Description
Competency
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:
Apply the process of systems thinking
Scenario
You are an employee at a consulting firm that assists other businesses in solving systems problems within their organizations. Ann Jemisin, president of Lost Pines Outfitters, a local and online clothing retailer, has asked for your assistance. During the intake process, she sends information on her company, their processes, and the issues they would like you to remedy. Your supervisor has asked you to create an analysis of the existing systems in Anne’s business. Your analysis is an initial appraisal of the situation at Lost Pines Outfitters, making preliminary recommendations to address the issues identified by your client. As you write your analysis, focus on the application of systems thinking processes and best practices to the scenario and the identified issues.
Directions
System Analysis
Lost Pines Outfitters has provided you with a specifications document describing the current processes in place in their business, and the issues they would like to address through the application of systems thinking processes. Using this information, create an analysis that addresses the following requirements:
Description: Before you make recommendations to fix the system, you must first describe the system in its current state. In your analysis, identify the parts of the current system, and consider the main nodes of the system and the high-level processes and components in place at Lost Pines Outfitters. Once you have identified the parts of the system, describe the interactions and relationships between parts of the system and identify and describe the feedback loops in the system.
Recommendations: Once you have described the current system, examine the problems offered by the client. Using systems thinking principles, pose recommendations to existing systems based on client needs and systems thinking best practices. In your recommendation, consider both the interactions and relationships between parts of the system, as well as the feedback loops present. Then, describe the potential impact of changes to the system. In your recommendations and description, focus on the application of systems thinking concepts and best practices to the identified problems.
Modeling: Following your analysis and recommendation, construct a model of a system including recommended changes. This model should represent your recommended changes and include parts, interactions, relationships, and feedback loops for your recommended changes.
Conclusion: In the conclusion of your analysis, describe the benefits of systems thinking within a business environment. In this description, demonstrate how the application of systems thinking allowed you to analyze the problems and equipped you to solve the identified issues.
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following:
Systems Analysis
Generate a report that analyzes the current systems in place at Lost Pines Outfitters and recommends changes to these systems/processes in line with client requests. This report should include initial recommendations for process and technology improvements focused on enhancing the client’s systems. Additionally, the report should contain a visualization modeling the recommended system for the client.
Your report should be 900–1,250 words and contain at least one system visualization created using Microsoft Visio.
Supporting Materials
The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:
Scenario Information: Client Specifications – Lost Pines Outfitters Word Document
You have been provided with information on Lost Pines Outfitters, including their current processes.
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Client Specifications – Lost Pines Outfitters
About Our Company
Lost Pines Outfitters (LPO) is a small online and local clothing retailer specializing in affordable
outdoor clothing for value-conscious shoppers. LPO was founded in 1989 by Ann Jemisin in
Bastrop, Texas.
Our Process
Lost Pines Outfitters operates both an online storefront (LPO Online) and a physical storefront
(LPO Retail) serving customers in the Texas Hill Country. Inventory is shared across both
locations, with a single warehouse fulfilling orders from LPO Online and stocking LPO’s retail
location. The processes for fulfilling orders in each branch of the business are described below:
LPO Online
When a customer places an order through LPO’s online portal, their order is sent directly to the
warehouse, where an associate takes (“pulls”) the selected items from warehouse shelves.
Warehouse associates use a single computer to track incoming orders, locate items in
inventory, and pull inventory for fulfillment. Once LPO’s warehouse associates have pulled the
items from inventory, they manually update the inventory tracking system. Once the item has
been pulled, it is sent to the fulfilment department. In the fulfillment department, associates
package the items for delivery to customers and assign the shipment a tracking number
through the United States Postal Service. Once the order has shipped, an associate in LPO’s
fulfillment department manually checks the tracking information and updates the order’s
delivery status. Once the customer receives the order, an associate sends a card, thanking them
for their purchase and requesting they leave a review of the item and their experience shopping
with Lost Pines Outfitters.
LPO Retail
LPO’s retail store is located near Austin, Texas. Customers visiting the retail location can browse
LPO’s inventory and directly purchase their goods within the store. Inventory for the LPO retail
location is drawn directly from the warehouse that also serves LPO Online. Purchases are
tracked through LPO’s point of sale system. At the beginning of each week, the manager of
LPO’s retail store collects information from retail sales and updates inventory in LPO’s
warehouse database. Associates working in LPO’s retail stores also send cards and coupon
offers to members of LPO’s loyalty program, which is only offered in their retail store.
The Issues
With this information about the systems in place at Lost Pines Outfitters, your supervisor has
asked you to leverage your understanding of systems thinking to address the following
problems. Your recommendations should be based in systems thinking.
1. The CEO has noticed there are frequent discrepancies between LPO’s inventory
database and the inventory tracking at the retail store. Because information is not
regularly communicated, the buyer is unable to regularly purchase inventory with the
most up-to-date information.
2. Warehouse workers have a single computer that serves a variety of functions. Workers
often experience delays in updating and processing orders due to other workers using
the warehouse computer.
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