System and method for demonstrating operations at a distribution center

Abstract

An interactive gaming system offer training and education to users in the distribution center, such as employees and field workers, about optimal distribution operations. The system includes a pre-marked surface that resembles a game board. The pre-marked surface can represent a workflow in a distribution center, warehouse, or other type of storage facility. The pre-marked surface can also include a plurality of zones that represent sub-processes or sub-workflows in the distribution center that make up the entire workflow. The system can also include instruction instruments, such as cards, that, when selected by users at the pre-marked surface, provide instructions and/or prompts indicating actions that the users can take to demonstrate distribution operations in the distribution center.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for demonstrating distribution operations at a distribution center, the system comprising:
 a pre-marked surface representing a workflow for the distribution center, the pre-marked surface defining a plurality of sections that represent the distribution operations at the distribution center and are configured to be assigned to a plurality of users who demonstrate the distribution operations;   a plurality of instruction instruments configured to be randomly selected by the plurality of users, each instruction instrument being configured to initiate one of the plurality of users to perform an action at one of the plurality of sections that is assigned to the one of the plurality of users, the action being configured to cause another of the plurality of users to take an action at another of the plurality of sections; and   a plurality of modular pieces representing components at the distribution center and configured to, based on selection of the plurality of instruction instruments, be interlocked with each other at the plurality of sections and delivered across the plurality of sections at the pre-marked surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a plurality of cards providing instructions configured to initiate the plurality of users to perform actions at the plurality of sections. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a die. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of users include first, second, third, fourth, and fifth users, and the plurality of sections includes first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sections that are assigned to the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth users respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of users include a sixth user, and the interlocked modular pieces are assigned to the sixth user and delivered, by the sixth user, to each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sections. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first section corresponds to an inbound department at the distribution center,   the second section corresponds to a storing department at the distribution center,   the third section corresponds to a picking department at the distribution center,   the fourth section corresponds to a packing department at the distribution center, and   the fifth section corresponds to an outbound department at the distribution center.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first section includes visual elements that depict: (i) at least one store, (ii) an automated conveyor belt configured to receive the plurality of modular pieces and extend across at least the first section and the second section, (iii) a manual dock, and (iv) a manual dock pallet staging area. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a subset of cards providing instructions, to the first user at the first section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces, the actions including using the manual dock depicted on the pre-marked surface. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a subset of cards providing instructions, to the first user at the first section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces, the actions including using the automated conveyor belt depicted on the pre-marked surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second section includes visual elements that depict (i) a conveyor belt configured to receive the plurality of modular pieces from the first section of the pre-marked surface and move the plurality of modular pieces from the second section to the third section of the pre-marked surface, (ii) non-conveyable aisles, and (iii) conveyable aisles. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a subset of cards providing instructions, to the second user at the second section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces, the actions including using the non-conveyable aisles depicted on the pre-marked surface. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include a subset of cards providing instructions, to the second user at the second section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces, the actions including using the conveyable aisles depicted on the pre-marked surface. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the third section includes visual elements that depict (i) a conveyor belt configured to receive the plurality of modular pieces from the second section of the pre-marked surface and move the plurality of modular pieces from the third section to the fourth section of the pre-marked surface, (ii) a full pallet staging area, (iii) a carton air staging area, and (iv) a re-palletization line. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments includes a die configured to be rolled, by the third user at the third section, to determine a zone amongst a plurality of zones at the re-palletization line depicted on the pre-marked surface, the zone being configured to allow the third user to perform at least one repalletization action with the plurality of modular pieces. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the fourth section includes visual elements that depict (i) a conveyor belt configured to receive the plurality of modular pieces from the third section of the pre-marked surface and move the plurality of modular pieces from the fourth section to a packing area depicted in the fourth section of the pre-marked surface, (ii) break pack aisles, and (iii) the packing area,
 wherein the packing area is configured to receive the plurality of modular pieces that are ready to be transported to a designated store of a plurality of stores for receiving inventory, the inventory being represented by the plurality of modular pieces, and   wherein the packing area includes a plurality of mods, wherein each of the plurality of mods is assigned to a store amongst the plurality of stores.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments include:
 a first subset of cards providing instructions, to the fourth user at the fourth section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces, the actions including breakpacking actions; and   a second subset of cards providing instructions, to the fourth user at the fourth section, to perform actions with the plurality of modular pieces that include packing actions.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of instruction instruments further includes a die configured to be rolled, by the fourth user at the fourth section, to determine a zone depicted in the fourth section of the pre-marked surface, the zone being configured to allow the fourth user to perform the actions with the plurality of modular pieces. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modular pieces are stackable bricks, and wherein the action performed by the one of the plurality of users includes stacking the bricks according to instructions provided by an instruction instrument amongst the plurality of instruction instruments that is randomly selected by the one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modular pieces are different colors and different sizes, wherein the different colors and the different sizes indicate at least one of units of inventory at the distribution center, quantity of the inventory at the distribution center, size of the inventory at the distribution center, a store, type of supplies used at the distribution center as part of the workflow, or type of the inventory at the distribution center. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the components at the distribution center represented by the plurality of modular pieces include at least one of inventory, pallets, or warehouse equipment.