MSMENV472

Implement and monitor

environmentally
sustainable practices

Assignment 2 (Workplace Activities)

Assessment Instructions

All sections of this assessment must be completed satisfactorily to gain

competency in this unit. Save this document as a word file to your computer,
type answers directly into it in a different colour font.

Submit your assessment on Moodle.

*Please note: no handwritten, PDF scanned assignment copies will be

accepted.

You have maximum two attempts to complete your work. If you are required
to have a 2nd attempt, you have up to a week to correct your work from the
date you receive your feedback from your assessor to re-submit your work.
You can ask your assessor for an extension if you have difficulties re-
submitting your work on time.

If you are unsatisfactory on your 2nd attempt, you will be given a Not
Competent (NC) result for the unit and will need to re-enrol.

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Table of Contents

Instruction to Leaners:.......................................................................................2
Introduction to Workplace Calculation tool.....................................................2
Case Study 1 for Workplace Activities: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for
Investigate current resource usage practices....................................................3
Activity 1: Collect information on resources used by Heavy Metal................4
Activity 2: How much is the resource use or issue costing the business (and
the environment)?..........................................................................................5
Case Study 2: Heavy Metal manufacturers workplace task for Comply with
environmental laws............................................................................................6
Activity 1: What environmental laws apply to my workplace?.......................6
Activity 2: Assessing workplace procedures for compliance with
environmental laws.........................................................................................7
Case Study 3: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for Set targets.......................7
Activity 1: What information can help us make workplace improvements?...8
Activity 2: Discuss options with stakeholders for making workplace
improvements.................................................................................................9
Activity 3: Explore options to make workplace improvements.....................10
Activity 4: Setting targets for improvement in the workplace.......................12
Case Study 4: Implement Strategies...............................................................13
Activity 1: Planning the improvement strategy.............................................13
Activity 2: Writing an implementation program for the improvement strategy
......................................................................................................................14
Case Study 5: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for Monitor performance.....16
Activity 1: Evaluating the performance of the improvement strategy..........17
Instruction to Leaners:
You have two options available for completing this assignment:
1. If you are working in a suitable industry. You can collect your workplace data
according to the Calculation Tool Excel file and complete the Activity 1 to
Activity 3 as listed below

2. If you are not working in a suitable industry. You can use the following Case
Study (Heavy Metal manufacturers task for Investigate current resource
usage practices) to complete the Activity 1 – Activity 3

3. Calculation Tool Excel file is a separate file posted on Moodle under Learning
Resource. How to use the Calculation Tool Excel is listed below and in your
Activity. There is also a recorded video with my instructions for you to follow.
The video is also posted on Moodle – Learning Resource.

Introduction to Workplace Calculation tool

There are two components to this tool: The Calculation tool and the ‘What if’ function of the
Calculation tool. The tool is a customised (and customisable) Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
with a number of tabs (worksheets).

Figure 6: The Calculation tool

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Tab 1 is referred to as the Calculation tool and Tabs 2-4 are referred to as the ‘What if
function’ of the Calculation tool. Tab 5 allows you to customise the tool: see Figure 6.
The Calculation tool allows the learner to enter workplace data for electricity, water and
raw material usage.
The Calculation tool allows the learner to see how much electricity, water and raw
materials are being wasted in production, what this cost the business and the environment.
The ‘What if’ function of the Calculation tool, through a series of scenarios, allows the
learner to see what would happen in their workplace to usage figures for water, electricity
and raw material usage. It calculates the savings to both the environment and the financial
position of the business. These can be accessed through tabs 2-4: see Figure 6.

