Feeling Stuck on My Summer Project: Do I Need a Questionnaire for Skill Matrix Improvement?

Hello friends, I am working on a summer project about "process improvement of skill matrix using value stream mapping," which involves eliminating waste and streamlining processes. I am wondering if it is necessary to create a questionnaire and determine a sample size for this project. If so, could you please provide me with some sample questionnaires related to this topic? I am feeling very confused, and any guidance you can offer would be greatly appreciated. As a student, this topic is quite new to me.

Regards, Mahwish

What you are doing is a simple exercise to eliminate waste, although explained through a lofty term "process improvement of skill matrix using value stream mapping."

Research Objective

Questionnaires are a method to discover unexpected relationships or to confirm something you have a hunch about. Now, you have to ask yourself, what is your research objective here? What are you trying to find? If you are able to frame it, then work backward and design your questionnaire.

Remember, you can torture data to say what you want to hear. But that's where research gets a bad name.

Process Flow Map

Ideally, you should have a process flow map of the existing process, which identifies the tasks, wait times, delays, and the length of the tasks. If you have that on paper, it's easier for you to focus on the problem areas such as delays, wait times, and the length of tasks. You can then go ahead and try to address these issues. Now, when you are trying to address these issues, there might be a potential case for engaging a questionnaire. A word of caution - don't try to have one just for the sake of having one.

Once you have addressed the problem areas, you may want to come up with a revised process flow map to compare the efficiencies.

Your research could be more dependent on empirical evidence, which is an alternative research method to using questionnaires.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Saj

Hello Saj, I do not have an existing process with flaws ready on hand. I have to derive the existing process and find flaws; then I also have to suggest methods for improvement. Can I create a descriptive kind of questionnaire to understand the current process and flaws?

Regards, Mahwish

Kindly see http://www.nwlean.net/toolsCD/VSM/4%...20to%20VSM.pdf to understand what is involved in VSM.

I gather you are trying to build a process. But even if you are trying to build one, there could be an existing method that is very haphazard. Plot out the process flow map. You might see a lot of delays, wait times, etc.

But if there isn't an existing method, then you are trying to improve something that doesn't exist. Therefore, try to put a process in place. Here you might want to have a qualitative questionnaire, as you say, a descriptive questionnaire. This helps you to understand where the consensus lies, and you might want to ideate the process flow and methods engaged. You might want to use the "Delphi technique." Google/Wiki this term to know how you need to employ this technique.

Now when you have a process in place, you might want to again bring this process under the scope and see whether there are any rooms for improvements. Remember you might want to give enough time for the process to settle in because people take time to come up to speed.

Cheers,

Saj