One half of the celebrated Gilbreth husband and wife partnership of efficiency engineers.

Frank was very much concerned with the world of work, being a bricklayer, a building contractor and management engineer. His pioneering study of observing how bricklayers carried out tasks using motion-picture cameras and timing devices led him to seek 'the one best way' to perform any task in any industry.

Gilbreth and his wife drew symbols on operator charts to represent various elements of a task such as search, select, grasp, transport, hold, delay, calling these graphical symbols 'therbligs' (Gilbreths spelled backwards).

Gilbreth became known as the 'Father of Time and Motion Studies' through which he proved increased productivity, but met fierce resistance from the unions.