Motion-path analysis is changing worksites! The new norm for efficiency improvement using location information

To boost on-site operational efficiency and ensure safety, motion-path analysis (動線解析) is attracting attention. By visualizing and analyzing the "motion paths" of people and objects—the routes they take—you can uncover waste and issues that were previously invisible. In recent years, location-information technologies such as GPS and sensors have advanced dramatically, making it easier than ever to capture and improve motion paths. This method, which could be called the new norm for efficiency improvement, is transforming worksites in the following ways.

Contents

• What is motion-path analysis and why it is attracting attention on worksites

• Location-information technologies that visualize motion paths

• Inefficiencies caused by wasted motion paths

• Benefits of motion-path analysis using location information

• Use cases of motion-path analysis at worksites

• Key points for introducing motion-path analysis for efficiency improvement

• Start motion-path improvement with simple surveying using LRTK

• Summary: the new norm created by location-information utilization

• FAQ

What is motion-path analysis and why it is attracting attention on worksites

"Motion-path analysis" is a method for visualizing and analyzing the routes people and things take within a worksite. For example, in factories and warehouses it targets the movement routes of workers and forklifts; in stores it targets the routes customers take through the shop; and on construction sites it targets the movement of workers and materials. Traditionally, layouts and flows were based on experience and intuition, but more companies are adopting data-driven motion-path analysis.

The reason motion-path analysis is drawing attention on worksites includes labor shortages due to an aging and shrinking population, the need to improve productivity, and increased awareness of safety. To work efficiently with limited personnel, it is important to eliminate wasted movement by workers. Poor motion paths not only reduce operational efficiency but also increase the risk of accidents on site. Because motion-path analysis points to concrete improvement measures for these issues, it has become a new trump card in on-site improvement activities.

Location-information technologies that visualize motion paths

To perform motion-path analysis, you need technologies that collect location information for people and objects and can track their movements. Fortunately, various location-information technologies are now available for on-site use. Here are some representative ones.

• GPS/GNSS: Satellite positioning systems widely used for outdoor positioning. Standard GPS typically provides accuracy on the order of several meters (several ft), but with correction technology called RTK (real-time kinematic) you can achieve centimeter-level accuracy (half-inch accuracy). It is effective for high-precision tracking of heavy equipment, vehicles, and workers on large construction sites and outdoor logistics yards.

• Wi‑Fi positioning: A method that estimates location using Wi‑Fi signals from smartphones and other devices carried by people. In commercial facilities and office buildings, it can determine device positions from signal strength to access points and track visitor motion paths. Its ease—no need to give people special devices—makes it advantageous for understanding movement patterns.

• Bluetooth beacons: Technology that detects Bluetooth signals from small transmitters (beacons) to capture entries and exits of proximate areas. It can be linked with smartphone apps to detect when visitors approach specific areas, and is used at event venues and retail stores. In addition to collecting movement history data, it is also used for real-time marketing functions (e.g., coupon delivery).

• RFID tags: Attach RFID tags to people or cargo and record locations or pass-throughs via readers. This is useful for tracking product movements in logistics warehouses or the movement routes of parts trays in factories. Because detection is automatic when a tag enters the reader’s range, detailed motion-path data can be accumulated with little manual effort.

• AI cameras (video analytics): Technology that detects and analyzes the movement of people and vehicles from camera footage. AI analyzes ceiling-mounted camera images to visualize trajectories and dwell times of moving objects. In manufacturing, this is used to understand worker motion paths and areas of stay; in stores, it can generate heatmaps of congestion. Applications are wide-ranging.

By combining IoT sensors and AI analytics like this, environments for turning on-site movements into data are becoming established. The important thing is to choose a method that matches the scale and purpose of the site. For example, in a factory you might have workers carry small devices, attach GPS receivers to outdoor construction machines, or use existing cameras—choose the best option for the situation. Using appropriate location-information technologies allows you to precisely visualize on-site motion paths and connect them to the next improvement actions.

Inefficiencies caused by wasted motion paths

On sites with poor layouts or unrefined procedures, wasted motion on routes produces various inefficiencies. For example, if workers must walk long distances to retrieve necessary tools, that round-trip time stops work. Poor placement of parts or material storage can lead to frequent searching and walking, disrupting production-line rhythm. If routes cross, people and forklifts are more likely to meet head-on, increasing waiting times and safety risks.

If such "movement waste" is left unaddressed, it can lead to substantial time and labor losses across the site. In practice, it is not uncommon for a considerable portion of time spent on tasks in factories to be consumed by movement and setup changes. One study even reported that in well-optimized sites there was still around a 10% potential productivity improvement by reviewing motion paths. Even if a site is busy and appears to be operating at full capacity with no room for improvement, tracking movements based on data can reveal unexpected waste.

