Reference no: EM132281077

Question: At this point in our course we are studying data preparation and analysis as we draft the outline and plan for Sections IV and V of the Capstone Project Report. This week our discussions center on manipulating data sets to increase clarity. Look at the two scenarios below, answer the questions, and post your response. Then, after reviewing other posts, provide critical evaluation, ask clarifying questions, and cite perceived flaws in logic, for example. Being respectful and yet constructive are hallmarks of our team interaction.

Question from home:

Collecting data, preparing data, and interpreting data require different skill sets. Look at the shopping requests below. Categorize these items to make shopping simpler to remember or understand. Explain the logic of your categories. Review other students categories. Do you and every other student have the same categorization? Why or why not?

Scenario: Minga is going to get a newspaper and asks her roommate, Ridley, is there anything that I can pick up while I'm out? Ridley replies, I just thought how great grapes would taste. I was looking at a magazine and saw a picture of a vineyard and thought about how hungry I am. And maybe you could pick up some rice milk along the way. As Minga gets her coat, Ridley suggests, Hey, I was going to make those roasted potatoes that we like; can you pick up some potatoes, too? Minga picks up her keys and heads for the door when Ridley calls out, Carrots and maybe some oranges. And butter. And apples. And sour cream. And, yep, some eggs too. I'm so glad that I asked, says Minga with a wry smile.

Question from work:

When considering decisions to improve a work issue, identifying actions that may be deployed is a necessary step that drives our planning. In the list below, think about how long it might take to decide the actions needed to eliminate the problem:

• Buyers are unhappy with the sales and inventory system reports.

• Report frequency is inappropriate.

• Inventory data are unreliable.

• Inventory data are too late.

• Inventory data cannot be matched to sales data.

• They want reports with better formats.

• They want elimination of meaningless data.

• They want exception highlighting.

• They want to have to do fewer calculations manually (Minto, 1996, p. 7).

Scrutinizing the list above, is there a way to reframe or restate the problem and combine symptoms of the problem to create not more than three categories of symptoms? Adapted from Minto, B. (1996). The Minto pyramid principle: Logic in writing, thinking and problem solving/em. London: Minto International, Inc.