Benchmark - Data Collection Due Date: May 15, 2016 23:59:59 Max Points: 100 View Rubric Details: The purpose of this assignment is to conduct internal and external research to determine previously attempted solutions and potential solutions that could be implemented to solve identified problem. For this assignment, you will need to create an Excel spreadsheet that summarizes the data collection you have completed. The spreadsheet should indicate the date on which particular data were collected, the source of the data collected, the type of data (qualitative or quantitative), and a one or two sentence summary of the data findings. Name the Excel spreadsheet as follows: lastname.firstname.datacollection.xlsx Please note that as part of the research process, taking the initiative to speak with management and then requesting and reviewing business metrics and operations reports will allow you to find the data you need for the project while also showing your employer that you can be proactive and use critical thinking to solve problems within the organization. Part 1: The first step in data collection is to conduct research. You are looking for specific, measurable data (statistics and numbers) related how the problem is affecting the organization. This information should be recorded in the form of a chart or graph that presents the data so key decision makers can see the "cost" of failing to address the problem. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings. Part 2: Next, conduct additional research to learn what has already been done to address this problem within the organization. Ask questions and interview individuals who assisted with the implementation of previous solutions used to address the problem. Prior to meeting with individuals, develop a list of questions about previous solutions. Consider factors such as customer importance, efficiency, quality, employee satisfaction, and cost effectiveness. You will want to make sure you ask questions that allow you to gather measurable data and include information about how successful previous solution options were in addressing each of the problems. When you have completed your research, the findings should be summarized using at least one chart or graph that represents the data you have collected. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings. Part 3: The last step in determining potential solutions is to conduct external research. Using Internet and industry resources, research ways that other companies have addressed this issue or one very similar to it. Look for specific information related to the customer response, efficiency, quality, employee satisfaction, and cost effectiveness of solutions others have implemented. Find at least five potential solutions you can consider for solving the problem you have identified. Your goal in conducting this research is to find practical examples and measurable data related to how other companies and related industries have resolved the same problem or one very similar to it. When you have completed your research, the findings should be summarized using at least one chart or graph that represents the data you have collected. Use the Topic Materials for assistance with creating Excel graphs and charts that can be used to illustrate your findings. The data collection Excel spreadsheet and the three data summary charts/graphs you have created from the research you have conducted should be submitted to your instructor. The three charts/graphs you create will be used again in your Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7 and the Final Business Proposal you will submit in Topic 8. General Requirements: APA format is required for essays only. Solid academic writing is always expected. For all assignment delivery options, documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. Benchmark - Data Collection 2 1 Less than Unsatisfactory Satisfactory 0.00% 65.00% 100.0 %Content 15.0 %Data Chart or Graph Summarizing Costs of Failure to Address the Problem 15.0 %Data Chart or Graph Summarizing Results of Previous Attempts to Address the Problem Data chart or graph summarizing costs of failure to address the problem is not included. Data chart or graph summarizing costs of failure to address the problem is incomplete or incorrect. Data chart or graph summarizing results of previous attempts to address the problem is not Data chart or graph summarizing results of previous attempts to address the problem is 3 Satisfactory 75.00% 4 Good 85.00% 5 Excellent 100.00% Data chart or Data chart or Data chart or graph graph graph summarizing summarizing summarizing costs of failure costs of failure costs of failure to address the to address the to address the problem is problem is problem is complete but complete and exemplary and lacks detail. includes includes relevant detail. extensive details. Data chart or Data chart or Data chart or graph graph graph summarizing summarizing summarizing results of results of results of previous previous previous attempts to attempts to attempts to address the address the address the problem is problem is problem is included. incomplete or complete but complete and exemplary and incorrect. lacks detail. includes includes relevant detail. extensive details. 15.0 %Data Data chart or Data chart or Data chart or Data chart or Data chart or Chart or Graph graph graph graph graph graph Summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing Proposed proposed proposed proposed proposed proposed Solutions for solutions for solutions for solutions for solutions for solutions for Addressing the addressing the addressing the addressing the addressing the addressing the Problem problem is not problem is problem is problem is problem is included. incomplete or complete but complete and exemplary and incorrect. lacks detail. includes includes relevant detail. extensive details. 15.0 %Excel Excel Excel Excel Excel Excel Spreadsheet spreadsheet spreadsheet spreadsheet spreadsheet spreadsheet Summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing summarizing Collected Data collected data is collected data is collected data collected data collected data not included. incomplete or is mostly is complete. is extensive incorrect. complete. and includes additional relevant details. 15.0 %Research No outside Few outside Research is Research is Research is sources were sources were adequate. timely and supportive of used to support used to support Sources are relevant, and the rationale the assignment. the assignment. standard in addresses all presented. Limited relevance, of the issues Sources are research is quality of stated in the distinctive and apparent. outside assignment address all of sources, or criteria. the issues timeliness. stated in the assignment criteria. 15.0 %Visual There are few Color is garish Minimal use Thematic Appropriate Appeal or no graphic or typographic of graphic graphic and thematic elements. No variations are elements is elements are graphic variation in overused and evident. used but not elements are layout or legibility Elements do always in used to make typography is suffers. not context. Visual visual evident. Background consistently connections connections interferes with contribute to mostly that contribute readability. the contribute to to the Understanding understanding the understanding of concepts, of concepts, understanding of concepts, ideas, and ideas, and relationships is relationships. limited. There is some variation in type size, color, and layout. of concepts, ideas, and ideas, and relationships. relationships. Differences in Differences in type size or type size or color are used color are used well and well and consistently. consistently. 