Moreover, wasted motion directly affects worker fatigue and motivation. In sites where unnecessary movement is forced every day, fatigue accumulates and can contribute to mistakes and accidents. Therefore, reducing motion waste is not just a matter of saving time but also helps create a safer and more comfortable workplace. Objective, data-driven analysis is effective for identifying problem points along motion paths that foster inefficiency.

Benefits of motion-path analysis using location information

Implementing motion-path analysis brings many benefits to the site. First is improved operational efficiency. Reducing unnecessary movement increases pure working time, raising daily production or service capacity. For example, optimizing motion paths has been reported to reduce walking distances per worker and increase the number of tasks processed in the same amount of time.

Second is improved safety. Reviewing motion paths can minimize human presence in hazardous areas and reduce the risk of contact accidents. There are cases where separating forklift aisles from worker walkways reduced the number of near-miss incidents. Additionally, simulating evacuation routes in advance and securing safe paths can provide disaster-prevention benefits.

Third is increased satisfaction for employees and users. Comfortable motion paths lead to stress-free working environments and service delivery. For employees, quick access to needed items directly affects ease of work and improves working conditions. For customers in stores or facilities, being able to move to their destination without confusion and with less congestion increases satisfaction. For example, supermarkets that rearranged shelving to prevent checkout lines, or theme parks that optimized visitor flows to reduce dwell time, show motion-path improvements can enhance customer experience.

Furthermore, data-driven motion-path analysis contributes to better management decisions. Accumulating and analyzing quantitative on-site data allows scientific decisions on which improvements to invest in and which processes are bottlenecks. This strengthens corporate competitiveness and helps allocate limited management resources appropriately. Overall, motion-path analysis using location information becomes a new tool for on-site improvement, delivering multifaceted benefits.

Use cases of motion-path analysis at worksites

Here are some concrete examples of where motion-path analysis is being used.

• Manufacturing and logistics warehouses: In factories, analysis of worker and conveyance-robot motion paths is being used to optimize placement of machines and workstations. In one factory, changing the layout of the parts-supply area based on motion-path data significantly reduced total worker travel distance and improved production takt time. In warehouses, analyzing pickers’ routes and rearranging shelf locations shortened shipping operation times.

• Construction sites: On construction and civil-engineering sites, tracking workers and heavy equipment helps plan safe and efficient layouts. For example, in a large construction project, data analysis led to a revised spatial relationship between material storage and work areas, reducing the time craftsmen spent retrieving materials. Monitoring people flows on site can also highlight areas with frequent unauthorized entry, prompting strengthened safety guidance.

• Retail and commercial facilities: Retailers and malls analyze customer in-store motion paths to inform shelf-layout improvements and marketing measures. Supermarkets have used heatmaps to visualize where customers stop and how long they stay, then placed popular items in low-traffic areas to increase circulation. Facility-wide analysis of human flow has led to better signage and guidance, reducing congestion and increasing visitors’ length of stay.

• Medical and public facilities: Motion-path analysis is useful in hospitals and airports where many people pass through. Hospitals have optimized staff patrol routes to shorten travel time from testing rooms to wards, speeding patient response. Airports have improved screening-area layouts based on passenger motion data to reduce queues at peak times. Capturing human flow with data in various "worksites" directly improves service quality and operational efficiency.

Key points for introducing motion-path analysis for efficiency improvement

To introduce motion-path analysis and achieve results on site, keep the following points in mind. Below are implementation steps and tips for success.

• Purpose and metric clarification: First, set goals for what you want to improve with motion-path analysis. Define specific metrics—e.g., reduce travel time by X% or reduce the number of people in a certain area. Clear objectives determine the data to collect and the analysis viewpoints, preventing confusion from excessive data collection.

• Choose the appropriate data-collection method: As noted above, there are various ways to obtain location information. Select the optimal technology for your environment and use case. For example, use high-precision GPS for mainly outdoor sites, beacons or cameras for indoors, or a smartphone app if people can carry a device—consider cost and accuracy balance when deciding.

• Conduct a pilot test: Instead of full-scale deployment immediately, first collect and analyze motion-path data in a specific area or process. Starting with a small pilot project clarifies data interpretation and issues, and helps on-site staff become familiar with data utilization.

• Involve and educate on-site staff: Maximizing the value of motion-path analysis requires cooperation from those working on site. Share the purpose and benefits of the analysis, and if sensors or devices are to be carried, carefully explain how to use them to alleviate concerns. Discuss insights with staff to elicit improvement ideas from the field.

• Visualize data and provide feedback: Collected location data should be visualized in intuitive forms such as heatmaps or trajectory displays on 3D layout diagrams. Share these on-site via bulletin boards or meetings so the whole team recognizes where waste exists. Visualized data strongly supports improvement activities.

