Individual Field Representatives
Were Observed for a Full Day

The analysts who conducted the

1969 and 1973 studies observed

each of the field representatives selected for inclusion in the study for one full day. The procedures for performing the observations

involved the following major steps:

The analyst worked with the manager of the office where he
was to conduct observations to determine which field
representatives were to be observed. The method used
to select field representatives for observation is
described in Section II of this report.

- The analyst met the field representative at the beginning
of his day's work. He then observed his activities
throughout the day and timed each of the field
representative's tasks with a stopwatch.

The analyst entered the stopwatch timings and other
pertinent information on standard forms. Examples

of those forms are shown on pages I-7 and I-8. The form
on page I-8 is designed to contain timing data for an
individual report. The forms completed by the analyst
consisted of one recap sheet and multiple timing
an individual timing sheet for each

sheets

-

report on which the field representative worked
during the day.

Since some of the field representative's activities,

notably the organization of work for the day and travel to the area where field work was to be done, were applicable to all cases worked during the day, the analyst prorated the time and mileage for these activities to the appropriate individual reports. The standard forms contain spaces designed for recording the timings for these activities and performing the calculations necessary for the proration. The analyst also balanced the total of the stopwatch times for the individual tasks to continuous clock readings, and the standard forms provide spaces for performing this balancing

function.

The field observations conducted in 1969 and 1973 covered

a broad cross section of Retail Credit Company's locations. The

schedules on pages I-9 through I-12 show the locations and dates of the field observations for the 1969 and 1973 studies.