SSS Diploma in Business (Small Business Management)
BSUBA -1-0023-2-4
Unit 24: Co-ordination and Administer Projects
Unit 23: Contribute to Workplace Innovation
Assessor: Stefan Johnson
IV: Gareth Saunders
Release date:
Deadline:
Trainee Name:
ID No:
Learning outcomes covered in this workbook.
Unit 23
Skills
Scope
1. Communication skills to:
a. Liaise with colleagues, team members, supervisors
b. Consult with colleagues, team members and supervisors
c. Present ideas to colleagues, team members and supervisors
d. Gather and review information and ideas for improvements
e. Identify and articulate plans for implementing proposed improvement/innovation
2. Problem-solving skills to:
a. Identify areas for improvement and evaluate the best approach
b. Analyze the organization to identify impact of proposed improvement/innovation
Unit 22
1. Planning Skills
a. Identify the purpose, scope, and objectives of the project
b. Produce Project Plan
c. Access human, physical, and financial resources
d. co-ordinate, monitor, and review project process against milestones
2. Budgeting Skills to:
a. Ensure project stays within budget
b. Monitor Expenditure
c. Maintain accurate financial records of the project
3. Record Keeping Skills to Ensure all information relating to the project is accurate, up to
date, and fit for purpose
4. Analytical Skills to:
a. Agree the Project Plan
b. Monitor and Evaluate progress
c. Analyze project outcomes and provide accurate information to all stakeholders
5. Problem-solving skills to deal with any changes to the project plan
Context:
Workplace innovation is defined as the implementation of new and combined interventions in the
fields of work organization, human resource management, and innovative technologies. Ways to
innovate your workplace include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Rewarding and supporting creativity
Encouraging new ideas and listening to suggestions
Setting up an innovation team
Creating a positive work environment
Creating avenues of communication and feedback with customers and among staff
The exercises in this assignment brief are intended to help you understand and approach
workplace innovation and problem-solving from the perspective of stakeholder/supervisor as
well as that of an employee.
1. Please research the meaning of the following terms:
Knowledge
Organizational culture
Diversity
Research and Development (R&D)
Ideas
Motivation
Social Network Analysis
Expertise
Feedback
Current State
Opportunity
Learning Outcomes:
1.4 Gather and review information and ideas relevant to identified areas for improvement
2.3 Evaluate the range of ideas with colleagues/supervisor
2. You have been working at a Bread Factory for the past 5 years, and have moved up to
the position of line supervisor. Over the past 4-months that you have been working
within this capacity, you have found yourself noticing some potential constraints
within the process. Use the following diagram to answer the next questions.
1,200/hr
Finished Good
Raw Material
QC Employee









1,200/hr
Tie Employee
1,100/hr
1,500/hr
Waste
Bag Employee
Oven
The oven has the capacity to produce bread at 1,500 units per hour.
Employee 1 can produce 1,100 units per hour, if there is no break in production
Employee 2 can produce 1,200 units per hour, if there is no break in production
Employee 3 can produce 1,200 units per hour, if there is no break in production
Every 500 units, Employee 1 has to get more bags from the store room (takes 3
minutes)
Every 400 units, Employee 2 must go to the store room for more ties (5 Minutes)
Every 1000 units, Employee 1 must throw out the trash (4 minutes)
Every 800 units, Employee 2 must throw out the trash (2 minutes)
Every 100 units, employee 3 must move the final products from the line to the finished
goods
2a. What is the current state hourly production?
2b. Where is the capacity constraint?
2c. Where is the current state constraint?
1.2 Analyze current system
You have had a discussion with your manager, and he has given you the green light to begin
developing solutions to the constraints. Of course, you don’t want to jump ahead of yourself.
Answer the following questions:
2d. Develop three opportunities you have seen from the above information
Opportunity 1:
Opportunity 2:
Opportunity 3:
1.3 Identify areas of opportunity
2e. Develop 1 solution for each of your opportunities, and explain how that will
positively impact the process. Consult with instructor for best fit.
