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BUS-470 Brainstorming With an Affinity Diagram

An affinity diagram is a visual tool that organizes ideas by theme; they are often used in brainstorming sessions to determine both root causes and potential solutions for a problem. Use this tool to brainstorm a viable business problem and its root causes and determine the best one that fits within the scope of influence you and counterparts might have on that particular problem. This tool is most effective for face-to-face meetings; however, with the advancement of technology and shared desktop spaces, this method could be adapted for virtual teams. Participants in the process should include individuals from all stakeholder groups associated with the problem.

1. Identify a high-level problem in your business or industry. Consider areas where the organization or department is not meeting metrics (e.g., low customer satisfaction, attrition problems, defects, etc.). Normally, the facilitator has identified the problem or issue prior to the meeting and introduces the problem or issue to the participants. The process of introducing the problem and explaining how it is defined in the context of the project increases participant understanding and allows for producing ideas that are aligned with the problem.

Example Problem/Issue: Voluntary attrition in the call center is 60%.

2. Proceed by brainstorming causes for the problem. Participants should use a separate sticky note to identify each item they believe is a cause of the problem (see example below). "Why" questions are often very beneficial when thinking about the problem.

Example "Why" Question: Why are call center employees voluntarily leaving the company at such a high rate?

Lack of performance standards

Lack of employee training

Low compensation

No leader training

Systems hard to use

Lack of performance feedback

Lack of career path

Systems are frequently down

Lack of procedural support tools

Lack of training

3. Next, sort the ideas into themes based upon commonalities (see example below).

Systems

Leadership

Progression

Compensation and Benefits

Employee Training and Tools

Low compensation

Lack of employee training

System hard to use

No leader training

Lack of career path

Benefits too costly

Lack of procedural support

System frequently down

Lack of performance feedback

Lack of performance standards

4. Work with your counterparts to establish connections. Discuss the categories and examine how they could potentially link together.

Example Connection: In this case, the "Leadership" theme had the most items. This item could potentially be aligned with the "Progression" theme since employees do not believe they are receiving feedback or have a clear career path.

5. Use the connections to establish the root cause of the problem. Look at the established themes and continue asking "why" questions until the real root cause of the issue is identified (see example below). At this stage of the process, many people prefer to use different colored sticky notes for the root causes that align to the ideas that have been brainstormed.

Example: Five Whys Root Cause Analysis:

Defined Problem: Voluntary attrition in the call center is 60%.

Why are call center employees voluntarily leaving the company at such a high rate?

· Employees feel there is a lack of leadership.

Why is that?

· Employees do not know the performance standards.

Why is that?

· Employees do not receive feedback about their performance.

Why is that?

· Managers have not been trained in providing performance feedback.

Why is that?

· There is no manager training program.

Why is that?

· Most managers are promoted from the call center floor to fill immediate vacancies, so there is no time for training.

6. Finally, validate the root cause(s) of the problem. Validation of root cause(s) requires collecting data and reviewing reporting or survey results. The validation phase separates the "noise" from the real root cause(s) of the problem. Noise is considered any item of low impact and low volume; however, it may be a recent event that individuals considered when brainstorming, like system downtime.

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Topic 1, Assignment 1

The purpose of this assignment is to identify an organizational problem to solve within your current workplace or industry by using an affinity diagram to brainstorm the root causes of the organizational problem and potential solutions for addressing it.

For this assignment, the first step is to identify an organizational problem to solve.

This is an opportunity for you to apply your learning while addressing a real-world problem. After you have identified a possible organizational problem, utilize the Topic 1 Resources to help you narrow and specify the root cause for the problem. 

Completing an affinity diagram will not only help you identify the root causes for the problem but also to determine the scope of influence you can have in reaching a potential solution. Keep in mind that this exercise is meant to identify a viable solution within the scope of influence in which you are directly involved, ultimately allowing you to be an agent of change.