Case Study 1 Workplace Activities: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for

investigating current resource usage practices

Introduction
You have been working as a team leader at Heavy Metal manufacturers for five years.
Heavy Metal produces a wide range of metal products for the building industry. Its range of
gutters, windows and doorframes made from Colourbond steel, are its most successful
products.
Key facts
 Heavy Metal uses approximately 225 tonnes of Colourbond every week.
 This creates 45,000 units of product.
 Colourbond costs Heavy Metal $185 a tonne.
 As the Colourbond material is 100 percent recyclable all scrap is sent to the scrap
metal yard for recycling.
Tim the owner of Heavy Metal didn't mind this cost last year as he gets a small return on
what he sends to scrap.
The cost of materials went up at the start of this year. Tim therefore decided to investigate
how he could reduce the waste and the costs associated with the metal.
Tim holds a group meeting with his employees. He tells the group that metal costs have
risen and he is looking for ways to reduce the amount of wasted scrap metal.
The first question that you ask at the meeting is 'How much scrap metal do you want to
reduce Tim?' Tim hasn't thought that far ahead so he says, 'As much as we can without
hurting the business. The scrap metal is costing the business more than in the past and
more than we realised.' Tim wants only a realistic target and it is to be met within a few
months so that he can see improvement.
After the meeting Tim asks you to run a project to reduce the amount of Colourbond steel
sent to scrap.

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What will you do?
In this task you will complete the following activities:

Activity 1: Collect information on resources used by Heavy Metal

Step 1: Over the course of the next 17 weeks you record the use and wastage of Colorbond
at Heavy Metal. You record this information in the table below. Have a look at this
document now and calculate the average:
 amount of Colorbond material wasted every week

 number of units produced every week

Resource being monitored: raw materials

   
Step 2: You can use this sheet to record raw materials use by your workgroup, or you can
create your own in Xcel.

Instructions: 1. Enter the type of raw material in the yellow cell. yellow
2. Select the unit of measurement from the grey
  dropdown list. grey
3. Enter information about your workgroup's resource use
  in the white cells.  
       
Unit of
Type of raw material recorded: Colourbond metal measurement: Tonnes (tn)
Date Period Tonnes (tn) Tonnes (tn) Number of
  monitoring used for work wasted units produced
2/1/xx-6/1/xx Week 218 27 43,500
9/1/xx-13/1/xx Week 219 28 43,700
16/1/xx-20/1/xx Week 217 28 43,100
23/1/xx-27/1/xx Week 226 29 45,000
30/1/xx-3/2/xx Week 211 28 42,000
6/2/xx-10/2/xx Week 210 27 41,950
13/2/xx-17/2/xx Week 209 27 41,800
20/2/xx-24/2/xx Week 207 27 41,300
27/2/xx-3/3/xx Week 210 27 41,900
6/3/xx-10/3/xx Week 219 28 44,000
13/3/xx-17/3/xx Week 226 29 45,000
20/3/xx-24/3/xx Week 241 31 48,000
27/3/xx-31/3/xx Week 243 32 49,000
1/4/xx-5/4/xx Week 249 33 49,500
8/4/xx-12/4/xx Week 251 34 50,200
15/4/xx-19/4/xx Week 241 31 48,000
22/4/xx-26/4/xx Week 226 29 45,000
Total   ?? ?? ??

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Activity 2: How much is the resource use or issue costing the business (and the
environment)?
Now that you have collected information on the resources used by Heavy Metal, you will
look at the impact of this on the business's bottom line and effect on the environment.
Step 1: You will need to use the Calculation Tool to help you work out how much
electricity, is being wasted by Heavy Metal (See Appendix 1). (Open the file
calculation_tool.xls).
If you are unsure how to use the Calculation tool look at the Calculation tool tour
attached with this workplace activities. (Open the document calculation_tool_tour.doc)
Step 2: Look at the information you entered at step 2 in Activity 1.
Step 3: Go to the 'Raw materials' section of the Calculation tool and in the 'metal' row
write the:
 cost to Heavy Metal of 1 tonne of Colourbond (don't forget that Heavy Metal pays
$185 per tonne of Colourbond)

 the average weekly amount of Colourbond that is wasted

 the average weekly number of units produced.

1. Use the results of the Calculation tool to fill out the document.
2. Save the Calculation tool to your desktop and submit it along with the Assignment.

