QIP Diagnosis: Analyzing Scenarios & Recommending Solutions

1. Diagnosing QIP Issues MGT 415 Matthew W. Ford College of Business Northern Kentucky University

2. Scenario 1 An organization is initiating a formal quality improvement program. The first thing that the CQO wants to do is get lower level workers involved in improvement teams. The idea is that involvement should facilitate improvement. Is this a good first step for the organization? QIP Diagnosis

3. Scenario 2 An organization is initiating a formal quality improvement program. A QIP steering committee consisting of the organization’s top management team has been formed. The steering committee wants to get some quality improvement teams off the ground to solve chronic problems that have been nagging the organization for years and costing big $$$, but it is unsure of where to start. So, the steering committee is asking that employees form their own teams and determine worthy project topics. Did the steering committee make a good move? QIP Diagnosis

4. Scenario 3 A quality improvement project team has received the following mission: Reduce client waiting time. Is this an effective mission statement? QIP Diagnosis

5. Scenario 4 A QIP team has been formed to reduce product performance problems in the marketplace. The team consists of managers from production, marketing, IT, customer service, and logistics. At the first meeting the production manager says that he knows exactly what the cause of the problem is, and suggests that the team can quickly solve the problem if it implements a couple of changes in shipping policy. Should the team make the changes? QIP Diagnosis

6. Scenario 5 Early in the process, a QIP team charged with reducing customer complaint levels finds that no complaint database exists. What should the team do? QIP Diagnosis

7. Scenario 6 A QIP team is brainstorming about potential causes of downtime in the organization’s website. After each idea is offered, its worthiness as a contributing factor to the problem is discussed. Is this an effective approach? QIP Diagnosis

8. Scenario 7 Using various formal and informal methods, a QIP team tests nearly a dozen theories about potential causes of a problem. Anxious to apply what they’ve learned, the team wants to move quickly into the remedial phase of the project. Is there anything the team should do before heading into the remedial phase? QIP Diagnosis

9. Scenario 8 A QIP team has generated 10 potential remedies and wants to implement them all. Is this a good idea? QIP Diagnosis

10. Scenario 9 One remedy that a QIP team wants to implement involves changing the procedure that customer service personnel use when fielding calls from clients. Identify two approaches that the team can employ to improve odds of effective implementation. QIP Diagnosis

11. Scenario 10 After implementing 3 remedies, a QIP team wants to analyze effectiveness of the remedies. What approach would you recommend? QIP Diagnosis

12. Scenario 11 A QIP team has verified the effectiveness of the solutions it has implemented. Its mission has been met. The team is eager to disband. What does the team still need to do before dissolving? QIP Diagnosis

13. Scenario 12 A corporate quality council meets monthly. At the meetings, the group typically addresses these areas: a) new team topic/member selection; b) incentives and rewards related to quality improvement; c) allocates monetary resources towards improvement. Would you recommend anything to improve the quality council’s process? QIP Diagnosis