The picker completes order 1001 from start to finish before beginning order 1002.
When this method works well—and when it does not
Works well when
- Low to moderate volume
- Large or irregular orders
- High order variability
- Priority orders that should not wait for a batch
- Operations without consolidation space
Usually a poor fit when
- Large share of small similar orders
- Long routes with repeated product demand
- Very high peak line volume
- Travel that dominates order time
Show exactly what happens at each step
Write down actions that someone can see or confirm: what the worker does, what moves, who owns the next step, and what happens if something goes wrong.
- 1Release order
- 2Walk full route
- 3Complete order
- 4Pack
- 1Prioritize order
- 2Guide compact route
- 3Confirm each line
- 4Close directly to pack
Get these basics right before adding technology
- One named person owns the process, and everyone agrees what one task includes
- Current time, accuracy, problem, and volume numbers collected using written rules
- One named person corrects product and location information
- A written backup method and a clear path for getting help
If workers cannot reliably identify the item, order, or location, correct that problem before expecting new guidance equipment to improve accuracy.
Step-by-step procedure
- 01
Release work by priority and cutoff
- 02
Use route logic appropriate to the storage geometry
- 03
Keep the order container positively identified
- 04
Confirm problems before order close
- 05
Measure travel separately from item interaction
Information the process must track
For each task, decide what item or order is being worked, where it comes from, where it goes, how much is expected, how the worker confirms completion, what happens when something goes wrong, and which system records the final result.
Technical notes for the warehouse software or IT team
Use one unique task ID. Re-sending the same message should not create a duplicate move or pick. Keep a way to compare records and repair differences when messages are delayed, repeated, or missed.
Decide what workers should do when something goes wrong
Create priority lanes or controlled dynamic release.
Give problems a physical and system destination.
Reslot or compare cluster and zone methods.
Numbers to watch
Before the test starts, write down what is counted, what it is divided by, when the clock starts and stops, what is excluded, and where the data comes from. Keep those rules the same through the test.
Test it on a small scale before a full rollout
Trial steps
- Choose one realistic area, shift, and order mix
- Watch the current method long enough to include normal work and a busy period
- Test the new method using exactly the same measurement rules
- Review every problem and worker workaround before expanding the change
What must be true before rollout
- The target output is maintained for one full, realistic shift
- Accuracy and problem recovery meet the written target
- New workers can follow the process without unwritten tips from experienced workers
- The backup method works, and the team can return cleanly to the normal process
Voodoo is one possible way to guide the work—not the answer to every problem.
Where it may help
Wireless lights can reduce location search and make each action obvious without changing discrete custody.
See how Voodoo worksWhen to choose something else
If locations are obvious and scan confirmation is already fast, Voodoo may add little.
Read how recommendations are made