Step 4: Answer these questions:

 How many tonnes of Colourbond are wasted every year?
1514 tonne/year

 What is the cost to Heavy Metal of wasting the Colourbond every year?
$280,115/year

 What is the environmental impact of the Colorbond waste, including the impact on
the climate?
If the work practices were changed by reducing waste profcued through reuse
and recycling of material, the workplace would save 500 tonne/year of raw
material from being wasted.

Case Study 2: Heavy Metal manufacturers workplace task for complying

with environmental laws

Introduction
As team leader at Heavy Metal, you must ensure that you and your staff comply with
environmental laws in your state or territory. You know that Heavy Metal disposes of swarf
(metal shavings) and pieces of metal to landfill. You also know that the machines used to
cut the metal are cooled by oil. The machines use a lot of oil and, as a consequence, a

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large amount of oil is used and stored on site. Oil is stored in 44-gallon drums in the
storeroom.
The storeroom is a small room at the back of the warehouse. It is also near the exit, which
has a stormwater drain leading to the local creek.
One spill kit was purchased recently, but nobody knows where it is. Procedures on how to
handle an oil spill or environmental incident have not been written down or communicated
to the staff.
You also know that these drums are placed on a cart and moved to the individual machines
at the start of the shift. New oil is added and used oil is siphoned from the machines.

What will you do?

In this task you will need to complete the two activities below:
Activity 1: Research what environmental laws apply to the company or research which
environmental laws apply for the Case Study 2 above.

Activity 2: Assess the procedures in your workplace for ensuring that your business
complies with environmental laws (if you’re working in a suitable industry) or research for
the procedures which apply for the Case Study 2 above.

Activity 1: What environmental laws apply to my workplace?

Assume that Heavy Metal is situated in your state or territory. Carry out research about the
relevant environmental laws on the internet. Alternatively look in Support materials for this
task if you need help to answer these questions:
1. What environmental laws apply to Heavy Metal?

2. What do the environmental laws say in relation to:

2.a The storage and handling of liquids in the workplace?
2.b The disposal of liquids from the workplace?
2.c The illegal release of pollutants including air, noise, water and land pollution?
3. Reporting obligations in relation to a serious pollution incident in the workplace?

Activity 2: Assessing workplace procedures for compliance with environmental laws

Have a look at the procedure of storage and handling of oil at Heavy Metal and assess
whether it is adequate given the research you carried out in Activity 1.
1. How does the Heavy Metal currently ensure that the workplace procedure complies
with the environmental laws?

2. Do you think that the current procedure complies with the environmental laws?

If it does, why does it?

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 If it doesn't, why doesn't it?
NB: If you do not think current procedures comply it is important that you talk
about it with your manager.

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Case Study 3: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for set targets

Introduction
You are the team leader at Heavy Metal manufacturers. Tim, the owner, has put you in
charge of reducing the amount of Colourbond that is sent to scrap.
At the next toolbox meeting Tim wants to know the progress you have made in reducing the
use of Colourbond. You tell him that you have obtained information on exact amounts of
Colourbond Heavy Metal uses and wastes. Your next step is to research, speak to people,
explore options and then set realistic targets.

What will you do?

In this task you will do the following activities:
Activity 1: Look at what information is available to make workplace improvements.

Activity 2: Discuss options for making workplace improvements with stakeholders.

Activity 3: Explore options to make workplace improvements.

Activity 4: Set a realistic target that will help the business make workplace improvements.

Instructions to Learners

 To do the activities in this task you must have completed Activities 1 and 2
 for the task Investigate current resource usage practices in Case Study 1
above
 You can use your workplace data or scenario to complete Activity 1- 4 for this
section – Set Targets
 If you are currently not working in a suitable industry, you can complete Activity
1- 4 based on the case study 3 and relevant scenarios and the instructions
below.

 To complete the Activities use the 'What if' function of the Calculation tool.
 You can read about this in the document: what_if_calculation_tool_tour.doc
 Go to the Calculation tool you completed in Investigate current resource usage
practices. Use the 'What if' function of the Calculation tool to see what effect a
change in your workplace could make.
 Write the results of the 'What if' function in the document.
 Save the Calculation tool to your desktop and print it.

