JackieCroxford

November23rd,2015
Grade11

UnitedSmashWorkers
AChallengeReflection

TheJuniorclasssmostrecentchallengewastostudyexistingassemblylinemodels
withinthemanufacturingindustryand,basedonthat,developaworkingassemblylineprocess.
Overthecourseofthelastsixweeks,thewordchallengehasadequatelyprovenitselfto
describewithaccuracytheoverallexperiencesharedbymyselfandmypeers,asmany
complicationsandlastminuteobstacleswereencountered.Although,surprisinglyenough,each
Scrumleaderhandledadversitieswithurgencyandgrace,andweeventuallysolvedeach
problemweranintothroughpatience,brainstorming,andteamwork

Somethingaboutthischallengethatstoodoutfromtherestofourpreviousprojectswas
theimplementationofsocial/industrialhierarchywhereinmockjobpositionswereassigned
basedaroundthetraditionalfreemarketapplicationprocess:thisgavemethechancetotakeona
leadershiproleastheHumanResourcesManager,whichwassomethinginparticularIenjoyed
andtookveryseriously.WhatIlikedmostaboutthisprojectishowtheworkloadwasdivided
amongdifferentgroups,andeachgroupwasresponsiblefordevelopinganaspectofthefinal
product.Thismeanteveryonehadtocollaborateandcommunicateinonewayoranotherand
worktogethertoproducesomethingtheycouldallbeproudofcollectively.

However,theresonethingthatcouldbeimprovedaboutthisprojectthatwouldgive
everyoneinvolvedahighersuccessrate,andthatstoestablishandenforcecleardeadlines.
Unfortunately,knowingwhenanassignmentisduedoesntnecessarilymotivatemyparticular
classtofinishitontime,butperhapsiftheywentintothechallengewithamorelinear
understandingofhowtheyreeachdirectlyresponsiblefortheoverallworkflow,theymight
realizetheimpacttheirprocrastinationhasonthosearoundthem.Althoughthisisonlymere
speculation,andabitofwishfulthinking.

Inpreparationforourassemblyline,weweretaughtimportantmethodsandsystemsused
inthemanufacturingindustrytoensuresafe,efficientwork.Onesuchsystemiscalled
MODAPTS,whichstandsforModularArrangementsofPredeterminedTimeStandards,andis
usedinmanufacturingfactoriesontheassemblylinetocalculatereliableproductionstandards,

improveanorganizationsproductivity,andimproveemployeerelations.Indifferentterms,
MODAPTSisamethodbywhichanemployeesmovementsaremonitoredtobecalculatedand
studiedsothat,manuallyorwithcomputeraid,theirproductivity/efficiencycanbeimproved.

All11thgraderswerealsorequiredtoattendathreeperiodlong6Strainingprogram
sessionduringtechtimeoneafternoon,whichwasshortbutinformative.6Sisamethodof
operationpracticedbymanufacturingemployeesthatfeaturessixuniquestages:Sort,Straighten,
Sweep,Standardize,Sustain,andSafety.Thismethodwasdevelopedfromthe5Smethod,
whichwasexactlythesamebutlackedemphasisonsafety.Thefirstfivecorepillarsofthe
methodpertaintothevisualworkplaceintheToyotaProductionSystem,and.moreprecisely,
howtomaintainandsustainamanageable,clean,andorderlyworkenvironment.6Sis
consideredtobeavitalandindispensableskillsetthroughoutthemanufacturingindustry.

ThelastskillwelearnedwasthatofScrum,amethodologynormallypracticedinthe
processofsoftwaredevelopmenttomanageandaccuratelygaugeproductdevelopment.Itis
definedas"aflexible,
holistic
productdevelopmentstrategywhereadevelopmentteamworksas
aunittoreachacommongoal,andchallengesthetraditional,sequentialapproachtoproduct
development,aswellas

enablesteamstoselforganizebyencouragingphysicalcolocationor
closeonlinecollaborationofallteammembers,aswellasdailyfacetofacecommunication
amongallteammembersanddisciplinesintheproject.

Eachofthesethreeskillswereimplementedatvaryingpointsthroughoutthecourseof
ourmanufacturingchallengeMODAPTSand6Swerepracticedduringtheassemblylineand
studiedheavilyintheprecedingweekstoensurethatweexecutedtheirmethodscorrectly,while
Scrumwasimplementedduringthesecondhalfofourchallengewhilewewerestillinthe
middleofproductdesign/redesign.Asforfuturechallengesandotherteamworkoriented
assignments,theseskillsmaybeappliedincertainsituationstoboostproductivityandmaintaina
healthyworkspacewhereinallmembersinvolvedcancooperateandbemutuallyunderstood
whilemakingprogressefficiently.

Sequentially,thischallengetookplaceinthreeseparateparts:Brainstormingideasfora
product,designingandredesigningtheproductwechose,andthenfinallymanufacturingthe
productonanassemblyline.Inthemidstoftheredesigningstage,weallchosethreejobswed
liketodo,inorderfromleasttogreatest,andwewereselectedbasedonhowwellour
applicationsdemonstratedourqualifications.ThejobIwasassignedwasHumanResources
Manager.IchosethisrolebecauseImexceptionallygoodatdealingwithpeople,listeningto
theirproblemsandworkingwiththemtofindasolution.Myprimaryobligationwastomaintain
aproductiveworkplacewhereeveryonefeltcomfortable,safe,andabletoperform.

