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Final Exam Case Study
Please read ALL directions below before starting your final assignment.
INSTRUCTIONS:
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•
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Read the entire case study carefully and then respond to all
questions in each of the four scenarios.
Develop each answer to the fullest extent possible,
including in-text citations from course resources in
weeks 1 – 7, where applicable, to support your arguments.
Submit your assignment as a separate MS Word document
in your assignments folder. Do not type your answers
into the case study document. o Include a Cover Page
with Name, Date, and Title of Assignment.
o
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Do not include the original question. Use the
following format: Scenario 1: question 1, etc. o
Each response should be written in complete
sentences, double-spaced and spell-checked. Use
12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins
on all sides.
o Include page numbers according to APA formatting
guidelines.
o Include references in APA format at the end of each
answer.
You must submit to the assignment link by the due date
(final day of class). A missing assignment will be assigned
a grade of 0.
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 1
Introduction and Organization
Overview
DRA Performance Solutions (DRA PS) was founded in 1992 with the goal to improve human performance
using multiple technology avenues.
To improve human performance, DRA PS makes recommendations about how to change
work environments to improve employee performance, motivation and morale; and develops
courseware for skill improvement.
The Training Solutions Division of DRA PS develops the courseware products.
Revenue for past year: $25 million.
Revenue for the Training Solutions Division for the past year: $10 million.
DRA PS total workforce: 650 employees, 260 of whom are employed in the Training Solutions
Division.
Case Study Background
The Training Solutions Division (TSD) of DRA PS was recently awarded a $6 million contract
to develop a training academy for BTA, a United States government organization with highly
educated personnel. The contract is for 36 months. The academy must be up and running in
three months and the first classroom course offered at the start of the fourth month.
TSD must develop the following before the first classroom course is offered:
a. A project plan and timeline for the academy’s development, including web site design and launch,
course development and repeat course cycles.
b. Paper-based training and educational products.
c. Web-based training and educational products.
d. Digitized video training and educational products.
2 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
e. Marketing brochures, posters and e-mail announcements.
f. Event logistics plans.
g. Delivery schedules for 15 courses.
h. Training analyses for the first and second courses.
i. Instructional design plans.
j. An instructor’s guide, participant manual and PowerPoint presentation with a variety of multimedia
components such as graphics, animations and videos for the first course.
k. An examination for the first course.
The training academy will be completely virtual. All academy marketing, courses and
attendee registration will occur online. In addition, the academy web site will house course
materials and records for attendee access, and an interactive forum for academy member
collaboration.
The contract requires TSD to develop 15 classroom-based courses that are highly
interactive and use innovative multimedia approaches. After all the courses are developed
and delivered one time, they will be repeated during the last year of the three-year project.
Project Phases
Project development will occur in two phases:
Phase 1: Create the training academy (3 months). Implement
organizational structure.
Develop and launch web site.
Develop and implement branding for the academy.
Develop and distribute marketing materials.
Develop the first course.
Deliver the first course.
Begin development of the second course through the analysis phase.
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 3
Phase 2: Maintain academy operations, develop and implement remaining courses, and offer
repeat sessions (2 years and 9 months). Complete development of the second course.
Deliver the second course.
Implement development schedule for the next 13 courses.
Offer repeat courses during last year of the contract. Continue to manage the
academy, maintain the web site and market the courses.
Organizational Structure
DRA PS’s current organizational structure:
4 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
The Training Solutions Division is a matrix organization* divided into the following branches:
Project Management
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 5
Instructional Design
Graphic Design
Programming
Document Production
Logistics
Multimedia
* A matrix organization uses a multiple chain‐of‐command system. In a matrix organization, employees typically report to
a manager with profit or overall project responsibility and to their functional manager who is responsible for maintaining
product quality and functional performance.
Current TSD Staffing
All 260 employees in the Training Solutions Division are already assigned to projects. The new
contract will require TSD to determine how many employees they will need for each division
branch and for each project. They will need to take into account when current
projects are ending; who can be moved from those projects to the new project; and how many
new employees will be needed.
Scenario 1: Increasing Staff to
Complete the First Phase
Read the Introduction of DRA PS.
