, at the time of a meeting held by a worker and a supervisor, the worker's summary data 18 can be referenced, and it can be determined according to this flowchart whether or not to permit the worker to start work. The above-mentioned entry permission processing can also be used when permitting entry into a work site at a meeting, and can therefore be considered as permission to start work in a broad sense.

<Embodiment 2: Summary>
When the work support system 1 according to the second embodiment receives a request from a worker requesting permission to start work, if the correct answer rate (latest incorrect answer rate) of the worker to confirmation questions within the most recent specified period is equal to or higher than a threshold, the system allows the worker to start work, and if the correct answer rate is less than the threshold, another judgment criterion is used to determine whether or not to allow the worker to start work. This makes it possible to prevent workers who tend not to check confirmation items sufficiently from starting work. Therefore, accidents due to insufficient checking can be prevented in advance.

The work support system 1 according to the second embodiment allows work to begin if the most recent correct answer rate for confirmation questions is below a threshold value, but meets other criteria such as the cumulative correct answer rate (total incorrect answer rate), cumulative permission rate (number of times entry is permitted), and reconfirmation of understanding. This makes it possible to relax the permission conditions for workers with good past performance on confirmation questions, even if their most recent correct answer rate is low. In other words, it is assumed that workers with good past performance tend to check confirmation items thoroughly, and by relaxing the permission conditions for such workers, convenience for the workers can be taken into consideration.

<Modifications of the present invention>
In the second embodiment, the aggregated data 18 can also be used to pick out workers who tend not to check the check items sufficiently. For example, the start permission unit 17 may extract from the aggregated data 18 workers whose latest incorrect answer rate/total incorrect answer rate/number of permitted entrances (or a combination of these) is less than a reference value, and present the workers on the manager terminal 32. This allows a separate measure to be taken, such as instructing the workers on the check items in advance.

In the above embodiment, the number of characters marked per unit time is used as an example of the upper limit of the marking speed, but other numerical values may be used. For example, the number of pixels that the screen pointer moves per unit time on the screen of the worker terminal 31 may be used.

In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the confirmation question specifies a part of the character string of the confirmation item as the correct answer, but this is not necessarily limited as long as it is possible to check the level of understanding of the content of the confirmation item. However, if the comprehension check is made too difficult, there is a concern that it will place an excessive burden on the worker and they will end up neglecting the confirmation item. Therefore, it is considered preferable to use the character string of the confirmation item itself for the comprehension check.

In the above embodiment, any two or more of the functional units of the work assistance system 1 may be configured as an integrated functional module, or may be configured as separate functional modules as shown in FIG. 1.

In the above embodiment, the confirmation item registration unit 11, the confirmation item presentation unit 12, the marking detection unit 13, and the understanding confirmation unit 14 can be configured by hardware such as a circuit device that implements these functions, or can be configured by the computation device of the work support system 1 executing software that implements these functions.

1: Work support system 11: Check item registration unit 12: Check item presentation unit 13: Marking detection unit 14: Understanding level check unit 15: Check condition data 16: Setting data 17: Start permission unit 18: Aggregated data 2: Electronic work procedure manual system 31: Worker terminal

Claims (8)

A work support system that supports a work performed by a worker at a work site,
a confirmation item presentation unit that presents, on a worker terminal used by the worker, a confirmation item list in which confirmation items to be confirmed by the worker are described for each work item;
a marking detection unit that detects that a check item in the check item list has been marked on the worker terminal;
a storage unit for storing confirmation condition data describing conditions for confirming whether or not the worker has understood the confirmation items in the confirmation item list;
a comprehension confirmation unit that confirms whether the worker has understood the confirmation items in the confirmation item list in accordance with the conditions described in the confirmation condition data;
Equipped with
The confirmation condition data is
question data describing a confirmation question to be presented on the worker terminal to confirm whether the worker has understood the confirmation items in the confirmation item list;
Item classification data defining for each of the confirmation items whether the confirmation item corresponds to a first classification in which the worker is not required to perform either the marking or answer the confirmation question, whether the confirmation item corresponds to a second classification in which the worker is required to perform the marking, or whether the confirmation item corresponds to a third classification in which the worker is required to perform both the marking and answer the confirmation question;
having
the understanding confirmation unit presents a warning to the operator on the operator terminal when the marking has not been performed for the confirmation item belonging to the second classification;
the understanding confirmation unit, for the confirmation items belonging to the third category, presents a warning to that effect on the worker terminal if at least one of the following applies: the marking has not been performed or the worker has not given a correct answer to the confirmation question. the confirmation condition data describes an upper limit speed allowed for a speed at which a screen pointer moves on a screen of the worker terminal when the marking is performed on the worker terminal,
the understanding confirmation unit acquires an actual moving speed of the screen pointer on the screen of the worker terminal,
2. The work support system according to claim 1, wherein, for the confirmation items belonging to the second or third category, if the actual moving speed exceeds the upper limit speed, the understanding confirmation unit presents a warning to that effect on the worker terminal. the confirmation condition data includes work content data describing the work content to be performed by the worker using a character string;
the question data defines, as an answer option to the confirmation question, a part of the work content described in the work content data as a correct answer, and defines a character string different from the correct answer as an incorrect answer,
the understanding confirmation unit presents the correct answer defined by the question data and the incorrect answer defined by the question data as the confirmation question on the worker terminal;
2. The work support system according to claim 1, wherein the understanding confirmation unit determines that the worker has answered the confirmation question correctly only when the correct answer is selected as the answer to the confirmation question. 2. The work support system according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation item presentation unit does not present a confirmation item included in a second work item following the first work item until the worker has finished marking all of the confirmation items included in the first work item that belong to the second classification, and the worker has finished marking and answering the correct answers for all of the confirmation items included in the first work item that belong to the third classification. the storage unit stores aggregate data obtained by aggregating a history of correct answers to the verification questions for each of the workers;
The work support system further includes a start permission unit that determines whether or not to permit the worker to start work at the work site according to the aggregation result described in the aggregation data,
the start permission unit, when receiving a request for permission to start work at the work site, permits the request if a correct answer rate for the confirmation question by the worker within a predetermined period immediately before the request is equal to or higher than a first threshold;
2. The work support system according to claim 1, wherein, when the request is received, if the correct answer rate of the worker to the confirmation question within the specified period is less than the first threshold, the start permission unit determines whether to permit the request under a condition different from a condition in which the correct answer rate is equal to or greater than the first threshold. the collected data describes a cumulative collected result of the correct answer rate of the worker to the confirmation question over an entire period from when the collection was started,
the start permission unit, when receiving the request, permits the request if the cumulative count result is equal to or greater than a second threshold;
6. The work support system according to claim 5, wherein, when the cumulative count result is less than the second threshold value upon receiving the request, the start permission unit determines whether to permit the request under a condition different from a condition when the cumulative count result is equal to or greater than the second threshold value. the aggregated data describes a cumulative permission rate that indicates a percentage of the requests that have been permitted over an entire period since the start of the aggregation;
the start permission unit, when receiving the request, permits the request if the cumulative permission rate is equal to or greater than a third threshold;
7. The work support system according to claim 6, wherein when the request is received, if the cumulative permission rate is less than the third threshold, the start permission unit presents the confirmation question again and permits the request only if a rate at which the worker gives a correct answer is equal to or greater than a reference value. 8. The work support system according to claim 7, wherein the start permission unit identifies and presents the workers whose at least one of the correct answer rate for the confirmation question within the specified period, the cumulative summary result, and the cumulative permission rate is less than a reference value from the aggregated data.

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