Based on the collected data, define and independently calculate the three fundamental

metrics of the process and see to what extent these metrics satisfy the Little's Law: INVENTORY

$=$ FLOW RATE $\backslash$times FLOW TIME. Specifically, you would need to calculate: $($Value $1)$ observed

average inventory $($in customers$),($Value $2)$ observed average flow rate $($in customers per

minute$),$ and $($Value $3)$ observed average flow time $($in minutes$).$ These averages form the basis

of the Little$$s Law. These calculations were similar to what we discuss in class. Just refer to the

banking example in Module $03$ Slide $23$ and your corresponding class notes.

Here are some further hints. First, to find the observed average inventory, you would

need to divide the recording time window into a grid of points in time, the finer the grid the

better. The minimum grid should have at least one point for each minute. For example, a

recording time window of $15$ minutes can be divided into a $15-$point grid, a $30-$point grid, or a

finer grid. Second, to find the average flow rate, you should calculate the average between the

inflow rate $($number of arrivals in the time window per minute$)$ and outflow rate $($number of

exits in the time window per minute$).$ Third, to calculate the average flow time, you would not

count the customers who either arrived earlier or exited after the recording time window.

$$ Warning: taking too many pictures or recording videos would cause suspicions. If someone

asks you, you should truthfully explain that you are collecting data for a class project.

In your report of this part, you need to present the following:

$($a$)$ Name and location of the dining area on campus or the restaurant in the shopping mall.

$($b$)$ Product range of the dining area or restaurant.

$($c$)$ A picture of the front where the cashiers are located.

$($d$)$ Brief description of how you collect the data, from preparation at home to finish.

$($e$)$ Brief discussion on some difficulties and solutions in data collection.

$($f$)$ Collected data in the same format shown in the example Excel data file.

$($g$)$ The following mini table with four values, where Value $4$ is based on the Little$$s Law.

Please show how you calculate these metrics and use $3$ decimal places in the final results. You

would copy work from Excel into Word and should draw some diagrams for demonstrations.

Mini Table: Fundamental Metrics of the Process

Value $1$ Observed average inventory $($number of customers in line$)?$

Value $2$ Observed average flow rate $($number of through customers per minute$)?$

Value $3$ Observed average flow time $($number of minutes waiting in line$)?$

Value $4$ Predicted average inventory $($number of customers in line$)?$

$($h$)$ Calculate the percentage difference between Value $1$ and Value $4,$ i$.$e$.100\%\backslash$times $($V$1-$V$4)/$V$4.$

Then, make a statement on how close these two values are. If Value $1$ and Value $4$ differ by a

large margin $($more than $5\%),$ discuss possible reasons for the difference and corresponding

approaches to narrow the gap. Please feel free to discuss the difficulties that you find.