Technical Communications

MEMORANDUM
To: Mr. Malesh
From: Wassim Katbey, Nicholas Figueras, Kayla Schalte, Kayla Hutchison, Chris Johnson
Date: 16 June 2017

Subject: Needs Assessment Report

Introduction
The purpose of this memo is to brief you of our groups strategy in completing the Formal
Proposal Document and Presentation. Among our group are students Wassim Katbey, Nicholas
Figueras, Kayla Schalte, Kayla Hutchison, and Chris Johnson.

Figueras is employed at Hope Global, a firm that develops manufacturing products. The firm has
been facing organizational and communicative issues due to the outsourcing of prototyping to an
RCO Engineering facility. Additionally, the firm has received an order from Ford Motor
Company to produce F150 gap covers, and needs assistance in determining a method of
development. Creating an in-house prototyping shop is currently the only solution under
consideration.

Katbey will allocate tasks among members to complete a statement of the problem and solution
within the Formal Proposal Document. Primary research is gathered by Figueras within the Hope
Global, where staff are asked of the problem. Secondary research consists of online resource
gathering. A six-week schedule was produced to display deadlines.

Primary Stakeholders: Hope Global and Associates

Hope Global, a firm based in Rhode Island, engineers manufacturing products for several
industries. Our projects scope lies within their contribution to the automotive industry, which
incorporates interior wrapping, seating, wire carriers and tooling. Hope Globals automotive
domain faces two difficulties, the former concerning outsourcing inefficiencies, and the latter on
an order from Ford Motor Company.

Problem 1: Outsourcing Inefficiencies

Hope Global is outsourcing all prototyping (the modification of plastic interior parts) to RCO
Engineering. Hope Globals agreement with current consumers orders the company to complete
prototyping in-house, with larger projects allowing some flexibility with outsourcing. All
projects are outsourced due to the lack of a prototyping shop. This has led to:

Delayed deliveries
Long processing times for projects
Communication errors with RCO Engineering
Overspending to solve issues

Hope Globals product distribution may see improvement through the establishment of a
prototype shop. Within this model, distribution efficiency will remain consistent, as production
defects would be spotted before they departure the facility. Our proposal will incorporate this
solution and its anticipated costs.
Problem 2 - Ford Motor Company
Recently, Hope Global received an offer from Ford Motor Company to produce 1.2 million Ford
F150 gap covers annually. Figueras is informed of the possible engineering solutions our
proposal will consider. Consequently, Hope Global will benefit from:

Relations with Ford Motor Company

Newly allocated jobs for production

Ray Bohlinger, Vice President of Advance Engineering, through Figueras, has requested an
analysis of production methods and their projected costs. Since Ford Motor Company is
transitioning from another gap cover producer, the product is projected to sell competitively.
Bohlinger has stated that production may take place in Hope Globals Mexico plant, where
inventory and accessible machines are more prevalent.

Associated Stakeholders
Our Proposals involvement in the Ford F150 gap cover order and the conceptualization of an in-
house prototyping shop will see the following institutions/individuals will benefit:

Hope Global employees

Hope Global Mexico
Ford Motor Company

All the suppliers/shippers for Hope Global would handle the requests for the gap cover materials.
If the production were to take place in Mexico, shipping companies would benefit. The materials
would need to be provided in a timely manner, keeping in mind Ford Motor Companys stake in
the project. Revenue could potentially see an elevation.

Research and Qualifications

The final proposal will incorporate a declared solution with an analysis of costs and potential
profits. Primary and secondary research methods are being evaluated to back up our suggestions.
The following group members are in an engineering industry, and have an educational and
promotional incentive in the completion of the project:

Figueras: Mechanical
Schalte: Civil/Environmental
Johnson: Industrial

A questionnaire is to be distributed to project managers at Hope Global to gather opinions on the

potency of an in-house prototyping shop. A survey will be handed out to engineers to assess the
level of contentment with the firms current state.