For this assignment, address the following:

· Complete the affinity diagram action steps outlined in the attached "Brainstorming With an Affinity Diagram" resource, including the "Five Whys Root Cause Analysis" section. This can be done using online mind mapping resources like those found in the study materials, by using post-it notes, or through the use of Excel or Microsoft Word documents and tables.

· When constructing the affinity diagram, be sure to complete all six steps described in the resource. 

Note that you will reference these root causes again within your "Final Business Proposal" in Topic 8. In addition, evidence of revision from instructor feedback will be assessed in the "Final Business Proposal" in Topic 8.

Submit both the completed affinity diagram and the "Five Whys Root Cause Analysis" to your instructor.  

Prepare this assignment using effective business style writing. Refer to the resource, "Effective Business Writing," located in Class Resources, for specific guidelines and formatting requirements.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

Topic 1 Assignment 2

The purpose of this assignment is to construct a problem statement based on the organizational problem you have identified previously in your current workplace or industry.

Now that you have identified a potential problem, brainstormed the root causes, and determined how you might be able to influence change, you will construct a problem statement that can be used as the basis for an action research project. The problem statement must clearly articulate the single goal of the action research project and consider the influence of the organizational change that will occur.

Part of completing an action research project and enacting organizational change includes understanding how the problem is tied to the mission, vision, and values of all the involved stakeholders and how these will drive decision-making. The change that is enacted should be done to enable positive progress for your fellow coworkers and the organization at large. When developing your problem statement, you will also be asked to address the organizational problem and the potential solutions through a Christian worldview perspective.  

To complete this assignment, address the following:

· Review the Topic 1 resources and use what you have learned in the study materials to construct a problem statement for your action research project. 

· Utilize the "Writing a Problem Statement" resource, located in Topic 1 Resources, to construct your problem statement.   

· For your submission, be sure to delete the template and sample worksheets provided. Submit only the completed "Writing a Problem Statement Worksheet" to your instructor.

Note that your problem statement will become part of your final business proposal that will be submitted in Topic 8. Evidence of revision from instructor feedback will be assessed on the final business proposal.

Prepare this assignment using effective business style writing. Refer to the resource, "Effective Business Writing," located in Class Resources, for specific guidelines and formatting requirements.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

Topic 2 Assignment 1

The purpose of this assignment is to identify key stakeholders within your organization who are affected by, have influence over, and/or have an interest in solving the problem you are attempting to address with your action research project.

Stakeholder analysis requires you to examine a number of variables in relation to each individual or group you have identified. Use the "Stakeholder Brainstorming" resource, located in the Topic 2 Resources, as a tool to assist you in completing the attached "Stakeholder Analysis" Excel spreadsheet.

Part 1: Stakeholder Template   In the analysis, list titles and groups of stakeholders. Do not list names of specific individuals. It is important to note the role each stakeholder has in the problem and in solving the problem. Determine whether or not the individual or group has a negative, indifferent, positive, or very positive predisposition about the problem.

Within the "Stakeholder Analysis" Excel spreadsheet, there is a tab labeled "Current-State Matrix." Study the terminology related to influence and support, and think about how each block describes the feelings a stakeholder may have about the problem and proposed solution. For example, there may be a group or individual that has a high degree of support with regard to solving the problem. If you know such person or group also has a high level of influence in how the problem is solved, it is important to think about how you will approach this person or group in terms of seeking information and presenting potential solutions. Taking time to rank the level of influence and support for each stakeholder is critical as you proceed, as it may have a large role in determining whether or not specific problem solutions can be implemented.

Take the time necessary to conduct research that will help you determine possible stakeholder reactions and issues related to potential solutions. Think about the motivation, drivers, and expectations of exchange for each stakeholder, the problem, and the proposed solutions. Finally, consider the role of the stakeholder, including when the stakeholder needs to be involved in the change effort, any stakeholder management activities, and stakeholder deliverables and timelines. If a stakeholder will ultimately end up having a designated role in implementing the solution, the ability to articulate the role, scope, and timeframe will be of utmost importance.

