SME Ellen Adler BSAP Spring 2007 Allison Soil

SME Ellen Adler BSAP Spring 2007 Allison

Soil Materials and Engineering, Portage MI • This is a real setting, with real problems. The intervention implemented is real, as well as the data collected • The participants in this project include all of the Project Managers and Supervisor at the site

Problem Behavior at SME • Project Managers have problems signing in and out of the office. • When job opportunities call in for these Project Managers, they don’t always get a hold of them because no one knows where they are. This can result in a loss of job opportunity.

Natural Contingencies • The natural contingency for the Project Managers was the slight possibility of losing a job and/or customer. • These Natural contingencies occur in nature, without being designed by a performance manager to control behavior.

Natural Contingencies The ineffective natural contingency fails to control the Project Managers’ behavior because the possibility of losing a job is too improbable. Small probability of losing a job Sign in/out of the office Slightly less probability of losing a job

Natural Contingencies The natural competing contingency works against the ineffective natural contingency, making it hard to control behavior. Gets a few extra minutes on break Signs in/out of the office Doesn’t get a few extra minutes on break

BASELINE GRAPH

Baseline Graph Description • Project Managers had an average of 9 opportunities to sign in and out each day • The average amount of times they actually did sign out was 2. 5 • This data shows that there was plenty of room for improvement

Performance Objectives The goal of this intervention is to increase the percentage of times the Project Managers sign in and out to 100%

Input-Process-Output Model Output: (Project Managers sign in/out of the office 100% of the time everyday) Production: Implement Performance Management Input: (Projection Managers don’t sign in and out of the office 100% of the time)

Goal Specification Form Output Project Managers sign in/out 100% of the time Standards Process Current Quality Sign in and out about 27% of the time Sign in and out 100% of the time Quantity About 3 Project Managers All 8 Project Managers Timeliness Right before/after they come and go Cost N/A $30 gas card opportunity Implement Intervention Production: X Input Ideal Distribution_ __ R&D__ Project Managers don’t sign in/out 100% of the time _

Incentive Intervention • All Project Managers received index cards with their names on it. They were to use the card to sign in and out by handing it in to the front desk. • They received a stamp on their index card each time they used it. The one with the most stamps at the end of the month would have won a $30 gas card

Design the Intervention Performance Management Contingency Will lose the opportunity to win a $30 gas card at the end of the month Fear the loss of the opportunity to win $30 gas card at the end of the month Sign in and out of the office Won’t lose the opportunity to win a $30 gas card at the end of the month Don’t fear the loss of the opportunity to win $30 gas card at the end of the month

Implement Intervention The intervention was implemented Friday, March 9 th, when Suzanne sent out an email explaining the intervention

Intervention Graph

Intervention Successful? • The intervention failed to increase the performance behavior of the Project Managers. • We feel this was due to two factors: – lack of interest in the $30 gas card – Unwillingness to walk to the front desk to get index card stamped

Recycle was needed!!! We completely took out the incentive intervention and replaced it with a new intervention: – A new way to sign in and out! • The new method was quick, easy and convenient. • Project Managers simply pressed a button on their phone to indicate if they were leaving and when they return

Recycled Intervention

Evaluate the Recycle Unfortunately we haven’t had enough time to see if the intervention will be a success or not. We plan to continue the intervention after the project has ended.

IOA Suzanne and I agreed on one method to observe the Project Managers signing in/out and both used this as our method to collect data. Ex: checking sign in/out sheet, index cards stamped, periodically checking phones’ lights

Manager and Employees’ Experience • Suzanne, the Supervisor, enjoyed the experience. It brought to light the performance problem that existed at SME • Project Managers weren’t as thrilled about the experience. The social evaluation graphs on the next slides shows this

Personal Experience I enjoyed the experience of implementing a real intervention for a business I was disappointed when our intervention failed to meet any of our goals Overall I felt that this was a great learning experience

Questions or Comments? ? ?