Secondary research will be gathered from scholarly articles and other credible engineering
sources to explore solutions to Ford Motor Companys order. Bohlinger has provided us with an
excel spreadsheet outlining the orders projected costs.
 Task Assignments
To carry out the previously mentioned schedule, Katbey will coordinate task distribution among
Figueras, Johnson, Schalte, and Hutchison. Joanna Wolfes Team Writing, a Guide to Working in
Groups discusses several collaborative techniques. Page assignments, stakeholder
communication, and presentation coordination are allocated among individual members.

Students will organize using a hybrid of the Face to Face and Divided collaboration
methods, as described in Team Writing, a Guide to Working in Groups. Students will share ideas
during meetings and work on assigned tasks individually.

Figueras, Schalte, and Hutchison will be assigned a set of pages to complete for all written
documentation (Technology Evaluation Memo and Proposal). Katbey and Johnson are the
primary editors, and are tasked with introducing and concluding the documents. Sufficient data
will be provided for each member to complete his/her portion.

Figueras is associated with Hope Global and is accountable for the information provided to the
group. He will conduct primary research, aided by Johnson and Schalte, as they all share
experience in an engineering industry. Secondary research will be gathered by Katbey and
Schalte, through online sources.

Presentation slide decks are the responsibility of Hutchison. Katbey will write the scripts and
coordinate the order to which speakers will commence. Rehearsals begin alongside the writing
process. Group members will evaluate their peers performances, and attempt to solve obstacles
in oration.

Schedule
A six-week schedule will be adhered to, in which the group will finalize the Technology
Evaluation Memo, Progress Report Presentation, and Final Proposal Document and Presentation.
Figure 1 (p. 4) displays the six-week schedule, and Figure 2 (p. 5) displays a Gantt Chart of the
information.

The group will begin work on the Formal Proposal Document prior to the completion of the
Technology Evaluation Memo and Progress Report Presentation. Within the first week (Jun 18-
24), the group will begin the problem section as well as primary research for the Proposal.

The statement of the problem within the Proposal Document will see completion by the 25th of
June. During this time, the group will begin writing the proposed solution, the Technology
Evaluation Memo, and the Progress Report Presentations script.

During week three (Jul 2 - 8), the group will complete the proposed solution and will incorporate
the costs and objectives into the Proposal. During this time, work will begin on the Proposal
Presentations script, and the Technology Evaluation Memo will be completed. This is followed
by the presentation of the Progress Report. The fourth to sixth weeks are centered upon the
continuation and completion of the Formal Proposal Document and Presentation.
Figure 1: Six-Week Project Schedule
Date Proposal

(Week 1) Jun 18 - Jun 24 Begin Formal Proposal Document

Begin Problem section
Begin Primary Research

(Week 2) Jun 25 - Jul 1 Continue Formal Proposal Document

Complete Problem Section by Jun 25
Begin Solution Section

Begin Technology Evaluation Memo

Begin Progress Report Presentation

(Week 3) Jul 2 - Jul 8 Continue Formal Proposal Document

Complete Solution Section by Jul 8
Begin Costs, Purpose and Objectives
Section

Begin Formal Proposal Presentation

Begin Slide Deck
Begin Scripting

Finish Technology Evaluation by Jul 7

Finish Progress Report Presentation

(Week 4) Jul 9 - 15 Continue Proposal

Begin Research Section in Proposal
Finish Costs, Purpose, and Objectives
by Jul 15

Continue Formal Proposal Presentation

Continue Slide Deck

(Week 5) Jul 16 - 21 Continue Formal Proposal Document

Finish Research Section by Jul 21
Continue Formal Proposal Presentation
Finish Proposal Slide Deck by Jul 21

(Week 6) Jul 22 - 28 Rehearse Final Presentation

Figure 2: Gantt Chart

Conclusion
Hope Global, an engineering firm, is facing organizational and production difficulties due to its
outsourcing of prototyping and an order of gap covers from Ford Motor Company. Figueras is
employed at Hope Global and will aid in producing a Formal Proposal Report and Presentation,
attempting to resolve Hope Globals problems. Solutions may consist of the establishment of an
in-house prototyping shop, and a to-be-determined solution to the gap cover order.

Managing the project is Katbey, with Schalte, and Hutchison as the primary writers.
Additionally, Katbey and Johnson are the primary editors. If you have any questions, you may
reach us at fv6124@wayne.edu