How should organizations design an efficient facility layout?

"After the site location decision has been made, the next focus in production planning is the facility’s layout. The goal is to determine the most efficient and effective design for the particular production process. A manufacturer might opt for a U-shaped production line, for example, rather than a long, straight one, to allow products and workers to move more quickly from one area to another. Service organizations must also consider layout, but they are more concerned with how it affects customer behavior. It may be more convenient for a hospital to place its freight elevators in the center of the building, for example, but doing so may block the flow of patients, visitors, and medical personnel between floors and departments. There are three main types of facility layouts: process, product, and fixed-position. All three layouts are illustrated in Exhibit 10.7. Cellular manufacturing is another type of facility layout."