Whenwestartedtheassemblyline,everyoneabandonedtheirpreviousjobsandformed
newgroups.IcollaboratedwiththeArthur,theAssemblyTeamManager,todevelopaworking
assemblylinemodelhewrotedownallthestepsrequiredtomaketheproduct,andIessentially
drewablueprintoftheassemblylineandputeachofthestepsinproperorder.Forinstance,I
determinedhowthetablesshouldbearrangedandwherepiecesoftheproductwereorientedso
thattheycouldbeputtogetherattheappropriatetimes,andforthenexttwodays,ArthurandI
workedtogethertoassigneverypersoninourclassaplaceintheassemblyline,andexplainedto
eachindividualwhattheyhadtodoandhowtodoitcorrectly.Igavethisresponsibilityto
myself,becauseIwas:A)theonlypersonwhowantedtodoit,andB)basicallytheonlyperson
whocoulddoit.

TheproductthatIkeepambiguouslyreferringtowasactuallyacardboardboxcontaining
aplasticbottleofgogglecleaningsolution,aboxoftissues,andafewbandaidsaswellasa
packetofburncream.Thereasonweweremanufacturingaproductinthefirstplacewassothat
theycouldbehandedoutthisyearbyourteamattheannualroboticscompetitions.Initially,I
feltwearyabouttheentirechallengeingeneralandquestionedthecompetenceandcapabilityof
myentireclass.Iquestionedwhetherornotitwasagoodideatoputsomuchresponsibilityon
somanyofmypeers.Inreferencetotheactualitemwewereproducing,Ithoughtitwasa
wonderfulideawithlotsofpotential.Ittookanunnecessarilylongtimeforustocomeupwitha
productidea,andwhenwedidcomeupwithideas,theywereall,pardonmylanguage,really
badandlackingpurpose,sonaturallyanideawasimposedonusandwedecidedtorollwithit.
AfterwemanufacturedafewboxesmyworriesbegantosubsideandIwasfeelingmoreand
moreconfidentwithwhatwehadallmade.Needlesstosay,Iwasverypleasedwiththeoutcome
ofourhardwork.

Whenyouworkcloselywithotherpeople,youbegintorealizetheirstrengthsand
passions,aswellastheirweaknessesandbadhabits.Thisreignstruewithmyexperiencesduring
thischallenge,eventhoughIwasworkingonlywithoneotherpersonduringtheportionofthe
assignmentwhenwewererequiredtowriteweeklyreports.InHumanResourcesthingswent
fairlysmoothlyforthefirsttwoweeksandmyteammatecontributedheavilytotheweekly
reports,recordinginformationabouthisinteractionswithotherteamsandconsultingwithme
frequentlytogiveupdatesontheworkhedaccomplished.Butastimewentonheslowlybegan
tolosefocusoftheassignmentsanditwashardtokeephimontherighttrack,evenwhenI
spelledoutingreatdetailwhatIneededfromhim.Hewasalsoabsentforafewdaysoutof
everyweek,whichputevenmorepressureonmetocompensatefortheworkhewasavoiding.
Allinall,Idsaymyscrumteamsgreatestweaknesswasfailuretocommunicateeffectively,
butourgreateststrengthwasourabilitytoworkproactivelywhenwehadthesamegoalinmind.

Asitscodesigner,Ibecameverypersonalwiththeassemblylineprocess.Theinitial
designwasabitclutteredandmessy,withlotsofintersectionsthatdidntmakemuchsense.But
aftersittingdownandthinkingthroughit,ArthurandIcomposedaworkingblueprintand
floorplanoftheassemblyline.Thestepswereasfollows(boldedstepspertaintotheboxitself):

BoxAssembly:
1.
Markontheboxwithapencilwhereitwillbecut.
2.
UseCircleCuttertocutalongthecircularlymarkedareasofthebox.
3.
Glueplasticpouchonthe
4.
Putalabel(withlogoprintedonit)onthefrontsideofthebox.
5.
Foldtheboxtogether.

BottleAssembly:
InternalAssembly(Liquid):
1. Openbottleandplaceafunnelintotheopening.
2. MeasureAlcoholandWaterintoabowl,Mix
3. Takesolutionfrombowlandpourintomeasuringcup
4. Pourtheproperamountofeachliquid.
5. Twistlidbackonthebottleandwipeoffanyspilledliquid.
6. PeeloffandApplythelabelontotheBottle.
7. Passonbottleandcap.

6.
PlaceBottleinthedesignatedareaofthebox.

7.

InternalAssembly(Tissue):
1. Pulloffthetabofthetissuebox.

PlaceTissuesintotheapproteareaofbox.

8.
9.

FirstAid:
1. Grababagfromthebagcontainer.
2. Insertthesmallbandaidsintothebag.
3. Insertbigbandaidsintothebag.
4. Insertburncreamintothebag.
5. Removesealontheplasticattachablepouch,andplaceitonthebackofthebox.
6. Placebagintopouch.
7. Passon.

PlaceFirstAidintodesignatedareaofthebox.
Closethebox.