FST 696

1. FST 696 TECHNICAL PROBLEM SOLVING (numbers match the syllabus)

2. 1. FST 696 • Sheryl Barringer - instructor • Heather Biehl and Ashley Updike - TAs • Meets Tuesday & Thursday 2-5 pm • Capstone course and third writing course for undergraduate majors in FST and food business management • Real, current industry problems used

3. 1. FST 696 COMMUNICATIONS • e-mail list (give me current email) • information is on the FST 696 homepage, which can be accessed through the departmental home page to courses on the web • OR DIRECTLY AT http://class.Fst.Ohio-state.Edu/fst696/fst696.Html

4. 2. OBJECTIVE: Learn how to solve problems • Lecture on techniques • Analyze real industrial technical problems • Discuss what problem solving techniques worked and what didn’t • I can’t teach you to think. I can only put you in a position where you have to think.

5. 2. OBJECTIVE: Work well with others • Work in teams • Why: you have to wherever you work • Nobody ever achieved greatness by themselves • To learn: Every individual in the team is important • Each member is accountable for reports made by the team

6. 2. OBJECTIVE: Build confidence • Develop confidence in your ability to solve problems – YOU can solve these problems • Believing you can do it is half the battle • These problems will be hard – no one right answer- no obvious answer (or it’s wrong!)

7. 2. OBJECTIVE: Communication • Improve skills in written and oral communication • Employers tell us that you need more practice • You will be judged not on what you do, but on what you tell people you do

8. 2. OBJECTIVE: Learn some FS • Learn a lot of technical facts • How much is up to you

9. 2. Technical Services Group • Starting next week, you are an employee, not a student (no, you don’t get paid) • There will be few lectures • You have to do the critical thinking

10. 3. APPROACH • Real technical problems • Students work in partnership with industry • A company representative will provide the problem and serve as a liaison between the company and the students • Both “short term” and “long term” problems • Communication of solutions will be both written and oral

11. 4. SHORT TERM PROBLEMS • Teams of three - one student will be leader for each problem - 3 problems per quarter • A real industry problem will be presented • Team decides which problem solving techniques to use • Teams will have a week to come up with causes, solutions and questions • Industry rep will answer questions • Teams have a week to evaluate causes and solutions for practicality, and write report

12. 4. SHORT TERM (CONT.) • Team leader writes a written report (2p+) • Team leader gives a 5 minute oral summary • Team reports which techniques were used • Class discusses which worked and which didn’t • Suggested major causes and solutions will be summarized • Feed back will be give toindustry rep. • Industry rep will respond where possible

13. 4. SHORT TERM - WRITTEN REPORT (2p) • Statement of problem - with redefinition if required • Most probable causes - back up with reference citations • Suggested solutions - listed in order of decreasing priority

14. 4. SHORT TERM - WRITTEN REPORT (beyond 2p) • References - cited in form used by the Journal of Food Science http://ift.manuscriptcentral.com/index.html?mode=instruction • List of causes (10 min) and solutions (10 min) • Problem solving technique(s) used and if they worked

15. 4. LONG TERM PROBLEMS • Two teams of three will form a group of six. A group captain will be appointed • Group will work on the long term problem for the entire quarter • An industry rep. will be available as a resource • Hands-on work will be done to assist in problem solving

16. 4. LONG TERM - CONT. • Group will contact the industrial rep to get better definition of the problem • Group will decide their approach to solving the problem • Group requests laboratory or pilot plant access; supplies and equipment as required • Group will report back to the class and to the company rep on a regular basis

17. 4. LONG TERM (CONT.) • Team decides which problem solving techniques to use • ½ way team reports which techniques have been used and which others will be used • Class discusses which worked and which didn’t

18. 4. LONG TERM - CONT. • Group will provide a preliminary written report. 2 page maximum • A final written group report will be graded for English and content. 20-50 pages including attachments • The group will make a final oral report to the class - with each group member participating (15-30 min)

19. 5. PARTICIPATION GRADE • Being present and on time to all required classes • Participating in discussions • Participating in experimentation • Taking an active role in all assignments • Neither dominating nor sitting out of group activities • Group members evaluate all members • Instructor evaluates all members

20. 6. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES • Be prepared for class • Be punctual • Understand assignments • Be assertive without being aggressive • Be a contributor • Consult literature and known authorities • Be concise • Get to the solution

21. 7. GRADING • Group performance - short problems 20% • Individual written & oral short term 20% • Participation & peer evaluation 15% • Interim LT report 10% • Final LT report 25% • Group oral report – long term prob. 10% • Exact grading sheets are on the web

22. Magic Formula for problem solving ( in only 3 steps)

23. The 3 steps: • 1) Knowledge • 2) Inspiration • 3) Practicality

24. Alternate between gathering knowledge and inspiration • When that is all done…. • Then look at practicality

25. 1) Knowledge • Where? • What categories? • What subject areas?

26. Where do you gather knowledge? • Experts • Books • Journals • Internet (be very careful) • The source of the problem- need to have researched and developed a hypothesis before you talk to him/her • Etc….

28. What categories? • Ingredients- i.e. potatoes, oil, starch…. • Process- i.e. time, temperature • Equipment- i.e. retort, aseptic • There is a solution in all 3 categories

29. What subject areas? • Food science • Cookbooks • Marketing • Physics • Engineering • Etc….

30. Common questions asked: • Does this occur all the time? • How is the product made, shipped, stored?- (WHY are you asking this?????) • Are there recent changes (ingred., process)?- (don’t STOP THINKING) • Is it always a problem or sporadic? • Is it only a problem with some customers/seasons/plants/shifts?

31. The 3 steps: • 1) Knowledge • 2) Inspiration • 3) Practicality

32. 2) Inspiration • Reserve judgment • Fun is Fundamental • Stimuli is critical

33. Reserve judgment • Respect the newborn (no criticizing) • Why: • Some ideas aren’t as stupid as they sound • Once you criticize, that person will never contribute again • Many solutions come from stupid ideas

34. Fun is Fundamental

36. Stimuli is critical • Magazines • Cookbooks • Competitor’s products • Absurd, unrelated objects • Etc…

37. Why?

38. Jump Start Your Brain handout • Chose 1 method for each ST and LT problem • End of written: method used • Will discuss which methods worked in class

39. The 3 steps: • 1) Knowledge • 2) Inspiration • 3) Practicality

41. 3) Practicality • AFTER you have finished knowledge and inspiration steps

42. 3) Practicality • Possible? • Good idea? • Prioritize.

43. Is It Possible? • Is it legal? • Is it physically possible? • Is it possible with current technology? • Use experimental design to test it

44. Is it a good idea? • Is it ethical? • Is it economical? • Food safety issues • Environmental concerns • Nutrient preservation • Consumer survey • Marketing and advertising concerns • Gut instinct

45. Prioritize solutions • Process- easiest to change • Ingredients- affects sensory, marketing • Equipment- costs the most money

46. What does COSI say?

47. How will you be graded? • 1) Knowledge • 2) Inspiration • 3) Practicality

48. 1) Knowledge • ST and LT written reports:- large number or references- variety of references- details in the ST report

49. 2) Inspiration • ST and LT written reports:- large number of ideas (listed at end)- variety of ideas- final ST will have at least 1 great idea

50. 3) Practicality • ST should have no bad ideas • No solutions that the company said wouldn’t work • No solutions that the evidence shows doesn’t work • No solutions that are unethical, illegal, impractical, impossible….