• Continuous improvement cycle: Motion-path analysis is not a one-time activity. Regularly monitor data and track metric changes before and after implementing measures. Quantitatively evaluate the effects of improvements and, if new issues emerge, take the next measures in a PDCA cycle. Ongoing efforts raise overall on-site capability.

Focusing on these points maximizes the benefits of motion-path analysis. The key is to link data with on-site voices. Instead of a technology-first approach, understanding and improving the site from both human and data perspectives leads to successful efficiency improvements.

Start motion-path improvement with simple surveying using LRTK

Ideally, when conducting motion-path analysis you can easily obtain high-precision location data on site. However, conventional surveying equipment and positioning systems have been expensive, bulky, and difficult to operate, often requiring specialist technicians. Enter LRTK, a new smartphone-based positioning solution.

LRTK is an all-in-one positioning system that combines a compact high-precision GNSS receiver, a smartphone app, and cloud services. A pocket-sized receiver attached to a smartphone enables RTK positioning, allowing anyone to easily obtain centimeter-class location information (half-inch accuracy). Precise positioning that used to be handled only by surveying professionals is becoming an everyday tool for regular workers under the concept of “one surveying device per person.”

For example, using LRTK you can perform simple surveying of equipment placement in factories and warehouses to create maps, or instantly record coordinates of points on construction sites to assist progress management. The collected location data can be stored and managed in the cloud, making it easy to create heatmaps as base materials for motion-path analysis or integrate with other business systems to build digital twins. Because LRTK can directly receive augmentation signals from Japan’s quasi-zenith satellite “Michibiki,” it enables high-precision positioning even in mountainous areas outside mobile-communication coverage, allowing accumulation of on-site positioning data without relying on the internet.

Such simple surveying with LRTK is quietly spreading at worksites. Its reasonable pricing makes it easy to adopt, and many companies are already using it as a new means of on-site improvement. If you thought high-precision location information was only for specialists, now is a good time to try LRTK. With only a smartphone you can start immediately and experience the labor-saving and efficiency benefits of using location information. Once you see the effects, you may never return to relying solely on intuition and experience. Smart motion-path improvements starting with LRTK can bring new norms to your site.

Summary: the new norm created by location-information utilization

Motion-path analysis and the use of location-information technology are becoming the new norm for on-site efficiency improvement. Capturing and optimizing the movements of people and things with data is no longer an initiative limited to leading-edge companies; it is entering an era where a wide range of industries routinely consider and implement it. By leveraging sensors and smartphones, even small and medium-sized sites can adopt these methods affordably and achieve results.

From now on, on-site improvement requires decision-making based on objective data as well as intuition and experience. Insights from motion-path analysis directly translate into concrete actions such as layout changes and operational improvements, becoming a source of competitive advantage. Using location information to visualize site waste and continuously accumulate Kaizen will be a key to productivity improvement across industries.

With the demand to balance efficiency and safety, motion-path analysis is a powerful approach to transform worksites. And location-information utilization that supports it has shifted from being innovative to becoming a commonly expected new norm. Please take a step toward smart motion-path improvements that fully leverage location information at your site.

FAQ

Q: What is motion-path analysis? A: Motion-path analysis is a method of recording and analyzing the movement routes of people and objects as data to improve efficiency and safety. By visualizing who moves where in a site, you can objectively identify layout waste and process issues.

Q: What data or devices are needed to start motion-path analysis? A: The basic requirement is location-information data for people and equipment. Options to collect this include GPS devices, smartphones, beacons, RFID, and video analytics. Prepare devices suited to the site environment and start by collecting data on a small scale with sensors or apps. Then visualize and analyze the data in the cloud or with dedicated software to begin full-scale motion-path analysis.

Q: How much efficiency improvement can motion-path analysis achieve? A: Improvement varies by site, but past cases have seen around a 10% increase in productivity by reviewing worker walking distances. Small accumulated improvements can lead to large overall gains. Continuous motion-path analysis accumulates effects over time and also brings qualitative benefits such as time savings and reduced mistakes, steadily enhancing on-site capability.

Q: Is motion-path analysis possible at small sites? A: Yes. Nowadays, smartphones and affordable IoT sensors make it easy to collect basic location data, so you can tackle motion-path analysis without large investments. Examples include analyzing GPS logs from employees’ smartphones or installing inexpensive BLE beacons to track flows. Small sites, especially, can gain significant benefits from motion-path analysis to improve efficiency with limited staff.

Q: How does simple surveying with LRTK help motion-path analysis? A: LRTK enables anyone on site to easily obtain centimeter-precision location data (half-inch accuracy). This lets you quickly create high-precision maps and movement logs needed for motion-path analysis. For example, if workers attach LRTK receivers to their smartphones, daily movements are logged in detail and can later be turned into heatmaps to identify improvement points. Because LRTK allows in-house data collection without hiring surveying teams, it reduces costs and supports site-led PDCA. High-precision location information dramatically improves the quality and speed of motion-path analysis.