Assignment 2 - Data Collection for Six Sigma-Type Analysis

(20% of your Grade)

Note: This assignment will be used for your future assignments.

Context:
Where your data came from and how it was collected is important information. Without this information, future analysts may not understand what
was collected and what it measured or why. Creating a data collection plan/map should help ensure that all the required information is in a single
place. Also, in cases where a six sigma analysis is undertaken, this information can prove critical.

Assignment Required:
Refine the data collection work you performed in assignment #1 by providing additional information about your information flows and individual
data elements within the flows. Consider that this information may be used for purposes of a six sigma optimization, as well as for other
operational reasons.

Assignment Format:
The assignment answers should be submitted in WORD format only. For tables & matrices, you can use EXCEL. As previously, no PDF files will be accepted. The
Turnitin application rules applied to your submissions. In case that the score of the Turnitin exceeds 30%, your submission will not be evaluated, and
you will be assigned a grade of ZERO!

Additional Format Requirements

• The assignment answers should follow the APA formatting structure. You must highlight the key words in bold and underline/colors the key points, modifications,
important phrases.
• You are strongly encouraged to add graphs, diagrams, images to your document. These presenting elements should help in further clarifying your presented points.
• Your document should be presentable and presenting your highest degree of professionalism.

Specific Instructions:
To do: Select 8 “interesting” data flows you identified in assignment #1. For each of these 8 data flows, identify one private or one public data
SOURCE. For example, recall the sample data flow in assignment #1:

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 Receipt of produce with associated paperwork. Paperwork generated at central warehouse and included with goods shipped. Paperwork
entered into grocery store central computer on receipt of goods. Paperwork includes description of produce, expiry date, refrigeration or
storage requirements, suggested retail price.

For this data flow, a PRIVATE data source might be the farmers’ list of the produce shipped and produce expiry dates. A PUBLIC data source might
be industry standard times and temperatures for refrigeration of produce. Of course, there are other data sources which you could select as well.
To do: Now for each PUBLIC or PRIVATE data source you identify (one data source for each of 8 data flows), complete the following chart. As a
sample, the chart has been completed for the example data flow.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Data Flow Data Public / Exactly WHAT is Type of Data Purpose of Sampling Collected Structure & Where is the Operational Data How to Other
Description Source Private being Collected? (Text, numeric, Data Information by Stratification Data to be Definition of Owner, Display to Information
from Identified Source structured, (Use Case) & Who/How of Data Obtained? Data Controller, the Six
Assignment unstructured…) Frequency and When Processor Sigma
1 Team
Receipt - Industry Public Tables of Structured and Establish Check Download No Collected in Storage and Technical Tabular and
produce and standards temperature, unstructured, technical every from stratification the technical quality services, IT, graphic
paperwork types of text and numeric parameter month for standards services control logistics &
produce, for the standard website; department standards; shipping
temperature for storage of updates; subscription from online health and
refrigeration in produce in must select to data bases. safety
degrees Celsius, the store; 100% of standards standards
temperature determine relevant website;
ranges, life time when information automatic
of produce (in produce download
hours) by type of must be controlled
produce and removed by technical
temperature at (expired). services
which stored, Reduce the department
required energy
adjustments to needed to
produce life refrigerate
according to produce by
temperature maintaining
variations the minimum
required
temperature.
Optimize the
retention of
produce for
sale by
knowing
EXACTLY
when the
produce
expires or
becomes
unsaleable.

For greater certainty, the columns (as numbered above) should contain:

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1. Identify the data flow(s) you have selected form assignment #1. You must pick 8 of the data flows you identified in assignment #1.
2. What are the data SOURCES for your data flow. There may be one or many. If there are many data sources together in this one data flow,
select a minimum of 3 data sources.
3. For each source, is it PUBLIC or PRIVATE?
4. What data precisely is being collected? “What” signifies the metrics, the measurements that need to be recorded. While metrics are being
specified, we should also provide the exact operational definition and outline the way calculations are going to be made – to avoid
confusion. Failing to do so can make the numbers incomparable.
5. For each source, describe the type(s) of data. Whether the data is continuous or discrete needs to be mentioned. The people executing the
data plan will need this information. Also, the sub-type of data such as binary, ordered pairs etc. needs to be mentioned and explained to
the people collecting the data.
6. What is the PURPOSE of the data course (how will it be used). One common purpose includes determining whether a process is stable or
capable. This means your selected data source will work better for a process than one previously used. In every case the purpose needs to
be clearly defined. [Consider Six Sigma!]
7. Data for process improvement needs to be collected over a period. The data collection plan should outline exactly at what frequency the
data needs to be collected and sampling and confidence levels, if applicable. This is a part of experiment design and must be adhered to by
the data collection team without change. Changing a data sampling protocol once initiated may invalidate the statistical assumptions and
calculations.
8. In most modern day Six Sigma projects, the data is collected by a machine. This is either done by a shop floor machine or a workflow
software which is precisely recording the data for each step. There are people who are responsible for programming the machine to collect
the data and display it in a format that is acceptable to the Six Sigma Team. The “who” therefore refers to liaising with the person in charge
of the software to ensure the data is available and in the correct format.
9. Is the data source hierarchical or otherwise structured? Are there top levels and detailed levels of data? How is the data presented (in
tables, rows, lists, graphs…)?
10. Where may not refer to the physical location of the data as much as it refers to the location within the process. The data collection plan
must explicitly specify where in the process data must be collected from.
11. Operational definition is how the data source is characterized for purposes of describing it to members of the company and in particular,
members of the six sigma team.
12. Data owner, processor and controller – specify who these people are using definitions related to privacy protection and control of personal
information.
13. The data collection plan also explains the format in which the collected data should be displayed to the Six Sigma team. Most likely, a
graphical method is selected as it is intuitively easier to use.
14. Any other helpful information.

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Other Guidance

• Please READ the examples, articles and references provided with the assignment before beginning. Please check the assignment’s answer
examples. Note that these examples reflect good examples of answering this assignment to be aware of the document structure and
content. However, to achieve top grades, you need to use your creativity and research skills to develop a professional, comprehensive, and
well-structured document.
• Assume that the information in this assignment will be used for a six sigma optimization or process improvement project.

Good luck!