Homework Assignment 1 

Due in Week 1 and worth 30 points

Describe a work task, a hobby, or another activity that you regularly do, and sequentially list the various actions you take in order to complete this activity. You will need to repeat this activity to see if the changes you engage in will assist in reducing the amount of time. Consider the complexity of your list and the amount of steps required to complete the activity. Choose an activity that you complete on a daily basis. Please consider the choices below:

Preparing for a jog, workout, or other sports related activity.

Cooking a meal or preparing a sandwich.

Making coffee in the morning.

Cleaning the house.

Washing the car.

Bathing/grooming your dog or cat.

Setting up a grill to BBQ.

Answer the following questions in the space provided below:

1. How many steps did it take you to complete the activity?

2. What time did each step take and how much time was delayed between steps?

3. What was the average time between steps?

4. What was the average time each step took?

5. Differentiate the main actions between doing and improving your activities.

6. Determine the overall manner in which variation has affected your activities.

7. Overall, how much time were you able to cut down on when engaging in the same activity while implementing the new changes?

To answer the questions follow the example below. The main objective of this assignment is to understand the difference between “doing and improving.”

Example for Assignment 1

Description of activity: One of my hobbies is cycling. I participate in fund raising events throughout the year. These events require proper cycling attire and resources such as special drinks to help with hydration and special snacks to maintain endurance and eliminate the chances of my bonking during the ride. Below is a description of my before and after attempts taken to improve the amount of time each step took.

1. How many steps did it take you to complete the activity?

It took me 10 steps to complete the activity from waking up to arriving at the cycling  

event. The event began at 7 am in the morning requiring I arrive by no later than 6:30 am.  

Sleeping as much as possible is important so I would like to save some time in the 

morning for sleep in lieu of having to get ready.

2. What time did each step take and how much time was delayed between steps?

Comparing the times between my first ride and now, you can see I have managed to save 

 time by preparing ahead of time. 

3. What was the average time between steps? 

In my case this is not applicable as the steps are separated in purpose unlike making a sandwich or mean where steps are interconnected.

4. What was the average time each attempt took?

It took me 95 minutes to get out the door the first time and 29 minutes to get out the door the second time. This resulted in a 66-minute reduction in time from getting up to arriving at the event. The first attempt took an average of 9.5 times and the second attempt took an average of 2.9 times. 

5. Differentiate the main actions between doing and improving your activities.

The initial cycling event I attended, I was a novice and was unaware of how much time it takes me to get out the door to go cycling. Since I was under a time constraint

6. Determine the overall manner in which variation has affected your activities.

The standard deviation for the two activities were respectively 6.8 and 5.1 minutes

7. Overall, how much time were you able to cut down on when engaging in the same activity while implementing the new changes? 

I was able to reduce my time by 66 minutes.

Name of activity: Preparing for Cycling event upon awakening 

STEP

Time (1st   attempt)

Time (2nd   attempt)

Difference

Step 1: Finding a   matching pair of cycling socks

10 minutes

0 minutes

Located matching pair   of socks

10-minute reduction

Step 2: Putting on   cycling clothes

5 minutes

5 minutes

Clothes laid out and   ready

0-minutes difference

Step 3: Locating   cycling shoes

2 minutes

0 minutes

Loaded shoes in   equipment bag

2-minute reduction

Step 4: Preparing   drinks and snacks for long ride

15 minutes

0 minutes

Prepper drinks and   snacks day prior – just grab and go

15-minute reduction

Step 5: Packing all   needed supplies

2 minutes

0 minutes

Packed helmets,   gloves, and shoes in bag and placed in car day prior

2-minute reduction

Step 6: Fill bicycle   tires with air

18 minutes

0 minutes

Prepped bikes day   prior and also used maintenance area at the event

18-minute reduction

Step 7: Put Bike rack   on the car

5 minutes

0 minutes

Loaded bike rack day   prior

5-minute reduction

Step 8: Loading   bicycles onto bike rack

4 minutes

0 minutes

Loaded bikes day   prior

4-minute reduction

Step 9: Unloading   bicycles and equipment needed during the ride

14 minutes

14 minutes

0-minute change

Step 10: Checking in   and getting the riders packet 

Varies depending on   arrival time. Earlier the faster processed

20 minutes

Varies depending on   arrival time. Earlier the faster processed

10 minutes

10-minute reduction

Total time

95 minutes total

29 minutes

Homework Assignment 2

Due in Week 2 and worth 30 points

Answer the following questions in the space provided below:
Explain the importance of variation to health-care organizations and answer the following questions.

