Critical Thinking Activity - Using Data for Problem Solving on page 286

Complete the Critical Thinking Activity based on the requirements listed in Homework Problems under Introduction & Resources in Modules.

Once you open the book table of contents, select Part Two Tools and Techniques, then Chapter 16 Problem Solving and Decision Making, then Critical Thinking Activities on page 286; here you will find all three Homework activities. Build the relevant graph, chart, etc then write one page answering the questions.

Your paper should be 1 full written page PLUS your graph, chart, etc. (not including your title page and reference page) submitted in APA format. I posted a template in the Files section. Please complete your own graph and do not copy and paste one from the text or internet. If you don't have graphing software or excel, please just do your best. You can even draw it by hand and upload a picture.

Using Data for Problem Solving

1. Rod Simmons is a civil service employee, managing a state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. The DMV office issues annual auto registrations, renews drivers licenses, and conducts driver examinations. The office is organized into departments, each with a supervisor reporting to Rod. The Vehicle Registration Department has eight clerks. The Motor Vehicle Operator License Department is staffed with four clerks and four examiners.

   Rod has become increasingly concerned because documented taxpayer complaints directed at his office have been increasing over the past year. This has recently come to the attention of his superiors at the state capitol, who have begun putting pressure on him to stop the complaintssomehow. Rod is not sure at this point how to go about it. He knows that it would be better to look at the available data to try to find the cause, or causes, rather than just giving a pep talk to his employees. He starts by assembling the following:

   • The office handles about 35,000 license or registration transactions annually.

   • Workforce history:

     • Nine of the 12 clerks have been with the office for five years or more. Three were added during the last year.

     • Two of the examiners have over five years tenure, while the other two have less than one year.

   • Office work schedule and hours available:

     • Office hours are 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with one hour for lunch, Monday through Friday.

     • Lunch hours are staggered for clerks and examiners, half from 11:00 a.m. until noon, and the other half from noon until 1:00 p.m. (By doing this, the office is open for business nine hours per day.)

     • Clerk hours available/year: 23,000

     • Examiner hours available/year: 7,800

     • Supervisor hours available/year: 3,800

   • Procedures:

     • A drivers license must be renewed every three years during the drivers birth month.

     • Vehicle registration must be renewed annually within the 12th month of the current registration.

   • Total complaints for the last two years:

     Month	Complaints This Year	Complaints Last Year
     January	14	6
     February	10	7
     March	14	5
     April	20	10
     May	19	9
     June	21	10
     July	27	13
     August	31	16
     September	36	19
     October	24	13
     November	28	14
     December	30	12
     Totals	274	134

   • Total taxpayer complaints by category for the current year:

     Berating by examiners	21
     Clerks ignoring customers (taxpayers)	35
     Incompetence	33
     Long waits in line	75
     Rudeness	60
     All others	50

   If you were Rod, how would you use the problem-solving methods and tools covered in this chapter and Chapter 15 (Links to an external site.) to highlight trends, determine how to proceed, and attempt to find root cause(s)?