A validation of pace rating using video technology

In direct time study, pace rating is an important element to determine time standards. In the literature, pace rating has always been recognized as being challenging and subjective. Recently, a tool that can compare the tempo of work motions on (real-life) actual videos with the tempo of work motions on a calibrated reference video, showing decision making patterns on pace rating has been developed to improve pace rating practice. Although this approach is interesting, there has been little discussion on validating the new proposed way. In practice, ratings with errors within ± 5% are considered excellent while those with errors within ± 10% are not excellent but good. In this paper, based on descriptive and inferential statistics obtained from experiments, we show that it is very challenging to reach these error levels when rating actual videos containing complex motions.