SNHU QSO 510 Final Project – a statistical analysis report

QSO 510 Final Project Guidelines and RubricOverviewThe final project for this course is the creation of a statistical analysis report.Each day, operations management professionals are faced with multiple decisions affecting various aspects of the operation. The ability to use data to drivedecisions is an essential skill that is useful in any facet of an operation. The dynamic environment offers daily challenges that require the talents of the operationsmanager; working in this field is exciting and rewarding.Throughout the course, you will be engaged in activities that charge you with making decisions regarding inventory management, production capacity, productprofitability, equipment effectiveness, and supply chain management. These are just a few of the challenges encountered in the field of operations management.The final activity in this course will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply statistical tools and methods to solve a problem in agiven scenario that is often encountered by an operations manager. Once you have outlined your analysis strategy and analyzed your data, you will then reportyour data, strategy, and overall decision that addresses the given problem.The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality finalsubmissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Seven. The final project is due in Module Nine.In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes: Apply data-based strategies in guiding a focused approach for improving operational processesDetermine the appropriate statistical methods for informing valid data-driven decision making in professional settingsSelect statistical tools for guiding data-driven decision making resulting in sustainable operational processesUtilize a structured approach for data-driven decision making for fostering continuous improvement activitiesPropose operational improvement recommendations to internal and external stakeholders based on relevant data PromptOperations management professionals are often relied upon to make decisions regarding operational processes. Those who utilize a data-driven, structuredapproach have a clear advantage over those offering decisions based solely on intuition. You will be provided with a scenario often encountered by an operationsmanager. Your task is to review the “A-Cat Corp.: Forecasting” scenario, the addendum, and the accompanying data in the case scenario and addendum; outlinethe appropriate analysis strategy; select a suitable statistical tool; and use data analysis to ultimately drive the decision. Once this has been completed, you willbe challenged to present your data, data analysis strategy, and overall decision in a concise report, justifying your analysis.Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:I. Introduction to the problem:A. Provide a concise description of the scenario that you will be analyzing. The following questions might help you describe the scenario: What isthe type of organization identified in the scenario? What is the organization’s history and problem identified in the scenario? Who are the keyinternal and external stakeholders? II. Create an analysis plan to guide your analysis and decision making:A. Identify any quantifiable factors that may be affecting the performance of operational processes. Provide a concise explanation of how thesefactors may be affecting the operational processes.B. Develop a problem statement that addresses the given problem in the scenario and contains quantifiable measures.C. Propose a strategy that addresses the problem of the organization in the given case study and seeks to improve sustainable operationalprocesses. How will adjustments be identified and made? III. Identify statistical tools and methods to collect data:A. Identify the appropriate family of statistical tools that you will use to perform your analysis. What are your statistical assumptions concerningthe data that led you to selecting this family of tools? In other words, why did you select this family of tools for statistical analysis?B. Determine the category of the provided data in the given case study. Be sure to justify why the data fits into this category type. What is therelationship between the type of data and the tools?C. From the identified family of statistical tools, select the most appropriate tool(s) for analyzing the data provided in the given case study.D. Justify why you chose this tool to analyze the data. Be sure to include how this tool will help predict the use of the data in driving decisions.E. Describe the quantitative method that will best inform data-driven decisions. Be sure to include how this method will point out the relationshipsbetween the data. How will this method allow for the most reliable data? IV. Analyze data to determine the appropriate decision for the identified problem:A. Outline the process needed to utilize your statistical analysis to reach a decision regarding the given problem.B. Explain how following this process leads to valid, data-driven decisions. In other words, why is following your outlined process important? C. After analyzing the data sets in the case study, describe the reliability of the results. Be sure to include how you know whether the results arereliable.D. Illustrate