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ChE 494/598: Homework #1 (Group Assignment), due Tuesday, Jan. 24
1. Please identify a challenge that the science and engineering community is facing and write a
T.I.M.E. problem statement.
2. Please discuss individual and/or group goals within your homework group. Select one of them
and write a S.M.A.R.T. goal.
3. Famous Card Drop Team Exercise (The following exercise is an adaptation of a famous
experiment popularized by W. Edwards Deming.)
There are 3 roles associated with this exercise: a “Machine”, an Operator and a Manager.
Work Rule #1: a. The machine stands with one arm fully extended at shoulder height,
b. As carefully as possible, the operator aligns the hand of the machine over
the target marked on the floor,
c. The operator signals the machine to drop the card,
d. Without adjusting the position of the machine, the operator repeatedly loads
the machine with a card and which is then dropped. Allow 10 cards to
accumulate on the floor. Leave the machine where it is regardless of where
the cards land. Rule 1 requires that you do not reposition the funnel!
Work Rule #2: a. The operator starts by carefully aligning the machine over the target marked
on the floor. As in rule #1, the operator loads a card. Af...
