Thompson Packaging
Thompson Packaging is an established business providing custom
packaging to various industries. There are oOnly a few
computerized operations are in the business. In an effort to become
more efficient and profitable, the vice-president, Julia Thompson, has hired a
systems analyst, Robert Hanover.
Background
Director
Julia and Robert
have made progress in the development of a strategic plan for Thompson
Packaging. Robert is anxious to define the requirements for the new system He
has gathered more information and has created the following organizational
chart for Thompson Packaging.
Robert: Julia, it’s time to start moving
on the system investigation. The mission statement is finalized and strategic
planning is well underway. I can see that the directors are beginning to think
about how their departments can benefit from better information management.
Julia: You’re right! John McClean found
out that we lost a big order the other day because the customer was able to get
the estimate much more quickly from a company in the Midwest because of their
online presence. He’s wondering just how many sales we are losing because of
timeliness issues. I had Anna’s group gather numbers for the directors about
how many times our profit margin has been reduced because of human error
somewhere along the order process. We are profitable, but could be more so by
reducing error and becoming more competitive with timely information to our
potential customers.
Robert: John’s area of sales is a logical place to
start the investigation. I need to interview sales reps and the customer
service rep to get an idea of the requirements for the new information system.
What kind of information will we put ininclude? What
do we want to get out? What processes need to be managed? What are our business
needs?
Julia: This will take some time, and a
lot of information needs to be gathered. You should make sure you spend some
time with the accounting clerks too, because they fill in if the customer
service rep is out sick or on vacation.
Robert: I’m ready to get started!
Assignments
1.
In a preliminary systems investigation, one step is to perform
fact finding. Robert will need to interview the staff at Thompson Packaging. In
preparation for the interviews, Robert will compile a list of questions. Review
the case details provided up to now, select three staff members in addition to
John McClean,
and prepare a list of open-ended questions that will encourage the generation
of ideas and opportunities for improvement.
2.
You are assisting in the development of a questionnaire for
the customers of Thompson Packaging. The focus is to determine the level of
customer satisfaction. Define these elements of the
questionnaire as itemized below.
a. Write the heading for the questionnaire. Include a title, a brief explanation to the customers, the purpose of the form, the name and telephone number of a contact person, and other critical information.
b.
Write a paragraph defending the use of either a signed or an
anonymous form. Explain why one choice is better than
another in various situations.
3.
Identify other
fact-finding techniques that Robert can use in this investigation. What
advantages and disadvantages are there to each of the choices?
4.
After gathering
the information, Robert will need to compile the documentation. Detail two
options available to Robert.