QSO 321 Module Four Assignment Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
In this assignment, you will apply what you have learned about key concepts regarding operations management. You are encouraged to leverage your work and instructor feedback on this assignment in your course project, which is due in Module Seven.
Scenario
You are the chief supply chain officer at NationaliTeas, a large international corporation that manufactures and sells tea worldwide. Its mission is to “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” You have recently hired the company’s first project manager and assigned their first project: Revise workflows in use related to packaging at one of your tea factories to be more sustainable and leaner. As this is their first project, you will be helping them complete the task.
Directions
Read the Project Charter for Workflow Improvement, then review the Process Workflow for Tea Production graphic. These documents are linked below under Supporting Materials. A text-only version is available: Process Workflow for Tea Production Text-Only Version. Based on these documents, recommend removing a total of four steps from the process flowchart that can help make the process more efficient and sustainable. Explain the implications of the proposed changes and then help the NationaliTeas team address existing items in the Issue Log located in the project charter.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
- Lean Manufacturing: Evaluate the process flowchart to identify steps that do not add value based on the principles of lean manufacturing. Explain why you selected each step.
- Sustainability: Evaluate the process flowchart and identify steps that should be removed or changed to improve environmental sustainability. Explain why you selected each step.
- Process Changes: Explain the implications, both positive and negative, of removing or changing the steps from the process flowchart you identified in the previous two bullet points. Also, explain how those changes would help alignment to the triple bottom line (TBL).
- Issue Log: Analyze all entries in the Issue Log from a project manager’s perspective. Explain the recommended course of action based on the project charter, noting the impact of the issue on scope, planning communications, and resourcing.
- Operations Management Techniques: Discuss how operations management techniques, including project management and lean manufacturing, can add value to the organization, NationaliTeas.
What to Submit
Submit this assignment as a 350- to 500-word Microsoft Word document. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
Supporting Materials
The following resources support your work on the project:
- Project Charter for Workflow Improvement
- Process Workflow for Tea Production
- Process Workflow for Tea Production Text-Only Version
AI Usage
If you use gen AI tools to support your work on this assignment, be sure to follow these AI usage guidelines. You must acknowledge your use of these tools in your work. Guidelines on how to cite AI tools can be found in this Shapiro Library guide.
Module Four Assignment Rubric
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectations (100%) | Meets Expectations (85%) | Partially Meets Expectations (55%) | Does Not Meet Expectations (0%) | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lean Manufacturing | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Identifies steps in the process flowchart that do not add value based on the principles of lean manufacturing | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include identifying more appropriate steps to remove or change based on lean manufacturing principles and product needs | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Sustainability | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Identifies steps from the process flowchart that should be removed or changed to improve environmental sustainability based | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include identifying more appropriate steps to remove or change based on environmentally friendly practices such as reducing waste or conserving water or energy | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Process Changes | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Explains the implications, both positive and negative, of removing or changing the identified steps from the process flowchart and how they would help alignment to the TBL | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding additional relevant details and examples to support the explanations or greater focus on alignment to the TBL | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Issue Log | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Explains the recommended course of action for each item listed in the Issue Log, noting the impact of the issue on scope, planning communications, and resourcing based on the identified changes to the process flowchart and the project charter | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include applying project management concepts to justify the next steps a project manager should take when facing the issues in the Issue Log | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Operations Management Techniques | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Discusses how operations management techniques, including project management and lean manufacturing, can add value to the organization | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include adding further examples or explanations that support how operational management techniques can support the organization | Does not attempt criterion | 10 |
| Clear Communication | Exceeds expectations with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understanding | Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audience | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understanding | Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication | 5 |
| Citations and Attributions | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with few or no minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with consistent minor errors | Uses citations for ideas requiring attribution, with major errors | Does not use citations for ideas requiring attribution | 5 |
| Total: | 100% | ||||