The Effects of Task Design Remediation and Response Efficiency on Work Productivity in Adults with Moderate and Severe Mental Retardation

Abstract

The purpose of these studies was to investigate the effects of applying the principles of motion economy on work efficiency measures through task design remediation. In the first study, we analyzed the productivity rates of seven workers with moderate mental retardation on a seated assembly task. In the second study, three adults with moderate to severe mental retardation participated in an analysis of the most efficient means in remediating a custodial vacuuming task. Primary work efficiency measures were defined as rate of productivity (study 1) and total task duration (study 2). Other parameters measured were the perimeter of error and total distance moved through the task analysis. Results from both studies showed that the new, motion economy-based task design was more efficient than the traditional, site-based task design in terms of cleanliness, reduction of duration to completion, production rates, and the reduction of total movement through the task. The applicability of the results obtained focus on how task design (i.e., stimulus-response features) remediation affects response efficiency and vocational skill fluency, resulting in reducing response complexity.