Part 2: Stakeholder Analysis Summary   In addition to the completed "Stakeholder Analysis" Excel spreadsheet, submit a 500-word summary of your findings, which may be accomplished through one- or two-sentence summary responses to the following points:

1. Summarize stakeholder attitudes about the identified problem and support your summary with specific data from your collection tool.

2. Summarize stakeholder attitudes or experiences related to previously implemented problem solutions and support your summary with specific data from your collection tool.

3. Summarize stakeholder ideas for potential solutions and support your summary with specific data from your collection tool.

4. Who are the stakeholders you will seek to act as sponsors to support you in the implementation of a problem solution? Provide specific reasons for why these stakeholders are key to implementing a solution.

5. Who are the stakeholders that will likely be directly affected by solving the problem? Provide specific ways these stakeholders could be directly affected by solving the problem.

6. Who are the stakeholders that could pose potential roadblocks to solving the problem? Provide specific reasons for selecting these particular stakeholders and what the roadblocks they pose could be. 

Be sure to include a minimum of ten different stakeholders in your "Stakeholder Analysis" Excel spreadsheet. This summary will be used as part of the Business Proposal Presentation in Topic 7, and within the "Final Business Proposal" in Topic 8. Evidence of revision from instructor feedback will be assessed on the final business proposal.

Prepare this assignment using effective business style writing. Refer to the resource, "Effective Business Writing," located in Class Resources, for specific guidelines and formatting requirements.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Topic 3 Assignment 1

The purpose of this assignment is to conduct internal and external research to determine viable solutions that could be implemented to solve an identified problem.

Please note that as part of the research process, taking the initiative to speak with management in your selected organization from Topic 1 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: Create Excel Spreadsheet The first step in data collection is to conduct research. You are looking for specific, measurable data (statistics and numbers) related to how the problem identified in Topic 1 is affecting the organization. For this assignment, you will create an Excel spreadsheet that summarizes the data collection you complete related to your problem. Utilize the attached "Benchmark - Data Collection Template" as needed to organize your information. 

· The spreadsheet should indicate the date on which particular data were collected, the source of the data collected (i.e., internal or external), 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.

Part 2: Conduct Internal Research Next, conduct research to learn what has already been done to address this problem within the organization. Incorporate the following elements in your planning and collection steps for what will mostly provide you qualitative information.

· 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. Ask questions and interview individuals who assisted with the implementation of previous solutions used in an attempt to address the problem.

· Make sure you ask questions that allow you to gather measurable data and include information about how successful previous solution options were in addressing the problem.

· Optional : You may choose to create a graphic or chart that represents your data findings to visually communicate your potential solution in your summary.

Note that you will summarize the research data collected in fourth part of this assignment. 

Part 3: Conduct External Research The last step in determining potential solutions is to conduct external research. 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. Look for both qualitative and quantitative data and information.

· Using publicly available and reliable industry resources, research ways 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.

· Optional : You may choose to create a graphic or chart that represents your data findings to visually communicate your potential solution in your summary.

Note that you will summarize the research data collected in fourth part of this assignment. 

Part 4: Identify Potential Solutions

Next, analyze the information and data you collected from Part 2 and 3 of this assignment. Based on the internal and external research you conducted, in 250–500 words, describe at least five potential solutions you can consider for addressing the problem you have identified.  

Submit the data collection Excel spreadsheet and a 500-word summary, covering Parts 2 and 3. Note that you will include your essay findings in the Topic 7 assignment: "Business Proposal Presentation." 

Prepare this assignment using effective business writing style. Refer to the resource, "Effective Business Writing," located in Class Resources, for specific guidelines and formatting requirements.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite.

Benchmark Information

This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies: BS Applied Management 2.1 Analyze qualitative and quantitative methods of research. 2.2 Develop data collection plans for action research in organizations.