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Activity 1: What information can help us make workplace improvements?

Introduction
The day after the toolbox meeting you meet Sharyn (the Purchasing Manager) in the
warehouse, and talk about the project. She says, 'You should have a look on the internet.
You'll find good examples of companies reducing their waste through purchasing strategies.
I think the Victorian EPA and NSW DECCW sites may have some examples. They'll at least
get you started.'
At lunchtime you meet George in the canteen. He says 'I reckon you should have a look at
Australian Industry Group on the internet. They have some useful info on this sustainability
thing. Also you might want to speak with the operators a bit more to explore the whole
cutting issue.'
Ben (the supplier) calls you in the afternoon. He has heard that Heavy Metal is thinking
about cancelling its order for Colourbond. He is upset about this. You tell him that this is not
true, Heavy Metal is looking at ways it can reduce its waste rather than the amount of
Colourbond. After you explain this to him he feels much better and thinks he might be able
to help you do this. He needs to speak to a few other suppliers.

Instructions
Previously you defined what resource use or environmental workplace issue you wanted to
change and you measured its use. Now you need to look for information about it to ensure
you make the most informed decision for Heavy Metal.
Answer these questions:
1. Who do you gain support from in Heavy Metal to implement a workplace
improvement program?

2. What sources of information within Heavy Metal do you think are available for
researching options to improve the workplace?

If you are unsure about this have a look at the 'Fact sheet: Sources of information'
in Support materials.
3. What sources of information outside Heavy Metal are available for researching
options to improve the workplace?

If you are unsure about this have a look at the 'Fact sheet: Sources of information'
in Support materials.
4. What options can you think of to achieve your goals in the workplace improvement
program?

5. Where could you find information for your industry on new technologies and methods
for improvement?

6. What criteria would you use to select between options?

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Activity 2: Discuss options with stakeholders for making workplace improvements

Introduction
Tim catches you in the corridor and asks how the project is going. You tell him that you are
doing research into the issue and will look at ways that will ensure less Colourbond can be
used. You tell him you will report at the toolbox meeting next week.
At the toolbox meeting everyone gets involved in a brainstorming session on how to reduce
the use of Colourbond.
 Sharyn (the purchasing manager) thinks you might be able to purchase a different
size of metal sheet that may lead to less waste.
 George (the factory floor supervisor) and Fred, Violet and Quan the plant operators
suggest that less waste could be created if the cutting of the metal sheets was
optimised through better work methods.
You meet Ben (the supplier) later that afternoon in the warehouse as he is delivering the
next batch of Colourbond and he tells you that there are now more efficient metal cutters
that use lasers to cut extremely accurately and he might be able to give you some
information on them.

Instructions
Remember that by stakeholders we mean anyone within and outside the business who may
be affected by the change you are considering. It could include plant operators, the
suppliers or clients of the business.
Answer these questions.
1. Which stakeholders at Heavy Metal do you think may be able to help you consider
options to improve the workplace?

2. What did the stakeholders say about the resource use or issue you identified? Do
they see it as a problem?

3. What suggestions did stakeholders make in relation to addressing the resource use
or issue?

4. What are some of the challenges you think the stakeholders may identify in
addressing the resource use?

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Activity 3: Explore options to make workplace improvements

Introduction
During the brainstorming session you made a few notes. You found that one option was
preferred:
An efficient work practice could be documented, educating the operators about the most
efficient way of cutting the Colourbond.
Ben has sent you some information in an email about the new machines he was talking
about. You have made a note about this:
A production floor redesign where Heavy Metal manufacturers purchase laser guided
cutting tools that are extremely accurate. This results in approximately 50 percent less
wastage. The cost of one of the machines is approximately $1,000,000. One machine
would be able to handle approximately 2,000,000 units of product every year.

Instructions
In Activity 2 you spoke with stakeholders about options to address the resource use or
environmental workplace issue you wanted to change. You have distilled these options into
two points:

1. An efficient work practice.

2. A production floor redesign.

Now you will explore these options (and others) in greater detail to see what financial and
environmental impact they can have.

