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PPMP20009 (Leading Lean Projects)
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Assessment 1 – Description
Assessment title Case study report
Assessment weight 40% of the unit marks
Report length 3000 words
Maximum 8 pages excluding references and appendices
Report format MS Word or PDF
Submission type Individual
Submission due by Friday, Week 6
Assessment objective
The purpose of this assessment item is to help you develop and demonstrate your skills in the use of
Lean project management concepts, theories, and arguments. You are particularly required to identify
and analyse waste, apply Lean concepts and best practices and propose a Lean transformation project.
Your ability to provide coherent and relevant answers to the questions as per the assessment criteria
will be evaluated. You must demonstrate critical reflection in linking theory to the given case scenario.
Assessment tasks
Your task is to watch a video detailing the 24 hours in an Emergency Room, accessible via this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5iewcBt4RI&t=511s
You need to create a maximum 8-page case study and discuss the identified waste and Lean
Transformation project.
Task Details

1. Process Mapping: Visualise the observed patient flow and support processes in the Emergency
   Room, as depicted in the video. Based on the observable segments, identify the key steps in the
   workflow experienced by patients and staff (such as check-in, triage, examination, treatment
   preparation, or movement between spaces).

• Classify each step as either Value-Added (VA) or Non-Value-Added (NVA) from the
  patient’s perspective.
• Explain the Voice of the Customer (VoC) for each process — i.e., what matters most to
  patients at each stage (e.g., timeliness, safety, clarity, comfort).
• Where the patient flow is not fully demonstrated, infer logical steps based on standard
  ER workflows. Conduct research to support your assumptions about standard ER
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  processes (e.g., typical triage steps, patient transfer routines, or administrative
  procedures).
  Useful links & videos to get you started:
  https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Performance/Pages/emergency.aspx
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-5cJhca3DE&t=90s

1. Identify Lean Waste: While watching the video, identify 3 examples out of 7 wastes (i.e. Defects,
   Waiting, Transportation, Motion, Inventory, Over-production, Over-processing)
   For each of the 3 examples you identify:

• Clearly describe the observed waste and its context within the Emergency Room
  healthcare process.
• Explain why it qualifies as a Lean waste, based on Lean definitions.
• Discuss the potential impact of this waste on patient care, staff efficiency, or hospital
  resource use and other factors.

1. Lean Transformation Project: Propose a Lean transformation project. Specify key
   activities/steps related to the Lean transformation by aligning with Lean thinking principles.
   Note: Your Lean transformation should focus on reducing or eliminating prioritised Lean waste.
   This can be done by addressing one or more specific processes associated with prioritised Lean
   waste. Please avoid considering a wider scope for an entire process from start to end.
2. Project Management Approach: Discuss and justify whether the proposed Lean transformation
   project should be managed as a waterfall or agile project.
3. ADKAR Model Application: Apply the ADKAR model to manage the necessary change for
   implementing the Lean transformation project, ensuring specificity to the selected scope,
   stakeholders, and process.
4. Reflection: Reflect on your experience and insights gained from using generative AI tools in the
   context of the “Leading Lean Projects” unit.
   Task Descriptions and Distribution of Marks (40 Marks)
   Task Description Marks
   1 Visualise all processes for ER patient flow using process mapping. A process map is a
   simple planning and management tool that visually describes, in this case, patient
   flow. Your response should be detailed enough to allow someone with no prior
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   knowledge of the organisation or the process to clearly understand how the process
   works. Please ensure you address the following points:
   a. Explain “value-added” or “non-value added” components/activities of the identified
   processes including the reasons for your selection.
   b. What would be the voice of the customer about the output of the process?
   c. Where the patient flow is not fully shown in the video, make reasonable inferences
   based on standard Emergency Room workflows. Support your assumptions with
   evidence from research on typical ER processes (e.g., triage procedures, patient
   transfers, or administrative steps). Be sure to provide references to demonstrate
   your research, using Harvard referencing style.
   Notes

