SCM300 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS(RATED A+)
business process - ANSWERA documented series of activities that when completed
properly will effectively and efficiently turn inputs (materials, equipment and labor) into
valuable products and/or services.
Relationship between business processes and the supply chain - ANSWERSupply
Chains are made up of a series of interconnected and interdependent processes
Each Process is a mini-supply chain - Managing Inputs and Outputs at a smaller scale
Importance of Good Business Processes - ANSWERManaging from a distance -
Executive to Associate Bigger requires better business processes - The more locations
or larger the customer base for a company, the more important the standardized
processes that make up its operations are
Top managers understand business processes - The more processes utilized by a
company the more important it is to have managers that understand the importance of
properly designing, effectively managing, and improving processes.
Three Requirements of a Good Process - ANSWERGOOD INTENTIONS: Goal
Oriented, Stakeholders considered, Effective and Efficient, Outputs are desired
REPRODUCIBLE RESULTS: Documented and Easily Understood. Adaptability.
MEASURABLE AND MANAGEABLE: Entire system considered. Accountability, good
metrics, easy to identify problems.
Common reasons for bad processes - ANSWERNEVER WAS GOOD
-ambiguity: goals clearly not understood
-misalignment: goals and actions not aligned
-miscommunication: employees don't understand goals
USED TO BE GOOD
-market evolution: Customer's needs have changed
-miscommunication: New employees do not understand goals
LIMITATIONS
- Development of poor or limited processes: May result in limited capacity, inefficiency,
confusion...
-lack of appropriate tools & technology
Cow Path Theory and Example - ANSWERDemonstrates bad process;
A bad process is created when someone keeps to the same safe routine
A successful business continues if you learn a faster or better way of doing things
If steps are important you need to communicate that to the employee, some people try
to be good employees by finding easier ways, but sometimes the skip important steps
that they never fully knew or understood.
, -If you drop a cow in a random field it will eventually find its way to water or die trying.
Though it may not be the fastest way, cows will do their best to reach their goal, and will
continue to use the same trail leaving a cow path.
EXAMPLE: Computer Silicon Wafers - Baskets
Value of Process improvement and Project Management on Careers - ANSWERVital to
Corporate Careers - No matter what the major
- Well-defined goals - Teams and Individuals have responsibilities
- Recommendations and Implementation
- Measurable Results
- Success or Failure?
Resume Builder - Little stories about your career
- What you have done. Ability to get results. Leadership experience.
- How do you deal with adversity and ambiguity...
- Good way to document your accomplishments (Grades & Degrees are useless)
Corporate Career
- Successful Leaders get more responsibility, power, money...
- Top Project Managers have the ability to choose projects, teams...
- Unskilled, unintelligent, and "control freaks" are easily exposed in a project
environment
Attributes of a good consultant - ANSWER1. DATA SKILLS - Are you skilled at Data
Collection, Data Analysis?
2. VALUES FEEDBACK - Seek Feedback, Use Feedback
3. CREATIVITY - Be creative in developing solutions 4. UNDERSTANDS PEOPLE -
Create solutions that work for humans
5. CHANGE AGENT - Anticipate Learning Curves and Resistance to Change
6. DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE - Don't get angry. Remember you are there to help.
7. VALUES SIMPLICITY - Easy to Understand Solutions - Explain changes, benefits,
metrics...
Common consulting errors - ANSWER1. MAKING ASSUMPTIONS - Never assume.
Investigate. Investigate more.
2. DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TOO SOON - Long lasting solutions are rarely obvious
3. LISTENING TO CLIENT's PRE-FABRICATED SOLUTIONS - Why now?
4. SCOPE INFLATION - Limited time. Limited Resources. Stay focused.
5. STICKING TO A DEAD-END SCOPE - Is it time to quit?
6. MAITAINING HAPPINESS - Change is difficult.
Business Process Improvement (BPI) - ANSWER1. DESIRED STATE - Quantifiable
Goals
2. PRESENT STATE - Collect Data and Observe
3. GAP ANALYSIS - Compare Present vs Desired State
4. PROJECT SCOPE - You can't fix everything. Stay focused.
, 5. COLLECT and SHARE DATA, ANALYZE - Investigate. Get Feedback. Consider
solutions.