a data-driven decision that addresses the given problem. How does your decision address the given problem? How will it result inoperational improvement?V. Recommend operational improvements to stakeholders:A. Summarize your analysis plan for both internal and external stakeholders. Be sure to use audience-appropriate jargon when summarizing forboth groups of stakeholders.B. Explain how your decision addresses the given problem and how you reached that decision. Be sure to use audience-appropriate jargon for bothgroups of stakeholders.C. Justify why your decision is the best option for addressing the given problem to both internal and external stakeholders and how it will result inoperational improvement. Be sure to use audience-appropriate jargon when communicating with stakeholders. MilestonesMilestone One: Introduction and Analysis PlanIn Module Three, you will submit your introduction and analysis plan, which are critical elements I and II. You will submit a 3- to 4-page paper that describes thescenario provided in the case study, identifies quantifiable factors that may affect operational performance, develops a problem statement, and proposes astrategy for resolving a company’s problem. This milestone will be graded with the Module One Rubric.Milestone Two: Statistical Tools and Data AnalysisIn Module Seven, you will submit your selection of statistical tools and data analysis, which are critical elements III and IV. You will submit a 3- to 4-page paperand a spreadsheet that provides justification of the appropriate statistical tools that are needed to analyze the company’s data, a hypothesis, the results of youranalysis, any inferences from your hypothesis test, and a forecasting model that addresses the company’s problem. This milestone will be graded with theModule Two Rubric.Final Project Submission: Statistical Analysis ReportIn Module Nine, you will submit your statistical analysis report and recommendations to management. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing allof the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with theFinal Project Rubric. Final Project RubricGuidelines for Submission: Your statistical analysis report must be 10–12 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format….e double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Include at least six references cited in APA format.Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information,review these instructions.Critical ElementsIntroduction:Description of theScenario Analysis Plan:Quantifiable Factors ExemplaryMeets “Proficient” criteria anddescription demonstratesinsightful understanding of thesituation described in thescenario (100%)Meets “Proficient” criteria anddemonstrates insight intooperational processes and factorsthat may affect performance(100%) ProficientConcisely and accuratelydescribes the scenario (90%) Identifies quantifiable factorsthat may be affecting theperformance of operationalprocesses and supports claimswith explanations (90%) Needs ImprovementDescribes the scenario butdescription is not concise orcontains inaccuracies (70%) Identifies quantifiable factorsthat may be affecting theperformance of operationalprocesses but identification is notsupported with explanations or iscursory (70%)Analysis Plan: Problem Meets “Proficient” criteria andDevelops a problem statementDevelops a problem statementStatementstatement demonstrates insight appropriate to the scenario that appropriate to the scenario thatinto the relationship between the addresses the given problem and addresses the given problem butquantifiable measures andcontains quantifiable measuresstatement does not containproblem addressed in the(90%)quantifiable measures or isscenario (100%)cursory or inappropriate (70%)Analysis Plan: Strategy Meets “Proficient” criteria andProposes a strategy thatProposes a strategy but strategystrategy demonstrates insightaddresses the problem of theeither does not address theinto how the strategy impactscompany and seeks to improveproblem or does not seek toadditional operations (100%)sustainable operational processes improve operational processes(90%)(70%)Statistical Tools and Meets “Proficient” criteria andIdentifies the appropriate family Identifies a statistical family ofMethods: Family ofidentification demonstratesof statistical tools used totools used to perform statisticalStatistical Toolsnuanced understanding ofperform statistical analysis,analysis but either the tools arestatistical tools (100%)including statistical assumptions not the most appropriate to use(90%)or discussion lacks statisticalassumptions (70%) Not EvidentDoes not describe the scenario(0%) Value4.05 Does not identify quantifiablefactors that may be affecting theperformance of operationalprocesses (0%) 6.13 Does not develop a problemstatement appropriate to thescenario that addresses the givenproblem (0%) 6.13 Does not propose a strategy thataddresses the problem of thecompany (0%) 6.13 Does not determine a family ofstatistical tools (0%) 6.13 Statistical Tools andMethods: Category ofProvided Data Meets “Proficient” criteria anddemonstrates insight into therelationship of categorical dataand statistical tools (100%) Determines the category of theprovided data but category iseither inaccurate or discussionlacks justification to supportclaims (70%)Selects