• You need to discuss the processes, not just individual activities. A process is defined
  as a series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular outcome. In the context
  of this assignment, the focus is on identifying and describing healthcare processes
  that contribute to patient flow.
• You can see an example of a simple process map below. There are many free online
  flowchart maker websites you can use to develop your process map.
  Source: https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/process-mapping
  Further readings: What is Process Mapping? https://www.ibm.com/topics/process-mapping
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  Note the following useful points:
• Create the Process Map
• Use a process mapping tool (such as flowcharts, swimlane diagrams) to visually
  represent the steps. Tools like Lucidchart, Microsoft Visio, or even simple tools like
  PowerPoint can be used.
• Define each step clearly and use standardised symbols (e.g., rectangles for process
  steps, diamonds for decisions, etc.).
• Classify Processes:
• Value-Added: These are steps that directly contribute to meeting customer
  requirements and add value from the customer’s perspective.
• Non-Value-Added: These are steps that do not add value and could be considered
  waste. They often include delays, unnecessary movements, over-processing, overproduction,
  etc.
• Analyse Each Process Step:
• Determine which steps are value-added and which are non-value added. For nonvalue-
  added steps, identify if they are necessary (regulatory requirements, necessary
  inspections) or pure waste.
• Voice of Customer (VoC):
• Identify the customer’s needs and expectations for each process step. The VoC can be
  gathered from customer feedback, surveys, interviews, or inferred from the process
  requirements.
• Explain how each step meets or fails to meet the customer’s expectations.
  Example: Imagine the video showing a simple order fulfillment process:
• Receive Order (VA)
  o VoC: Customers expect their orders to be received accurately and promptly.
• Verify Order Details (VA)
  o VoC: Customers expect their orders to be correct and any discrepancies to
  be identified quickly.
• Check Inventory (NVA)
  o VoC: This step may not add direct value to the customer but is necessary to
  ensure the order can be fulfilled.
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  2 Clearly describe the observed waste and its context within the Emergency Room healthcare
  process. Explain why it qualifies as a Lean waste, based on Lean definitions. Discuss the
  potential impact of this waste on patient care, staff efficiency, or hospital resource use.
• You must identify at least 3 examples of waste. The diagram below was sourced
  from the following website which provides more information on Lean waste.
• https://tulip.co/blog/8-wastes-of-lean-manufacturing/
  For obvious reasons, students’ answers cannot be similar, as different people think
  differently!
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  3 Describe the Lean transformation project you will propose to address the prioritised Lean
  waste. You must specify one Lean waste ONLY (either Defects, Waiting, Transportation,
  Motion, Inventory, Over-production or Over-processing) that you would like to eliminate or
  mitigate.
• Your response should identify how will you remove or reduce the Lean waste you
  have prioritised.
• Ensure you state key activities that will be required to implement the Lean
  transformation project.
• Ensure the actions you propose align with the concept of ‘Lean thinking’ which is
  described in the following quote:
  “Lean thinking is used by companies who are looking to improve efficiency and eliminate
  wastes. The ultimate goal for Lean manufacturing is to create quality products that satisfy
  the customer and meet demand with as little resources as necessary”
  https://www.creativesafetysupply.com/qa/lean-manufacturing/what-is-the-goal-of-lean
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  4 Discuss and justify whether the Lean transformation project that you propose should be
  managed as a waterfall or agile project.
• Note: Just because this is a ‘Lean transformation project’, it is not necessarily suited
  to an Agile project management approach.
• HINT: If you can easily plan and execute the entire lean transformation project
  (which in this case is the removal or reduction of the lean waste you identified), then
  it is more likely that an Agile project approach is not required.
  2
  5 Using the ADKAR model, describe how you would manage the changes necessary to
  implement the outputs of the Lean transformation project that involves the actions
  described in Question 4 above.
  The following website provides further information
  about the ADKAR model for organisational change.
  https://www.prosci.com/methodology/adkar
  Your response needs to be specific to the Lean transformation project you are proposing
  and demonstrate that you not only understand the ADKAR model but are also able to apply
  it to your specific case study. Therefore, you must ensure to include the details about your
  specific organisation, process, etc. Responses that are general in nature or simply define the
  ADKAR elements will be marked down. The answers must clearly refer to your selected
  scope, the stakeholders, and the process you selected for your proposed project.
  5
  6 Reflection: Reflect on your experience and insights gained from using generative AI tools in
  the context of the “Leading Lean Projects” unit. Your reflection will be anonymised and may
  be used for research purposes to understand the impact and effectiveness of generative AI
  in educational settings.
  4
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  7 Referencing (CQU Harvard Referencing Style)
• Ensure that both the AI-generated content and your original contributions are
  properly referenced in Harvard style. Distinguish between AI-generated and
  personal content to maintain academic integrity.
• Use two separate sections (these sections are additional to your 8-page report):
  one for ‘List of References’ and an ‘Appendix’ to report all prompts used with any
  generative AI. For AI content in-text citations, reference them like this: ‘The context’
  (ChatGPT, Prompt 1), and in the Appendix, provide a detailed report for Prompt 1.
• Important Note All AI-generated content must be in quotation and italic font.
• Read the Guidelines for AI Integration and Ethical Considerations provided on
  Moodle website.
  3
  Do not include a cover page. It will form a part of your page limit and is wasted space.
  TIP: Present your responses in the same order as outlined above, so that the marker can easily locate the
  required information.
  You must include all written answers as text. Any submissions that include written content as text and/or
  not processed in Turnitin due to excessive percentage of images may be considered as breaching academic
  integrity requirements. You may be required to re-submit the assessment in an acceptable format and
  incur late penalties in that case.
  Your submission must be uploaded as a Word or PDF file.
  Note that you will be marked down if your submission exceeds the page limit.
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  Appendix 1 – Assessment Criteria
  Assessment Criteria Marks
  Allocated
  1 Process Mapping
• Identified and explained Value-added and non-value-added processes?
• The Voice of Customer is well-explained for each process?
• Is there evidence of research that supports the validity of the processes in
  the process map?
  10
  2 Identification and Analysis of Wastes
• At least 3 wastes identified and reasonable justification provided? 10
  3 Lean Transformation Project Proposal
• A detailed proposal aligning with Lean thinking provided? 6
  4 Waterfall or Agile Project Management Discussion
• A well-reasoned explanation for the choice of Waterfall or Agile,
  considering project needs and characteristics provided?
  2
  5 Change Management using ADKAR
• Developed a detailed and specific change management plan using the
  ADKAR model, addressing each component in relation to the project?
  5
  6 Reflection on using Generative AI
• Provided reflection on the use of Generative AI in the project,
  demonstrating critical thinking by offering insightful perspectives on its
  benefits, limitations, and overall impact on the project’s success?
  4
  7 Referencing
• AI-generated and personal content is referenced correctly using Harvard
  style, including proper citation for all sources and accurate formatting?
  3
  Late submission penalty
  (-5% or -2 marks per day or part thereof)
  Total marks 40