Note—Plant Layout: Computers Versus Humans

Abstract

This work offers a critique of the methodology used by Scriabin and Vergin [Scriabin, Michael, Roger C. Vergin. 1975. Comparison of computer algorithms and visual based methods for plant layout. Management Sci. 22 (2, October) 172–181] in their study of computer algorithms versus humans in designing plant layouts. It attempts to show that Scriabin's and Vergin's experiments do not provide a useful comparison of computers and humans, and to point out several experimental procedures that would make comparisons of heuristic computer algorithms and humans more valid.