Motion Study
A Method for Increasing the Efficiency of the Workman

xii INTRODUCTION some of them slight in themselves, but all together totaling an immense saving of time and motions. This appealed to us as forming the basis of a good “story,” and we immediately made arrangements with Mr. Gilbreth to prepare for Industrial Engineering a serial article show- ing the importance of these studies in the improvement of working conditions in all trades, and how they bene- fited both employer and workman. When the manu- script of “Motion Study” was first placed in the writer’s hands, as editor, he examined it with considerable interest, but without any idea of the immense importance of what he had done in securing this contribution. It was then merely another good story for the paper. It seemed to him a trifle unfortunate, however, that the author had chosen practically all of his illustrations from the brick- laying trade. On rereading the article more carefully it was apparent that these illustrations were of secondary importance and had been drawn from a trade with which every one was familiar and which any one could observe, also from one so old that it hardly seemed possible that it could be improved. It therefore became evident that the principles laid down were applicable to every trade and industry. This idea was confirmed later, when “Motion Study” appeared in serial form. We were a trifle disappointed, at first, that it attracted less attention than we anticipated. We thought that perhaps we were somewhat in advance of our time, and that the public was not yet prepared for so long a step