Step 1: Go to the Calculation tool you completed for Activity 2 in Investigate current
resource usage practices.

Step 2: Use the 'What if' (raw materials) scenarios in the Calculation tool for
Colourbond. Use it to see what effect various options would have on the bottom line of the
enterprise and the environment.
If you are unsure how to use the Calculation tool look at the Calculation tool 'What if'
tour on the Workplace page.

Step 3: Answer these questions.

1. What options did you look at in the 'What if' analysis?

2. Are these realistic options for Heavy Metal? If not, why not?

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 3. After looking at the options in the 'What if' analysis, how similar are these to the
options that you and your stakeholders were considering? Do you need to rethink
some of your options after the analysis?

4. Using the criteria you wrote in question 6 of Activity 1 (page 4) which is the best
option to make the workplace change? Provide detail as to why your chosen option
is better than others you have considered.

5. What is the financial impact on Heavy Metal of your option?

Financial cost to the business in making the change: $

Financial cost to the business if the change is not made: $

6. What is the impact on the environment of your option? Can you think of any other
environmental costs?

Impact on the environment if

change is made:

Impact on the environment if

change is not made:

7. Do you need to do more research before deciding on an option? What do you need
to research?

Step 4: Print the 'What if' worksheets from the Calculation tool you have used. You will
need these for other activities and paste your work here.

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Activity 4: Setting targets for improvement in the workplace

Introduction
You have shown Tim all your work to date. He is very impressed with the options you have
considered. He now wants you to set a realistic target for Heavy Metal.
You decide to call a meeting with Sharyn, George, Violet and Quan. You show them the
options and calculations you have made.
George agrees with your calculations. He thinks that about 20 percent less waste can be
created if he and the operators work out the most efficient way of cutting the Colourbond.
They can also develop some guides on the machinery to reduce errors. Violet thinks that
perhaps more training will be required for the newer plant operators to get the most efficient
cut when using the machine. Quan says that some work will need to be done on developing
some guides (for the machine in the form of templates, and in work procedures). He warns
that there may be some reluctance to engage in these new processes as some workers
have always done it a particular way.
Sharyn has spoken to Ben about the machines and she thinks that the new laser-guided
machines have been known to reduce wastage in cutting of metal by about 50 percent. She
indicates that this is a large amount of money and Tim would really need to be convinced
that the expenditure had real long-term benefits. Also employees would need training on
the new machine.

Instructions
For the project to minimise the waste of Colourbond answer these questions.
1. How much is the resource use or issue costing the company? (If you have
completed the activity for Investigate current resource usage practices will find
this answer in Activity 2).

2. What level of use (for resources) or change (for an issue) would you like to have in
the workplace after the improvement program?

3. What option have you decided on to achieve this level of use or change?

4. By implementing this option in the business what target needs to be set to achieve
this level of use or change?

5. How will you measure whether the business has met the target?

6. How achievable is the target? Does anything stand in the way of reaching this
target? What may need to be done to ensure that the target is met?

7. Is this target realistic for the business? If not what is a realistic target that will lead to
the change in the workplace that you have identified?

8. What is a realistic timeframe to achieve this target (or change)?

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Case Study 4: Implement Strategies

What will you do?

In this task you will need to complete the two activities below:
Activity 1: Planning the improvement strategy.
Activity 2: Writing an implementation program for the improvement strategy.

Activity 1: Planning the improvement strategy

Before you can implement the improvement strategy you need to plan.
Answer these questions:
1. What changes will occur within the business in implementing the improvement
strategy?

2. What is the approval process within the business to implement this strategy?

3. How will you ensure the implementation/take-up of this change within the business?

4. What are the likely barriers to the successful implementation of this change?

5. What suggestions do people at Heavy Metal make in relation to managing the

change associated with the strategy?

Activity 2: Writing an implementation program for the improvement strategy

Now that you have planned the strategy, write an Implementation Program to reduce the
wastage of Colourbond at Heavy Metal. See Template on next page.

