Green Computing Research Project - Case Study Example

Flow charts Grade (6th, March. Flow charts Flow charts refer to a diagram that represents an algorithmic process, showing each step of the process, through a set of flowing boxes and other shapes connected by arrows that point to the direction of the movement of the process (Chapin, 1971). The essence of a flow chart is to give a step by step solution to algorithmic or other types of analytical problems. While a set of other diagrams are used for solving data related problems, a flow chart is mostly applied in analyzing, documenting and managing a process (Reynard, 1995).

Further, considering that flow charts are easy to understand diagrams; owing to the visibility of the sequence of the steps and the details at each stage of the process, flow charts are better placed to communicate a complex process or decision that has been reached through various analyses and evaluations. Through the use of flow charts, it is possible to identify the particular areas of flaws or bottlenecks, which are not easily identifiable under the other methods of a step by step description (Chapin, 1971).

Through the use of flow charts, it is possible to identify where challenges arises in a project or process, and thus determine the necessary improvements that can be done. In addition to diagrammatically representing a process or a program, a flow chart can also help in a step by step explanation of how a certain task or job is executed, through displaying all the stages and the details of activities at each stage. Scenario A manufacturing organization is recruiting employees for the position of customer service representatives/receptionists.

The head of the training department wants to develop training equipments that will be used for induction and training of the recruited customer service representatives. The head of training department have the relevant material that should be used in the training process, but they are bulky. This requires the development of a training technique that will simplify the materials, yet cover all the necessary details that will prepare the newly recruited customer service representatives/receptionists to receive phone calls from the clients and address their information needs appropriately.

Training newly recruited receptionists or customer service representatives on the stages applicable when addressing the client’s information needs requires a step by step explanation of the process from the time of receiving the client’s phone call, to the time the client is served with the necessary information. Recommend the appropriate training tool that the head of the training department should apply. Defending recommendation, scenario and tool Receptionists are employees of organizations, who stay at the communication desk to receive visitors to the organization and direct them to the areas of the organization that the visitors will be attended to, depending on their department of interest (McConnell, 2003).

In addition to physically receiving and directing visitors to the organizations, receptionists also receives phone calls directed to the organizations communication desk, where they inform the callers regarding various issues that they may be interested in, within the organization. A product manufacturing company is one such organization, where a customer, who could be a wholesaler, a distributor or a retailer, calls the organization to find out about the presence of certain product that they urgently need.

Considering that different departments of the organization handles different activities of the production process, ranging from designing, assembling, manufacturing, packaging and presenting the product for distribution, it is not easy to determine which department a customer can call, to be informed about the progress of the product manufacturing. Therefore, it is prudent for the client to call the organization communication desk or communication department, which will then direct the information needs of the client to the relevant department.

This being the case, the client first calls the customer service department, which then enquires on behalf of the customer or connects the customer to the relevant department that will address the clients’ information needs (McConnell, 2003). Therefore, while recruiting and training receptionists, it would be prudent to apply a flow chart diagram, which has documented all the communication stages that should be followed to address clients customer needs. The application of a flow chart makes it easy for the trainee receptionists to grasp the whole process, since it is documented in a diagrammatic flow of the applicable stages (Reynard, 1995).

A flow chart will summarize the materials to be used for training into a single flow diagram, which will show all the necessary stages that are applicable in training the customer service representatives, from the start to the end (Chapin, 1971). The selection of flow chart as the most appropriate tool is based on the fact that a flow chart can easily summarize bulk information, and yet retain the sufficient step by step information that is essential to train the recruited customer representatives.

References Chapin, N. (1971). Flowcharts. Princeton: Auerbach. McConnell, J. H. (2003). How to identify your organization's training needs: A practical guide to needs analysis. New York: AMACOM. Reynard, S. (1995). Flowcharts: plain & simple. Madison, Wisc, Joiner Associates.