System and method for allocating labor to units processed in a materials handling facility

A system, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the memory comprises program instructions executable by the one or more processors to:
• receive information associated with a materials handling process that includes handling a plurality of units, wherein the information indicates, for each unit of said plurality of units:
• a respective pre-handling time period indicating a period of time between a handling message time for that unit and a handling message time for a previously-handled unit, wherein said pre-handling time period represents a labor expenditure for either the unit or the previously-handled unit;
• and
• a respective post-handling time period indicating a period of time between a handling message time for that unit and a handling message time for a subsequently-handled unit, wherein said post-handling time period represents a labor expenditure for either the unit or the subsequently-handled unit;
• wherein said plurality of units includes units of different classifications;
• determine a measure of variability of the pre-handling time periods associated with the units of a given classification of said different classifications;
• determine a measure of variability of the post-handling time periods associated with each unit of the given classification;
• determine that either the measure of variability of the pre-handling time periods or the measure of variability of the post-handling time periods is less than the other;
• and
• indicate either that the pre-handling time periods or that the post-handling time periods, associated with the lesser measure of variability, are representative of quantities of labor expended to process the units of said given classification in accordance with the materials handling process.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing program instructions computer-executable on a computer system to:

• receive information associated with a materials handling process that includes handling a plurality of units, wherein the information indicates, for each unit of said plurality of units:
• a respective pre-handling time period indicating a period of time between a handling message time for that unit and a handling message time for a previously-handled unit, wherein said pre-handling time period represents a labor expenditure for either the unit or the previously-handled unit;
• and
• a respective post-handling time period indicating a period of time between a handling message time for that unit and a handling message time for a subsequently-handled unit, wherein said post-handling time period represents a labor expenditure for either the unit or the subsequently-handled unit;
• wherein said plurality of units includes units of different classifications;
• determine a measure of variability of the pre-handling time periods associated with the units of a given classification of said different classifications;
• determine a measure of variability of the post-handling time periods associated with each unit of the given classification;
• determine that either the measure of variability of the pre-handling time periods or the measure of variability of the post-handling time periods is less than the other;
• and
• indicate either that the pre-handling time periods or that the post-handling time periods, associated with the lesser measure of variability, are representative of quantities of labor expended to process the units of said given classification in accordance with the materials handling process.