6 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
Additional Scenario Information MRG HPI Policies and Guidelines for Assigning Employees to
Projects
DRA PS is committed to maintaining a highly qualified talent pool. Therefore, all DRA PS
employees must be considered for new work opportunities before being terminated due to lack
of an available, relevant assignment.
New employees must be hired to support existing workloads. Full-time position requests must
include verification of the project assignment; a budget to support the position; and the
duration of the assignment. If project will be short in duration, term hires must be considered
or even the use of a consultant or subcontractor.
The addition of a new position requires written approval from the project manager, branch
chief, the vice president of the Training Solutions Division, the chief operating officer, the chief
financial officer and the vice president of Human Resources.
Subcontractor hiring requires written approval from the project manager, branch chief, of the
vice president of the Training Solutions Division, the vice president of Contracts, the chief
operating officer, the chief financial officer and the vice president of Human Resources.
Staff reassignments require written approval from the branch chief, the vice president of
the Training Solutions Division, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer, the
vice president of Human Resources and the chief executive officer.
Answer the following:
1. What are some of the positions you may need to recruit? Why?
2. What are the existing recruitment policies and guidelines and what challenges may they cause?
3. How will you meet those challenges?
4. What is your recruitment strategy?
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 7
Scenario 2: The Effect of Firing the
Program Manager on Staffing for the
Second Phase of the Project
Read the Introduction of DRA PS.
Additional Scenario Information
Work is well underway. A Task Management Educational Plan is being written to
articulate the scope, work breakdown, processes, schedules and assignments at each project
phase. This plan must be done within the first month of the project start date. DRA PS
hired a new program manager from outside the organization to oversee the new project.
DRA PS hired her based on her college degree and years of experience in the field and
needs her to get up to speed quickly. An existing program manager who worked on the
project proposal and who has met the client is assigned the project’s principal instructional
designer.
Client’s Requirements
The client expects the program manager to conduct weekly status meetings with them;
communicate with them on a daily basis through e-mails and telephone calls; and to meet
established deadlines for product delivery. The client will conduct quality assurance
reviews immediately to keep the schedule on time.
Schedule and Workload Requirements
The team is organized into three divisions: course development, marketing, and web site
development. Each division has a lead team member. The program manager has oversight
of the entire project.
The web site must be designed and launched two months after the project start date.
A marketing plan and branding campaign must be designed before the web site can launch.
Marketing products must be ready for distribution at the same time as the web site launch.
The first course must be delivered at the start of the fourth month from the project start
date.
The course review and rehearsal must be ready two months after the project start date.
8 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
Analysis work for the second course must start two months after the project start date.
Program Manager’s Actions
The program manager seems friendly but does not seem to be leading the team. She holds
weekly status meetings with the client but doesn’t say anything during those meetings. She
responds only by e-mail to client communications and calls only to confirm meetings.
The client is not impressed with the program manager’s performance and notices that
the lead instructional designer is actually filling both the program manager and
instructional designer roles. One month into the project, the client mentions the program
manager’s performance to the vice president of the division. The vice president
promises to talk to the program manager and help her improve her performance.
By the end of the second month, the analysis for the second course has started. The first
course is ready for review and rehearsal, which means all materials have been developed
and are ready for instructor review. The preliminary branding campaign was completed,
marketing materials are ready for approval, and the first version of the web site has
launched.
The vice president of the division phones the client and asks for feedback on the project
accomplishments to date and the program manager’s performance.
The client praises the progress made in such a short time but thinks it has happened in spite
of the program manager. The client informs the vice president that the program manager
missed the deadline for delivery of the Task Management Educational Plan. When it was
finally delivered, the client sent it back as unsatisfactory. Also, the client feels that the
program manager has been uncommunicative; she has not said a dozen words in the past
eight weekly progress meetings. The client is not pleased with the program manager’s
performance. At the end of the third month, DRA PS decides to replace the program
manager.
In spite of this, team leaders have made sure that the first course is ready, the web site is
launched, and the marketing plan is developed and implemented on schedule.
A new program manager is needed right away. Answer the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
How would you have handled the program manager’s performance issues? Was
the right decision made to replace her? Why or why not?
What options exist to find a new program manager?
Discuss the benefits and risks of hiring the lead instructional designer for this
role.
Discuss the recruitment and retention challenges you face in filling the position
quickly.