6. DEVELOP SOLUTIONS - Solutions they will buy. Make an impact. Push for
creativity.
7. DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN - Provide a path to adoption.
Desired state vs Present State - ANSWERDesired State: Interview Client - Identify
Objectives, Goals and Metrics Goals must be quantifiable. Establish a hierarchy.
Present State: Interview, Observe, and/or Collect Data Utilize the same metrics from
"Step One" Process Maps and Data Inspections - Do actions and documentation
match?
Gap Analysis - ANSWERGap between Desired and Present State
Illustrate the GAP - utilize desired metrics and goals Do NOT develop Solutions!!! Share
and discuss the "GAP" with clients Why does the gap exist? Consider potential causes.
Scoping the project - ANSWERDevelop a focused project. Which GAPS will be
addressed on this improvement project? Establish goals and desired outcomes. What
will be investigated? What will be developed?
Developing solutions - ANSWERDoes this problem even require change and/or
innovation? If a solution is needed, where to start?
- Focus on YOUR client - Avoid one-size fits-all solutions
- Start with Two Options - Change Nothing, Eliminate Process
- Get Innovative: Embrace the Repugnant
"Good Ideas" are Useless - Will they actually adopt the idea?
Do some issues require further study? Future projects Get Feedback Early and Often
Are you Preparing for Resistance at Final Presentation
Selling your solutions - ANSWERSECTION ONE - Present a Valuable Idea
1. List Values, Objectives, and Goals - What does the client want?
2. Recommend - Basic Solutions and Anticipated Benefits
SECTION TWO - Convince on all fronts
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis - Money is important
2. Value to Work Ratio - Expected outcome / Expected investment
3. Organizational fit - Rules, Regulations, Culture, Organizational structure
SECTION THREE - How will success be Measured?
• Explain the GAP and the path to success with metrics
• How will metrics signal positive and negative? SECTION FOUR - Implementation
(Making the idea happen)
Project - ANSWERAn endeavor in which human, material, and financial resources Are
organized, in a novel way, To undertake a unique scope of work, of a given
specification, within the constraints of cost and time, so as to achieve a beneficial
change defined by quantitative and qualitative objectives.
ANSWERS(RATED A+)
business process - ANSWERA documented series of activities that when completed
properly will effectively and efficiently turn inputs (materials, equipment and labor) into
valuable products and/or services.
Relationship between business processes and the supply chain - ANSWERSupply
Chains are made up of a series of interconnected and interdependent processes
Each Process is a mini-supply chain - Managing Inputs and Outputs at a smaller scale
Importance of Good Business Processes - ANSWERManaging from a distance -
Executive to Associate Bigger requires better business processes - The more locations
or larger the customer base for a company, the more important the standardized
processes that make up its operations are
Top managers understand business processes - The more processes utilized by a
company the more important it is to have managers that understand the importance of
properly designing, effectively managing, and improving processes.
Three Requirements of a Good Process - ANSWERGOOD INTENTIONS: Goal
Oriented, Stakeholders considered, Effective and Efficient, Outputs are desired
REPRODUCIBLE RESULTS: Documented and Easily Understood. Adaptability.
MEASURABLE AND MANAGEABLE: Entire system considered. Accountability, good
metrics, easy to identify problems.
Common reasons for bad processes - ANSWERNEVER WAS GOOD
-ambiguity: goals clearly not understood
-misalignment: goals and actions not aligned
-miscommunication: employees don't understand goals
USED TO BE GOOD
-market evolution: Customer's needs have changed
-miscommunication: New employees do not understand goals
LIMITATIONS
- Development of poor or limited processes: May result in limited capacity, inefficiency,
confusion...
-lack of appropriate tools & technology
Cow Path Theory and Example - ANSWERDemonstrates bad process;
A bad process is created when someone keeps to the same safe routine
A successful business continues if you learn a faster or better way of doing things
If steps are important you need to communicate that to the employee, some people try
to be good employees by finding easier ways, but sometimes the skip important steps
that they never fully knew or understood.
, -If you drop a cow in a random field it will eventually find its way to water or die trying.
Though it may not be the fastest way, cows will do their best to reach their goal, and will
continue to use the same trail leaving a cow path.