Opportunity 1:
Productivity Impact (Units per Year):
Opportunity 2:
Productivity Impact (Units per Year):
Opportunity 3:
Productivity Impact (Units per Year):
23.1.4 Gather and review information
23.2.3 Evaluate the range of ideas with colleagues/supervisors
23.2.4 Seek feedback on ideas
23.2.5 Review and select based on feedback
23.3.1 Analyze own area of work to identify impact of proposals
3. Pick the most impactful solution of the three listed and develop a plan for the
installation (implementation). Build a project charter, and use Appendix 1 to create a
Gantt Chart.
Project Charter
Project Name
Created By
Date
Phone
Email
Project Mission
Objectives
Deliverables
Stakeholders
Roles and
Responsibilities
High-Level Work
Breakdown
Structure
Assumptions
Communications
Risks
Documentation
Boundaries
Decision Making
Process
23.2.1 Identify Personnel who could provide input into ideas
23.2.2 Produce a Plan for colleagues/Supervisor
23.3.2 Consult with personnel who may be affected
23.3.3 Clarify any financial impact of proposed improvement
23.4.2 Identify and articulate issues and practical processes for implementing proposed improvement
23.4.3 Present final ideas and practical solutions on proposed improvement/innovation to appropriate personnel
4. Using the diagram from the example, redesign the process to make it more efficient.
This floor plan should use a similar legend, representative shapes, and movement
arrows. This floor plan should represent all potential innovations to reduce the time
spent on activities away from the critical processes.
Legend
23.4.1 Take action to implement routine changes
5. It’s official – you have been put in charge of the project coordination. After commencing the
project charter, you have been put in charge of taking care of the budget and expenditures.
Before you begin, though, your manager has asked for the following information:
5a. Given your stakeholders begin pulling for more work to be done, how will you
ensure that you do not go over-budget?
5b. Give two Key Performance Indicators that will aid you in monitoring expenditures
Key Performance Indicator 1:
Key Performance Indicator 2:
6. The project is a wrap! Congratulations – your first work in the Project Management Office is
complete, but you have to find out if your project has been a success.
6b. Most recently, you have received the information found in Appendix 2. These
numbers outline, from your colleagues, how the process is doing as of current. Is the
process increasing or decreasing the productivity? Based on the information given, is
there evidence that the process is more efficient?
Appendix 2
Criteria (annual)
Throughput
Worker Downtime
Total Revenues
Starting Results
7000
1.75
4,000,000
% Increase
(% Decrease)
15
(10)
(20)
Average <4 = fail; Average 4= D; Average 3.9-3.0 = C; Average 2.9-2.0= B; Average 1.9-1= A
RUBRIC – QUESTION 1
CRITERIA
Definitions
Completed
Citations
Spelling
4
3
2
GRADE
Average 1
spelling error
per definition
1
All Definitions
filled in
accurately
Definitions
are cited
using APA
formatting
Average <1
spelling error
per definition
Definitions
are cited,
without any
formatting
Average 3
spelling
errors per
definition
Average 2
spelling
errors per
definition
3
Hourly
production is
correct, but
formulation is
not written
2
Hourly
production is
correct, and
part of the
formulation is
written
Capacity
constrain is
articulated
partially;
constraint
numerically
accurate
1
Hourly
production is
correct, and
the
formulation is
written in full
Capacity
constraint is
articulated
accurately;
constraint
numerically
accurate
Grade
Total
Letter Grade Granted
Notes:
RUBRIC – QUESTION 2
Criteria
2a
2b
4
Hourly
production is
number is
incorrect, but
formulation is
correct
Capacity
constraint is
partially
accurate;
constraint is
numerically
inaccurate
Capacity
constraint is
articulated
accurately;
constraint
numerically
inaccurate
2c
2d
2e
Current State
constraint is
partially
accurate;
constraint is
numerically
inaccurate
All three
listed points
are
opportunities;
