Redesign our Performance Management Process
As our organization continues to grow, it is important for us to stay up to date with our tools and processes for employee management. We have a desire to focus specifically on our performance management suite of processes. The goal is to understand best practices and benchmarks for performance management and use those to propose updates to our processes.Through this collaboration, we would like to develop a plan that addresses three key areas:The needs and challenges of effective performance management/evaluationResearch and identify performance management options available that might suit the needs of our teamA rollout/pilot plan that identifying what our team needs to consider in adopting a process
Effective Onboarding in a Remote Workplace
We want to ensure that our new employees are completely prepared to tackle the world of consulting work for our customers. In the new world of fully remote or hybrid workplaces, how do we ensure our new team members have the tools and training they need to be successful and ensure long-term success? What do we need to change in our current onboarding process to account for knowledge transfer? Technical questions? On the job training? Remote working set-up and ergonomics? Ideally, our hybrid/remote onboarding process will uphold our company culture, accelerate the learning curve, and increase retention.Students should be prepared to:Research our existing onboarding practices to determine their effectiveness and opportunities for improvement.Research the hybrid working / remote onboarding practices of competitors. Research what hybrid working / remote onboarding components are most impactful for new employees.Develop a standardized onboarding plan that achieves our goals.
Sandalwood Engineering & Ergonomics Market Research Project
We would like to continue our growth and expansion with an investigation into offering a fully remote ergonomics service offering.We would like to understand what would be involved in implementing this new service offering for our customers, including researching and providing recommendations on the following:Structure of Program· What is needed to have in place i.e. software, hardware, skillset of those providing service· Process for assessment that outlines the benefits in time and cost not only for the steps related to the assessment but those related to completion of the assessments -- software use as a knowledge transfer tool to get the idea across and be more affective· Services need to be easy and less administrative to work with our current structure (i.e. use it to fill gaps in requests)Current Competitors· Subscription services – who is already currently offering these (competition), what is the price pointPotential Pilot· Pilot capabilities – time to get in place – can we do this without software and what would process be with and withouto Industry 4.0 tech should be our differentiator but not sure how to use it to engage new clients that do not have tech as part of regular activitiesObstacles· Obstacles - cost of remote assistance software may not lend itself to a multicompany cost structure
SEO and Social Media Strategy
Our team is looking for a social media marketing wizard who can help us drive more traffic and improve our SEO positioning. The primary project requirements include:1. Keyword analysis to determine relevant search terms to our organization2. A strategy document to outline:Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) requirements to ensure our organization appears on the first page of Google for relevant keywordsSocial media requirements to increase the number of followers/likes and share3. Content Calendar Execution: Timely deployment of all our social media content to drive maximum traffic to our site4. Providing ideas for engaging content for prominent media websites including videoThis is a great project for students to prove their digital marketing expertise to future employers, as the impact of their work on this project can be easily measured and communicated.
Financial Analysis - Distributed versus Centralized Accounting
We are interested in understanding the benefits / drawbacks of a distributed versus centralized accounting model for our organization. We would like to conduct an analysis to determine our risk level with our current accounting model and proposed courses of action. We believe that the best way to accomplish this is to build a market and financial accounting risk model for our organization and perform an analysis using both private and public sources of data. We believe this project will include:Compare and contrast the benefits / drawbacks of distributed versus centralized accounting modelsPerform benchmark study for medium-size companies like Sandalwood, with entities in multiple countries / currenciesPresent findings on best practices and suggestions for improvement
Leadership Development Training
The Sandalwood team is in the final stages of developing a new employee development program called the Academy. Within this program, we will be inviting team members to participate in two leadership development streams: technical subject matter expert or a team lead. Within the Academy, we'll be training our team to execute these roles in the "Sandalwood" way. An additional element to this program is the leadership development component. We want to develop specific training courses for developing the critical skills of our future leaders. We have an idea of areas of interest for the leadership development, but we would also appreciate insight on recommended training and development areas. Leadership Development areas of particular interest to us include:Flexibility including: managing stress, adaptability, improvisationCommunication skills including: teamwork, collaboration, interpersonal skills, empathy, listening skills, public speaking, making presentations, relationship buildingLeadership skills including: management skills, self-confidence, delegation, motivation, decision making, team management, team leadership, identifying problems, developmental planning, problem solving, strategic thinking, conflict resolution, professionalism, Organizational skills including: prioritization, time management, multi-tasking, productivity, scheduling, meeting deadlinesCustomer managementWe would like a training course developed and deployed for our current and future leaders.
Exoskeleton User Evaluation
We would like students to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of new users toward different exoskeletons.General objective of the research project broken down into sub-objectives, activities, themes, or sub-projects, as applicable. The general objective of this research project uses knowledge obtained from industry participants to create both simulated tasks and surveys to help determine the attitudes, impressions and perceptions of industry and novice users. Specifically, the focus will be towards the evaluation of different exoskeletons based on various characteristics including anthropometry, fit, task, environment and strength capability, awareness, etc.The evaluation characteristics in the survey will be determined by interviews of industrial users and the literature review. The experience and data from previous exoskeleton implementations (previous research and industry interviews) will be used to inform the development of the simulated tasks and surveys. An emphasis will be placed on understanding the environmental and personal variables. The significant influences from the analysis of the survey analysis, will be used to guide industries in the selection and acceptance of exoskeleton use.This project is part of a larger research project. We envision this project to include, but not be limited to:Help with the Interview of industry users: Industry partners of Sandalwood who have knowledge of exoskeleton implementation will be asked to participate via interviews regarding their success and lessons learned.Development of Survey: questions with the input of the research lead. Survey will be based on literature review , and industry users.Input into the development of Simulated tasks: A broad variety of simulated tasks will be developed that utilize the focus muscle group of the exoskeleton and every day tasks that a user would perform while wearing the vest such as using phone, bending to pick up something , walking, along with industry tasks.Due to the current pandemic, the ability to suit up and run subjects through a set of simulated tasks is challenging. Our plan is use the Advanced Ergonomic Students at Fanshawe College when they are on campus for their labs. A separate area that allows an individual to run through the tasks will be set up in accordance with Fanshawe Covid guidelines.Analysis of surveys : or subset of survey as determined for the class research. The survey results will be aggregated.
#OneSandalwood Marketing Plan
Sandalwood is an engineering and ergonomics consulting firm headquartered in Livonia Michigan. Sandalwood designs and executes strategic programs for manufacturers which reduce their work-related risks to quality, productivity and employee health. By providing knowledge, research, technology and resources, Sandalwood supports its clients from the executive level to the factory floor.Sandalwood operates in three main areas: Injury Prevention, Systems Engineering and Systems Integration.The Injury Prevention believes that a robust manufacturing facility requires careful consideration of the interaction between process, equipment, machinery and the human. Our ergonomics and health and safety professionals understand the human response to physical and cognitive work demands.Our Systems Engineering team employs data driven process analysis, project and supply chain management to create and implement effective solutions to help optimize our customers’ products and processes.The Systems Integration team prides itself on combining a thorough understanding of the manufacturing environment with strong technical expertise to define, plan and execute technology solutions for our customers.Over the past five years, Sandalwood has grown tremendously to approximately 120 people spread across four countries including our Headquarters in the US, operations in Canada, Mexico and most recently the United Kingdom.We would like to continue our growth and expansion with a more dedicated and unified #OneSandalwood message. Historically, we have separated our work into lines of business with each line of business managed separately and distinctly and their services marketed separately.We would like to approach the future of work and Industry 4.0 with a more unified vision of Sandalwood to showcase our capabilities and thus would like to modernize our core marketing messaging.Given our three distinct lines of business, how would you design our marketing to focus on a more unified approach, focusing on the synergies between each line of business and our excellence in delivering Industry 4.0 initiatives to our customers.www.sandalwood.com
Health & Wellness Benchmark Study
We are looking to gain a better understanding of our health and wellness program, as it compares to other health and wellness programs at employers across Canada and the US. We would like to use this study to direct future activities of the Sandalwood Highway to Health program. To accomplish this, we would like the study to focus on:Assessing attitudes toward the Sandalwood Highway to Health programMeasuring access to the Sandalwood Highway to Health programAscertain habits and intentions related to worksite wellnessProvide benchmark data and recommendations on similar programs and improvements, new areas of focusWe will provide you with access to organizational assets that support the project, including personnel, Highway to Health material, etc.We hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of how our Sandalwood Highway to Health program compares to similar programs at various employers across the US and Canada We would like recommendations on how to improve our deployment of this program and new areas of focus.