the most appropriateSelects a statistical tool butstatistical tool used to analyze the selection is not the mostdata (100%)appropriate given the data (70%) Does not determine a categoryfor the data (0%) 6.13 Does not select a tool to be usedfor analysis (0%) 6.13 Meets “Proficient” criteria andjustification demonstrates insightinto the relationship betweenstatistical tools and the type ofdata (100%)Statistical Tools and Meets “Proficient” criteria andMethods: Quantitative description demonstrates insightMethodinto the relationship between thequantitative method and datarelationships (100%) Justifies why the tool chosen isJustifies why the tool chosen isthe most appropriate for analysis the most appropriate for theof this data (90%)analysis but justification is eitherillogical or cursory (70%) Does not justify why a particulartool was chosen (0%) 6.13 Describes the quantitativemethod that will best inform thedecision, including how thismethod will point out therelationships between the data(90%) Does not describe thequantitative method (0%) 6.13 Analyze Data: Process Outlines the process needed toutilize the statistical analysis(90%) Describes the quantitativemethod but either the methodselected will not result in themost reliable data or discussionlacks how the method will pointout the relationships betweenthe data (70%)Outlines the process needed toutilize the statistical analysis butsteps are either inappropriate orovergeneralized (70%)Explains how following theoutlined process leads to a validdecision but explanation isinappropriate or cursory (70%) Does not outline the processneeded to utilize the statisticalanalysis (0%) 6.13 Does not offer an explanationwhy following the outlinedprocess leads to a valid decision(0%) 6.13 Describes the reliability of theresults but description is eithercursory or lacks justification tosupport claims (70%)Illustrates a data-driven decisionthat addresses the problem butillustration is either inappropriateor overgeneralized (70%) Does not describe the reliabilityof the results (0%) 6.13 Does not illustrate a decision thataddresses the problem (0%) 6.13 Statistical Tools andMethods: MostAppropriate ToolStatistical Tools andMethods: Justify Tool Meets “Proficient” criteria andoffers great detail for eachidentified step (100%) Analyze Data: Valid, Meets “Proficient” criteria andData-Driven Decisions explanation demonstrates anuanced understanding of howfollowing a process will lead to avalid decision(100%)Analyze Data:Meets “Proficient” criteria andReliability of Results description demonstrates keeninsight into identifying reliabledata (100%)Analyze Data: Data- Meets “Proficient” criteria andDriven Decisionillustration demonstrates a deepunderstanding of the interplaybetween a problem, theoperation, and operationalimprovement (100%) Determines the category of theprovided data, includingjustification to support claims(90%) Explains how following theoutlined process leads to a validdata-driven decision (90%) Describes the reliability of theresults based on data sets,including a justification tosupport claims (90%)Illustrates a data-driven decisionthat addresses the problem andoperational improvement (90%) RecommendOperationalImprovements:Analysis PlanRecommendOperationalImprovements:Decision RecommendOperationalImprovements:Best Option Articulation ofResponse Meets “Proficient” criteria andsummary demonstrates keeninsight into appropriatelycommunicating an analysis planto stakeholders (100%)Meets “Proficient” criteria andexplanation demonstrates keeninsight into appropriatelycommunicating a decision andhow it was reached tostakeholders (100%)Meets “Proficient” criteria andjustification demonstrates keeninsight as to why the decision isvalid and why it is the optimalsolution, using audienceappropriate jargon (100%)Submission is free of errorsrelated to citations, grammar,spelling, syntax, and organizationand is presented in a professionaland easy to read format (100%) Summarizes analysis plan forinternal and externalstakeholders using audienceappropriate jargon (90%)Explains the decision for theproblem and how that decisionwas reached, using audienceappropriate jargon (90%) Justifies why the decision is thebest option for addressing theproblem and how it will result inoperational improvement, usingaudience-appropriate jargon(90%)Submission has no major errorsrelated to citations, grammar,spelling, syntax, or organization(90%) Summarizes analysis plan forinternal and externalstakeholders but summary eitherinappropriately uses jargon or iscursory (70%)Explains the decision for theproblem but explanation eitherlacks how the decision wasreached or uses inappropriatejargon (70%) Does not summarize the analysisplan for stakeholders (0%) 6.13 Does not explain decision for theproblem (0%) 6.13 Justifies why the decision is theDoes not justify to stakeholdersbest option but justification lacks that the decision is the besthow it will result in operationaloption (0%)improvement, is cursory, or usesinappropriate jargon (70%)Submission has major errorsrelated to citations, grammar,spelling, syntax, or organizationthat negatively impact readabilityand articulation of main ideas(70%) Submission has critical errorsrelated to citations, grammar,spelling, syntax, or organizationthat prevent understanding ofideas (0%)Earned Total 6.13 4 100%