1. What might be the key processes for health-care organizations?
2. What are the potential common causes of variation that would have an impact on the key processes of health-care organizations?
3. What special causes might be more important than the others?
4. How might health-care organizations’ business environment be dynamic and change over time?

Homework Assignment 3

Due in Week 3 and worth 30 points

Touring a Process. Select a place of your choice (e.g. supermarket, doctor’s office, library, Post Office, department store, etc.) and observe one or more key processes, the associated suppliers, inputs, process steps, outputs, customers, the measurement systems, and how the measurements are used to manage and improve the process. Report your findings as a document. Include these items:

1. Company visited

2. Process observed

3. SIPOC elements

4. Process measurements

5. Process management systems used

Due Week 4 and worth 180 points

For this assignment, you will need to conduct an experiment then create visuals that will be placed within a PowerPoint presentation to present your findings. Your presentation should be easy to read and have a consistent design theme throughout. Please view the first four chapters in the following Lynda.com course on PowerPoint Essentials before creating your presentation. 

PowerPoint2019 Essentials Training

Read the following experimental variation scenario:

To help you learn about measurement variation, try this experiential learning exercise. (We are indebted to Alan Goodman, DuPont Company, Wilmington, Delaware, for bringing this exercise to our attention.)

You have started a new business providing height measurements of humans. Your customers expect accurate and precise measurements. You offer two methods of measurement: (1) a yardstick or a meter stick, and (2) a tape measure. You need to test the two methods to evaluate their performance and provide the results to your customers.

For this experiment you will need the following tools: 

• A yardstick or meter stick
• A tape measure
• Access to an entrance door that is 6 feet or taller
• A group of 20 or more people (they do not have to be gathered at the same time, but it should be 20 different people that participate).

You will test Method 1 in this way: Identify a group of 20 or more people. You will ask the group of 20 or more people to measure the height of the entrance door that is approximately 6 feet or taller. Be sure that the entrance door is the same for each member of the group. Each person will measure the height of the door using the yardstick or the meterstick and will silently report the measurement to you or to someone you have designated as the data collector. You will then tabulate the data and plot each measurement on a run or sequence chart. No deviation from the prescribed method is allowed.

In method 2, you may use the same, or a different, group of 20 or more people and the same or a different entrance door. This time, the group will use the tape measure in any way the group members desire. Again, each person silently reports the measurement of the entrance door to you or a designated data collector, and you will tabulate and plot each data point.

You will then create a PowerPoint presentation that includes each of the following items:

1. Compare the accuracy and precision of the two methods using graphical and analytical methods. Which method was more accurate? Develop a flow chart for each method in which you specify the key problems that might be present. Develop the supplier, input, process steps, output, and customer (SIPOC) model to analyze the process of both methods. This can also be done in the flow chart. (Please reference these instructions on how to create a flow chart in Microsoft Word.)
2. Analyze the flow chart and SIPOC model to identify opportunity for improvement (OFI). Next, categorize whether the OFI are caused by special causes or common causes variations. Provide a rationale for your response. Which method of measurement would you recommend? Why? Should different methods be used under different circumstances? Consider the role of different customer segments.
3. Discuss the feelings the group(s) had when using the two methods. What were the differences between the two sets of feelings? Are these differences important?
4. Use research.strayer.edu to identify at least two (2) quality references to support your discussion.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• A PPT presentation with at least 8 slides that include the responses to numbers 1 through 3 above.
• A references slide which follows APA format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Formatting of the slides should be consistent and easy to read.
• Cover slide containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.