Simulation Market Research
Sandalwood is a Professional Service provider of Project Management, Engineering, and Ergonomics solutions to the transportation and home appliance industries. Sandalwood’s clients include Ford Motor Company, Daimler, and GEA/Haier Appliances. Founded in 1989, Sandalwood has 100+ employees located in four (4) countries including the US, Canada, Mexico, and the UK.Sandalwood is currently devoting a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money to align itself with a select number of PLM solution providers, exclusively Parametric Technologies Corporation (PTC) and Siemens. To date, these relationships have been driven by Sandalwood’s primary customer, Ford Motor Company.Sandalwood is a Technology Partner with Siemens and has been a provider of Professional Services for the Siemens Jack and Process Simulate products for over 15 years. Sandalwood has recently partnered with PTC to provide Professional Services for PTC’s ThingWorx and VuforiaSandalwood is seeking answers to the following questions:· What is the market forecast for PLM solutions? · What is the technological outlook for PLM solutions?· What are the current trends for PLM solutions?· Who else, besides Ford, uses these solutions?· Are the companies that use Siemens and PTC members of the Fortune 500, mid-market corporations, or small businesses?· Who else, besides Sandalwood, provides Professional Services/support for these PLM solutions?· If you were the president/owner of Sandalwood, would you continue to partners with these platforms exclusively, or would you find other partners? If so, whom would you recommend?Potential Data Sources:· Gartner· Forrester· BCC Research· Freedonia· Mind Commerce· IBIS World
PLM Simulation Market Research
Sandalwood is a Professional Service provider of Project Management, Engineering, and Ergonomics solutions to the transportation and home appliance industries. Sandalwood’s clients include Ford Motor Company, Daimler, and GEA/Haier Appliances. Founded in 1989, Sandalwood has over 100+ employees located in four (4) countires including the US, Canada, Mexico, and the UK. Sandalwood is currently devoting a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money to align itself with a select number of PLM solution providers, exclusively Parametric Technologies Corporation (PTC) and Siemens. To date, these relationships have been driven by Sandalwood’s primary customer, Ford Motor Company.Sandalwood has been a provider of Professional Services for the Siemens Jack and Process Simulate products for over 15 years. Sandalwood has recently partnered with PTC to provide Professional Services for PTC’s ThingWorx and Vuforia platforms.Sandalwood is seeking answers to the following questions:· What is the market forecast for PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions?o Goal: Understand the Total Addressable Market (TAM) and Expected Growth (CAGR) in this space.o Approach: There are several market reports available for students to draw information/data (e.g. Reuters, Marketwatch, etc.).o Expected Deliverables: 3-5 page report, highlighting (with sources) expected TAM and growth figures for the PLM market.· What is the technological outlook for PLM solutions?o Goal: Understand Challengers, Leaders, Niche Players, and Visionaries in the PLM marketplaceo Approach: Utilize current and previous Gartner Magic Quadrant to outline the players in each of the segments.o Expected Deliverables: 5-10 page report, summarizing the players, positioning, and quadrant changes in the PLM space over the past 3 years.Potential Data Sources:· Gartner· Forrester· BCC Research· IBIS World· Rueters· MarketwatchThe Sandalwood Project Manager will meet with the team every two (2) weeks to review progress, answer questions, address open issues