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Implementation program for workplace improvement strategy

Name of project manager:

Name of business:
Date this document is written:

Workplace improvement strategy:

Provide a short summary of what the strategy aims to achieve and the reason for it.

Stakeholders:
List briefly who the stakeholders are in the project. Include not only who will be doing work
associated with the project, but also who will benefit.

Project milestones:
List briefly what steps need to be followed (and by when) to implement the project.

Project targets:
What targets will the project achieve?

Project costs:
What are the costs of implementing the project?

Project savings:
What savings will the implementation of the project achieve?

Communication strategy:
What process will you follow to first inform stakeholders of the program and to keep them
informed of its progress? Will you use toolbox meetings or internal publications or notice
boards within the business?

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Evaluation strategy:
What criteria will you use to evaluate the success (or otherwise) of the project?
What measurements will you use and how will you obtain them?
Try to be specific and indicate when the evaluation will be carried out.

Continuous improvement strategy:

What opportunities for continuous improvement and improving the program will you
include?

______________________________________________
Project manager

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Case Study 5: Heavy Metal manufacturers task for monitor performance

Introduction
You've decided to implement the option to save Colourbond by improving the efficiency of
work practices.
After you've written the Implementation Program George develops a new work process with
the operators. This includes a set way to cut the material for each component. Quan
develops a series of templates that operators use to line up the job and plant operators
receive training in using the machines to minimise waste.
Part of your evaluation strategy is to weigh the amount of scrap and compare that to how
much scrap was previously generated for the same number of units. This will quantify the
reduction in waste.
You have found that the figures for the last four months indicate that through the new work
practices the shop floor has reduced its waste. The first month the figure is about 10
percent as people are still getting used to the work practice. In the following months, the
figures steadily increase as operators become more familiar with them. In the second
month and onwards the figures are 16 percent, 21 percent and 26 percent.
George reckons that there were opportunities for more improvements in the last four
months however there was no mechanism at the time to assess and implement them.
Fred tells you that plant operators in the first few weeks did not know what was going on.
They did not know that there was a new work procedure and ignored the new templates as
nobody had told them.
Sharyn is very happy with the improvement as producing less waste has meant that she
hasn't had to send as many loads to the scrap yard nor order as much Colourbond. This
has resulted in lower raw material costs for the warehouse and lower petrol costs for the
delivery van. She estimates that she has saved approximately $500 in petrol costs or about
385 litres of petrol.
Tim is over the moon about what you have done. He wants you to see what other
improvements can be made in the business. You know that everyone at Heavy Metals is
proud of what they have managed to achieve. They are more conscious of the materials
they use and about ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Operators and other
staff come to you every day with suggestions on more changes that can be made.

What will you do?

In this task you are required to complete the below Activity 1: Evaluate the performance of
the strategy.

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Activity 1: Evaluating the performance of the improvement strategy
Go back to the Implementation program for workplace improvement strategy that you
completed for Activity 2 Implement performance improvement strategies in Case
Study 4 above. Use it to complete the questions.
1. Did the improvement strategy work?

If it did, why?
If it didn't, why didn't it?

2. Did the project achieve its targets?

If it did, why?
If it didn't, why didn't it?

3. Were the original targets set realistic, or could you have set better targets?

4. Were the costs of the project accurately predicted?

If they were, why?

If they weren't, why not?

5. Were the savings predicted by the project realised?

If they were, why?

If they weren't, why not?

6. What impact did the project have on the environment? Can you quantify this?

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7. Did your communication strategy work?

What worked?
What didn't work?
How could you improve your communication strategy in future?

8. How useful was your evaluation strategy in determining if the project was a success
or not?

Were the criterion in the strategy useful?

What could you improve in your strategy in future?

9. Did your continuous improvement strategy help you to make improvements in the
implementation and application of the project?

What could you improve in your strategy in future?

10. What new targets can be set for the project? Can you use the project to drive greater
change in the business?

11. What other areas of the business can be targeted for improvement?

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Appendix 1

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