week 1 Describe a situation where you or your supervisor needed to make a decision and based that decision on the data provided. Was the data quantitative or qualitative? Was the decision that was made different than it would have been if it were based on observation alone? Week 1 Assignment In a 2-3 page paper using APA formatting for references, answer the following questions: Your discussion for this module relates to a real-world situation where performance change is necessary. You can use a current or previous employer, popular company from the media, or create a fictional scenario. Define the performance change needed. Identify the categories of requirements that will be needed. Then for each category, define the requirements to be fulfilled. The term Return on Investment (ROI) is often used in describing the results that will be gained by investing in a new venture. Employees are often considered an investment as they come with knowledge and gain expertise through experience and training. Thus, why is it important to consider the ROI in terms of employees and performance? Be sure to back up your response with research from a credible outside resource. In a 2 page (minimum) paper following APA format, answer one the following questions: Describe your process for analyzing the gap(s) and defining the change requirements. Be sure to follow up your suggestions with data from credible resources. Remember that your title and reference page are not considered in the minimum page count requirements. Many organizations change so frequently that they are unwilling to invest in the process diagramming and definitions of defined enablers. A plethora of new technologies such as Wikis and Mashups (a method for bring disparate data together for a common view – for example, bring together a street map, a list of real estate for sale, flag on the street map for schools, churches, parks, government buildings and malls) are changing the scenery again. Identify three excuses that might be used for not doing an analysis and counter each with a brief description of how technology to help you create it and maintain it with a very low “overhead” (i.e., at no additional time and with no additional money). Post your list and ideas here. In a 2 page (minimum) paper following APA format, answer all of the following questions: It’s time to buy groceries. Diagram the process for buying groceries (You may wish to do this in Word, Visio, or PowerPoint). Be sure to follow up your suggestions with data from credible resources. Remember that your title and reference page are not considered in the minimum page count requirements. Use your professional network or an online social network to find a performance practitioner who will meet you. In the interview ask two primary questions (see below). Then, follow-up with any other questions that occur to you. In particular, ask questions about how work gets assigned, how decisions get made, and how practitioners position themselves to be sought-after professionals.The two primary questions to ask are: Post a summary and analysis of your interview to the Discussion Forum. Often interviews are conducted with existing employees when an organizational diagnoses has been deemed necessary. When interviewing various employees within a company, there may be distrust or fear of rebuttal for unfavorable responses. How would you build a new professional relationship with an employee prior to an interview? Midterm Analyze the case study design below and post an analysis The Case: KandyLand provides sweet treats for all seasons, but they really gear up in the summer so that their products are ready to go for the winter holidays. However, KandyLand has been experiencing problems in the shipping department. Order fulfillment errors are high. During your assessment of their process, you discovered that orders place “on-line” via the web were filled correctly 98% of the time and those that were entered by call-center customer service representatives were filled incorrectly 98% of the time. It was determined that the call-center’s order entry tool was out of date and did not match that used by the shipping department. In addition, the data showed that over half of the customers ordering by phone had internet technology but were “not comfortable” order
ing electronically, so they called their orders in. The “idea” is to move all orders to online order entry for all clients. The Design: What are the critical factors to consider in the design of a work system? What role does technology play in the design of work systems? Use data from credible outside resources to backup your response. Nighttime Apnea Partners Institute (NAPI – pronounced Nap-ee) specializes in the study of sleep disorders, such as Apnea. They test both newly announced products and traditional home-remedies. Eventually, after much research, they publish clinical study data on their findings. In addition, they create market-ready sleep-aids that range from the low-tech tool to some very high-tech options.You are working with them on a software implementation project that will add barcode functionality to their current patient record system and custom-designed sleep-study software. This is a desired functionality in high-demand by the Sleep Specialists who track sleep behaviors of individuals testing various research studies, product studies, or who are simply visiting overnight to identify their specific sleep disorder. Below is the design for this change project. In a 2 page (minimum) paper following APA format, analyze its strengths and weaknesses. The Design: Be sure to follow up your suggestions with data from credible resources. Remember that your title and reference page are not considered in the minimum page count requirements. Risk management is a matter of identifying the situations that could cause your project to fail. Common risks include loss of staff, decreased funding, decision point approvals not completed in a timely manner, and content not being available. Brainstorm three or four other risks that you have seen in your professional experience. If you are having trouble identifying projects, brainstorm with your classmates or contact your instructor.Once you have 3-4 risks, identify at least two ways to prevent each and two ways to resolve them, if they happen in spite of your preventions. Post your ideas. How does the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) help to minimize risks? How often should a risk analysis be conducted? Why are risks often overlooked? In a 2 page (minimum) paper following APA format, answer all of the following questions:Explain the relationship between work breakdown structures (WBS), network diagrams, and risk management. Give an example of each and backup your data using credible research from online resources. Be sure to follow up your suggestions with data from credible resources. Remember that your title and reference page are not considered in the minimum page count requirements. One of the best known models for evaluation is the Kirkpatrick Model. The levels of evaluation describe there are used as guides for organizations applying for training awards. Search the internet on “Kirkpatrick Model” to find documentation about this model. Post 1-3 paragraphs comparing this model with the one provided in your textbook. Do performance management systems usually measure the right things? How can performance management systems encourage performance that is more consistent with long- range rather than short- term issues? In a 2 page (minimum) paper following APA format, evaluate the following evaluation plan. Define the elements that are present. Describe those that are missing and propose evaluation techniques that would fill those gaps. Qwerty Ltd (QL) designs and builds custom keyboards from scrap computer parts. They resell the keyboard to industries that need non-standard keyboards for specific applications such as manufacturing floors, , mining operations, and even NASA. In order to streamline their order-to-design process, they want sales reps to capture requirements during sales calls. One of your peers has asked you to review their evaluation plan (below): Comment on the strengths and missed opportunities. Be sure to follow up your suggestions with data from credible resources. Remember that your title and reference page are not considered in the minimum page count requirements. Review and reflect on what you learned in the past 8 weeks. What is the most practical and easily applied lesson you learned? What was the hardest to grasp? Why? What else do you need to know about Measurement and Assessment Strategies?