Closeness Ratings

Closeness rating is done in order to understand the relationship between different pairs of activities in the production management.

For example, in order to rate a production process as an efficient one, a firm has to analyze its production scheduling, manufacturing process and movement of materials during the process. Any time delay in the movement of materials during the process, the material wastages during the production time or an inefficient use of the machinery can all lead to an inefficient production process.

Closeness rating among various activities in the project management or production management will help in eliminating inefficiencies.

Closeness rating is used in trying to establish the closeness among various activities in activity relationship chart.

There are several rating symbols used to identify the strength of the relationships among activities as follows:

1. Symbol A refers to the activities as extremely important activities which cannot be delayed.

2. Symbol E refers to the activities which are identified as especially important; these activities are important under certain conditions.

3. Symbol I refers to the activities which are core activities and also important; these activities are to be carried out under any cost.

4. Symbol O refers to the activities which are ordinary activities and they can be delayed to a certain amount of time. The project can complete them at its convenience.

5. Symbol U refers to the unimportant activities which are a part of the completion of the project, but need not be completed on priority.

6. Symbol X refers to the undesirable activities which are not to be included in the activity list as they will hamper the completion of the project.

These are the certain codes used in project management and the term is used to understand the relationship between activities of a project is closeness rating.