5.0 %Mechanics Surface errors Frequent and Some Prose is The writer is of Writing are pervasive repetitive mechanical largely free of clearly in (includes spelling, enough that mechanical errors or typos mechanical command of punctuation, they impede errors distract are present, errors, standard, grammar, and communication the reader. but they are although a few written, language use) of meaning. Inconsistencies not overly may be academic Inappropriate in language distracting to present. The English. word choice or choice the reader. writer uses a sentence (register) or Correct and variety of construction is word choice are varied effective employed. present. sentence sentence Sentence structure and structures and structure is audiencefigures of correct but not appropriate speech. varied. language are employed. 5.0 Sources are not Documentation Sources are Sources are Sources are %Documentation documented. of sources is documented, documented, completely of Sources inconsistent or as appropriate as appropriate and correctly (citations, incorrect, as to assignment to assignment documented, footnotes, appropriate to and style, and style, and as appropriate references, assignment and although some format is to assignment bibliography, etc., style, with formatting mostly correct. and style, and as appropriate to numerous errors may be format is free assignment and formatting present. of error. style) errors. 100 %Total Weightage Week 1 Problem Statement Due Date: May 08, 2016 23:59:59 Max Points: 50 Details: The purpose of this assignment is to identify an organizational problem to solve within your current workplace or industry and construct a problem statement that can be used as the basis for an action research project. For this assignment, the first step is to identify an organizational problem to solve within your current workplace or industry. This is an opportunity for you to apply your learning while addressing a real-world problem. Part of completing an action research project is clearly identifying and stating the organizational problem that needs to be resolved through the use of a problem statement. The problem statement must clearly articulate the single goal of the action research project. Use what you have learned in the Topic Materials to construct a problem statement for your action research project. Read and complete the "Writing a Problem Statement" handout to construct your problem statement. Submit the completed handout to your instructor. Your problem statement will eventually become part of your final business proposal that will be submitted in Topic 8. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected. Writing a Problem Statement When writing a problem statement, it is important to clearly identify and state the organizational problem that needs to be resolved. To articulate this information clearly, the following pieces can be used as building blocks for the statement. Restate the initial problem that launched the inquiry Original problem process, or rewrite the focus question or one of the clarifying or focus question questions as a statement. Stakeholders who Identify who is most directly impacted by this problem. are most affected by the Alternately, who would benefit the most if this problem were problem resolved? For example, is the problem based upon skills, attitudes, Type of problem knowledge, resources, competition, defects, or something else? Based on the data analysis or the root cause analysis, what does the team think is the most significant cause or causes Suspected cause(s) contributing to this problem? What, if addressed, would make the of the problem greatest impact on resolving the problem? Include specific evidence. Goal for improvement and long- Describe the target for impact. The goal should be measurable. term impact Impact to stakeholders Describe possible impacts to stakeholders if the problem is not addressed. The proposal is a high-level strategy that represents promising practices drawn from research, local knowledge, and Proposal for local expertise. Note sources, if possible, when presenting this addressing the problem information. This proposal will become the basis for subsequent action planning. Final problem statement Tie the above statements into three to five coherent sentences that could be easily understood by a wide range of stakeholders. Sample Writing a Problem Statement Worksheet Call center representatives are not meeting quality standards. Original problem or focus question External customers and call center representatives Stakeholders who are most affected by the problem Loss of customers and revenue Impact to stakeholders Type of problem Lower performance evaluations for representatives Higher call center attrition Potential missed service level agreements (fines) Skills and Resources: Without the appropriate skills training and tools to perform the job, the call center representatives are not prepared to succeed in their positions. Call center representatives do not receive adequate training. Suspected cause(s) of the problem Goal for There are insufficient online resources for representatives to refer to in production. There are insufficient management resources for coaching and mentoring representatives. The call center will achieve a 99.8% quality rating with no more than 2% of the staff on quality action plans. improvement and longterm impact Increase training time to meet industry standards. Proposal for addressing the problem Final problem statement Provide relevant, updated online tools for call center representatives. Many call center representatives are not achieving quality standards, thereby contributing to the overall low quality rating (92%) for the call center. Through data and process evaluation, it was determined that the training time for call center representatives is 30% less than other similar call centers, which may contribute to lack of skills training. In addition, the online tools available to the call center representatives are not updated frequently with procedural changes and do not contain all required information necessary for representatives to perform their job. The low quality over the past 6 months has resulted in a 2% decrease in customers and a $550,000 loss in annual revenue. Decreased employee satisfaction in the call center due to the issue has contributed to a 5% increase in voluntary attrition, which costs the business $80,000 annually. There is an opportunity to improve quality and reduce both customer and employee attrition by addressing the skills training and resource issue in the call center. Writing a Problem Statement Worksheet Complete each section of the chart below. Refer back to the section guidelines and completed sample worksheet above as needed. Original problem or focusing question Stakeholders who are most affected by the problem Impact to stakeholders Type of problem Suspected cause(s) of the problem Goal for improvement and longterm impact Proposal for addressing the problem Final problem statement