Scenario 3: The Effect of Losing Staff
Members during a Staff Reduction
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 9
Read the Introduction of DRA PS.
Additional Scenario Information
Six months into the project, the client reviews the progress and issues a stop-work order.
The main issues identified during their review:
There were different expectations about the complexity of graphics in course development
and course materials.
There were different opinions about the level of marketing required (marketing a course
versus the entire academy, no post-course promos, etc.).
There were issues with instructors. There were instances where instructors had rescheduled
on multiple occasions or cancelled.
There were concerns about the subject matter experts (SMEs). SMEs had been hired
outside of the budgeted amount. There were also concerns about the SMEs not providing
the level of technical writing expertise required, which resulted in having to hire
additional technical writers.
DRA PS addressed some of these concerns by removing the videotaping requirement
during the analysis phase and removing the repeat courses that were going to be offered
during the final contract year.
By eliminating videotaping and repeat courses, the remaining courses to be developed and
presented were stretched over the rest of the contract (2 ½ years).
This means that instead of developing and offering the 15 courses using two teams in a
staggered fashion over two years, DRA PS must reduce staff. Currently there are three
senior instructional designers, six graphic artists, three document specialists, six
technical writers, three subject matter experts, and two editors assigned to the teams.
Your subject matter experts are consultants under contract.
You don’t want to lose your staff, but you may have no choice but to let some go.
Some of the employees resign when they hear the news. Three instructional designers quit
and the remaining three are searching for new jobs. All your technical writers have
résumés out to potential employers. Your senior graphics lead, a person you count on, has
a job offer with another organization.
What will you do to maintain a staff to meet the contractual changes and ensure a quality
product? What can you do to retain your employees and instill confidence that the program
is stable? Answer the following:
1. What can be done to retain existing employees?
2. How will you motivate the current team?
3. How will you go about replacing the ones who have left (positions that are still
needed)?
10 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
Scenario 4: The Effect of Additional
Workload on Continuing Operations
Read the Introduction of DRA PS.
Additional Scenario Information
The issues that caused the work-stop order were satisfactorily addressed and work on the
project resumed. The client is impressed with DRA PS’s work products and with how they
addressed some difficult issues during the development and delivery of the last six or seven
courses. The client wants to add repeat courses back into the schedule and add four new
courses. The client wants to start the new courses immediately and wants them completed
within the next 12 months. The current work must continue and not be affected by the
additional work.
Current Schedule and Workload Requirements
One course is scheduled to be completed this year. Three more courses are to be developed
next year. It takes 6 months to develop each course. The three-year contract ends
September 30 next year. All of the additional work must be completed by that date.
Current staffing consists of:
One senior instructional designer
Three graphic artists
One director/videographer
One subcontracted sound technician
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 11
One media specialist
One logistics coordinator
One web programmer
Two technical writers
One subcontracted subject matter expert
One editor
One document specialist
Current Organizational Structure
The training academy is now two years old. DRA PS has developed seven courses; the last
one was the most challenging to develop and yet one of the most successful. The success
rejuvenated the team, which was struggling after the termination of the program manager,
the three-month work stoppage, a change to the workload and schedule requirements, and
the loss of co-workers. Development and delivery schedules were tight and required a
great deal of commitment and hard work. The teams’ moods have run the gamut from
devastation to euphoria. The current mood is somewhere in between.
Retention and Recruitment Issues
In the previous scenario, some staff members were looking for employment elsewhere.
Motivation issues still persist.
Additional staffing is needed because of the new work. A staffing analysis concluded that
seven teams will be necessary to accomplish the additional work. Staff additions include:
Three graphic artists
Two logistics staff
Three document specialists
Two editors
Fourteen technical writers
Seven instructional designers (these will be negotiated with the subcontractor) Answer
the following:
1. What internal and/or external methods could be used to recruit and staff quality teams?
2. How will you ensure a fair, equitable, and market competitive compensation and
reward strategy?
3. Propose two strategies to quickly integrate the new teams into the existing workforce.
4. Discuss two ways you will proactively manage any potential performance issues.
12 © 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D.
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 13
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 15
© 2008 Society for Human Resource Management. Marcia R. Gibson, Ed.D. 15
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