EXAMPLE: Computer Silicon Wafers - Baskets
Value of Process improvement and Project Management on Careers - ANSWERVital to
Corporate Careers - No matter what the major
- Well-defined goals - Teams and Individuals have responsibilities
- Recommendations and Implementation
- Measurable Results
- Success or Failure?
Resume Builder - Little stories about your career
- What you have done. Ability to get results. Leadership experience.
- How do you deal with adversity and ambiguity...
- Good way to document your accomplishments (Grades & Degrees are useless)
Corporate Career
- Successful Leaders get more responsibility, power, money...
- Top Project Managers have the ability to choose projects, teams...
- Unskilled, unintelligent, and "control freaks" are easily exposed in a project
environment
Attributes of a good consultant - ANSWER1. DATA SKILLS - Are you skilled at Data
Collection, Data Analysis?
2. VALUES FEEDBACK - Seek Feedback, Use Feedback
3. CREATIVITY - Be creative in developing solutions 4. UNDERSTANDS PEOPLE -
Create solutions that work for humans
5. CHANGE AGENT - Anticipate Learning Curves and Resistance to Change
6. DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE - Don't get angry. Remember you are there to help.
7. VALUES SIMPLICITY - Easy to Understand Solutions - Explain changes, benefits,
metrics...
Common consulting errors - ANSWER1. MAKING ASSUMPTIONS - Never assume.
Investigate. Investigate more.
2. DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TOO SOON - Long lasting solutions are rarely obvious
3. LISTENING TO CLIENT's PRE-FABRICATED SOLUTIONS - Why now?
4. SCOPE INFLATION - Limited time. Limited Resources. Stay focused.
5. STICKING TO A DEAD-END SCOPE - Is it time to quit?
6. MAITAINING HAPPINESS - Change is difficult.
Business Process Improvement (BPI) - ANSWER1. DESIRED STATE - Quantifiable
Goals
2. PRESENT STATE - Collect Data and Observe
3. GAP ANALYSIS - Compare Present vs Desired State
4. PROJECT SCOPE - You can't fix everything. Stay focused.
, 5. COLLECT and SHARE DATA, ANALYZE - Investigate. Get Feedback. Consider
solutions.
6. DEVELOP SOLUTIONS - Solutions they will buy. Make an impact. Push for
creativity.
7. DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN - Provide a path to adoption.
Desired state vs Present State - ANSWERDesired State: Interview Client - Identify
Objectives, Goals and Metrics Goals must be quantifiable. Establish a hierarchy.
Present State: Interview, Observe, and/or Collect Data Utilize the same metrics from
"Step One" Process Maps and Data Inspections - Do actions and documentation
match?
Gap Analysis - ANSWERGap between Desired and Present State
Illustrate the GAP - utilize desired metrics and goals Do NOT develop Solutions!!! Share
and discuss the "GAP" with clients Why does the gap exist? Consider potential causes.
Scoping the project - ANSWERDevelop a focused project. Which GAPS will be
addressed on this improvement project? Establish goals and desired outcomes. What
will be investigated? What will be developed?
Developing solutions - ANSWERDoes this problem even require change and/or
innovation? If a solution is needed, where to start?
- Focus on YOUR client - Avoid one-size fits-all solutions
- Start with Two Options - Change Nothing, Eliminate Process
- Get Innovative: Embrace the Repugnant
"Good Ideas" are Useless - Will they actually adopt the idea?
Do some issues require further study? Future projects Get Feedback Early and Often
Are you Preparing for Resistance at Final Presentation
Selling your solutions - ANSWERSECTION ONE - Present a Valuable Idea
1. List Values, Objectives, and Goals - What does the client want?
2. Recommend - Basic Solutions and Anticipated Benefits
SECTION TWO - Convince on all fronts
1. Cost-Benefit Analysis - Money is important
2. Value to Work Ratio - Expected outcome / Expected investment
3. Organizational fit - Rules, Regulations, Culture, Organizational structure
SECTION THREE - How will success be Measured?
• Explain the GAP and the path to success with metrics
• How will metrics signal positive and negative? SECTION FOUR - Implementation
(Making the idea happen)
Project - ANSWERAn endeavor in which human, material, and financial resources Are
organized, in a novel way, To undertake a unique scope of work, of a given
specification, within the constraints of cost and time, so as to achieve a beneficial
change defined by quantitative and qualitative objectives.