Ambiguous
language
Current State
constraint is
articulated
accurately;
constraint
numerically
inaccurate
Current State
constrain is
articulated
partially;
constraint
numerically
accurate
Solutions
address the
opportunities;
productivity
impact for 3/3
is limited or
negative
Solutions
address the
opportunities;
Productivity
for 1/3 of the
opportunities
has a strong
positive
impact
Solutions
address the
opportunities;
Productivity
for 2/3 of the
opportunities
has a strong
positive
impact
Total
Letter Grade Granted
Notes:
Current State
constraint is
articulated
accurately;
constraint
numerically
accurate
All three
listed points
are
opportunities;
specific and
accurate
language
Solutions
address the
opportunities;
Productivity
for 3/3 of the
opportunities
has a strong
positive
impact
RUBRIC - QUESTION 3
Criteria
Completed
Sections
Completeness
of Sections
Spelling
Project Name
4
3
2
All but 3
section are
completed
accurately
and maintain
relevance
Average 3
spelling
errors per
section
Not relevant
to project
All but 2
section are
completed
accurately
and maintain
relevance
Average 2
spelling
errors per
section
Two to three
words; both
not impactful
and not easy
to remember;
relevant to
project
All but 1
section are
completed
accurately
and maintain
relevance
Average 1
spelling error
per section
1
All Sections
completed
All sections
are
completed
accurately
and maintain
relevance
Average <1
spelling error
per section
Two to three
words; either
not impactful
or easy to
remember;
relevant to
project
Two to three
words;
impactful,
and easy to
remember;
Relevant to
project
Total
Letter Grade Granted
Notes:
Grade
RUBRIC - QUESTION 4
Criteria
Accuracy of
floor plan
4
The floor
plan does not
use uniform
shapes for
various
components;
accuracy of
the time and
units of
measure
vary.
Accuracy of
legend
Legend is
inaccurate or
inconsistent
with shapes
and symbols
on floor plan
3
The floor
plan uses
accurate and
uniform
shapes;
Includes all
innovations –
but are not
accurate; but
units of
measure
vary.
2
The floor
plan uses
accurate and
uniform
shapes;
includes all
innovationsand are
accurate;
units of
measure vary
1
The floor
plan uses
accurate and
uniform
shapes;
includes all
innovationsand are
accurate;
units of
measure
vary.
Legend is
accurate, and
shapes and
symbols are
consistent
with those on
the floor plan
Grade
3
Answer is
unambiguous,
but does not
address the
root issue
2
Answer is
ambiguous,
but
addresses
the root issue
Both key
performance
indicators
accurately or
realistically
aid in
monitoring
expenditures
1
Answer is
unambiguous,
and
addresses the
root issue
Both key
performance
indicators
realistically
and
accurately aid
in monitoring
expenditures
Grade
Total
Letter Grade Granted
RUBRIC – QUESTION 5
Criteria
5a
5b
4
Answer is
ambiguous,
does not
address the
root issue
Both
indicators
have been
created, but
they are
neither
realistic or
accurate, but
are
independent,
and address
the root
Total
Letter Grade Granted
RUBRIC – QUESTION 6
Criteria
Quality
of
Answer
4
Answer is
unclear,
and does
not address
in detail
either
productivity
or
efficiency.
Student’s
proficiency
in subject
area is
limited.
3
Answer described
the positive or
negative changes
in productivity, and
explains the
evidence that the
process if either
more efficient or
not. Student has
demonstrated a
moderate
understanding of
the subject area.
2
Answer described
the positive or
negative changes
in productivity,
and explains the
evidence that the
process if either
more efficient or
not. Student has
demonstrated a
moderately strong
understanding of
the subject area.
1
Answer
clearly
describes the
positive or
negatives
changes in
productivity,
and explains
the evidence
that the
process is
either more
efficient or
not. Student
has
demonstrated
a strong
understanding
of the subject
area
Grade
Total
Letter Grate Granted
FINAL RUBRIC
Question
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Letter Grade Granted
3
2
1
Wt.
0.15
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.05
0.05
1.0
Grade
Project Notes: