MIT117:

METHODS
OF WORK

PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY:

NDIKINTUM MACIAS NJENYOH
COURSE INSTRUCTOR: NDIKINTUM MACIAS NJENYOH
1. DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS:
 Method:
A procedure or process for attaining an object: such as a systematic
procedure, technique, or mode of inquiry employed by or proper to a
particular discipline or art. E.g. carrying out a Chest X-ray.

 Methodology:
A body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline:
the analysis of the principles or procedures of inquiry in a particular
field. E.g. a Research Methodology.

 Will:
Intend, purpose, a firm desire or determination.

 Intelligence:
The ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying
situations, the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one's
environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria
(such as tests)

 Knowledge:
The fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained
through experience or association, acquaintance with or understanding
of a science, art, or technique, the fact or condition of being aware of
something.

 Organization:
The act or process of organizing or of being organized, a company,
business, club, etc., that is formed for a particular purpose, the act or
process of putting the different parts of something in a certain order so
that they can be found or used easily.

 Ability:
 Ability, fitness, or likeliness to act or be acted on in (such) a way, the
quality or state of being able especially: physical, mental, or legal
power to do something e.g. the cleaner has the ability to kill germs.
 Memory:
The power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been
learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms, the
store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or
experience as evidenced by modification of structure or behavior or
by recall and recognition e.g. has a good memory for faces.

 Concentration:
The ability to give your attention or thought to a single object or
activity: the ability to concentrate, the act of giving your attention to a
single object or activity e.g. concentrating on an assignment.

2. SYMPTOMS OF A POOR ORGANIZATION:

 A high rate of attrition (i.e. employees leaving their jobs in short
period of time).
 Low employee morale.
 Lack of direction.
 Inconsistency.
 Negative word of mouth.
 Policies/procedures/systems are on paper only.
 Delay in Salary & Wages.
 Busy Schedules of Executives.
 Random Hiring and Firing.
 Distribution and production issues.
 Lack in customer service.
 A Consistent drop in profits.
 Poor Quality of products.
 Unclear roles.
 Mismatched hierarchies.
3. THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TIME (SYNTHESIS AND NOTE
TAKING):
Your success in school can greatly be improved by being organized and
using your time wisely. Staying organized can help ease the burden of a
busy schedule. While you probably do not have a lot of control over when
your classes are scheduled, you do have control of the rest of your time.
Here are some important tips to remember:

Use your school planner to stay organized. Fill in things you must do
(classes, work, practice, etc. that you can't change). Write down
appointments and class assignments. Make a daily checklist. Set
Priorities. Do the most important tasks first.

Set achievable goals when you set goal that are unrealistic it sets you up
for failure. You want to aim to set goals that are difficult, yet are
achievable. While it's good to set high goals for yourself, be sure not to
overdo it. Set goals that are difficult yet reachable.

Become a Taskmaster. Figure out how much free time you have each
week. Give yourself a time budget and plan your activities accordingly.

Organize some key areas in your life, for example your bedroom, study
area, car and locker. By organizing these key areas it will improve your
ability to stay on schedule and stay focused during your hectic schedule.
You will avoid the most frustrating situation like looking for an assignment
That is due and you have no idea if it’s in your locker piled high with papers,
the car that hasn’t been cleaned for a who know how long, or your bedroom
that looks like an atomic bomb hit it! Being unorganized will cause
problems in nearly every area of your life and developing the skill of
Organization will immensely improve your ability to become successful at
whatever you pursue.

Schedule the most difficult tasks for times when you are alert. Geometry,
for example may be hard enough when you're fresh. When you're tired, it
will be impossible!
Establish a regular time and place for study. Utilize this space to study
during the day if possible. If you have a study hall during school utilize it.
Focus on your assignments and your to-do.

It's Okay to Say "No. "If your boss asks you to work on a Thursday night
and you have a final exam the next morning, realize that it's okay to say no.
Keep your short- and long-term priorities in mind.

Use daylight hours to study whenever possible. For most students for
every hour of study done in daylight hours, it will take them one and a half
hours to do the same task at night. Study during the day especially during
study halls.

By using flash cards, summary sheets or your notes, you can use short
periods to study on your spare time while you're waiting for class to start or
for a friend to pick you up.

Take study breaks. Do not schedule a night before test cram session.
Several short 50 minutes sessions are more effective than one long session.

Review Your Notes Every Day. You'll reinforce what you've learned, so
you need less time to study. You'll also be ready if your teacher calls on you
or gives a pop quiz.

Prepare and organize whatever possible the night before. A few

examples would be to pack your book bag and lay out what you intend to
wear the next day.

Get a Good Night's Sleep. Running on empty makes your days seem longer
and your tasks seem more difficult.

Don't Waste Time Agonizing and Procrastinating. Have you ever wasted
an entire evening by worrying about something that you're supposed to be
doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it.
NOTE TAKING STRATEGIES

Come to class prepared: Bring a three-ring binder, pocket folder and a

writing utensil.

Start a new page for each class: Put the date at the top of each page. This
makes it easier for you to access notes when you miss a class.

Develop a note taking system that works for you: There are several ways
to take notes such as outlining, charting or mapping. Attached is an example
of one system, the Cornell note-taking system. Use can use various colors to
distinguish between concepts.

Don’t try to write down every word the teacher says: Make sure you
listen, write and ask questions as needed.

Write down the major ideas: Listen for facts, connections and main ideas.
This can be difficult so don’t get frustrated. Ask the teacher to slow down if
needed.

Leave enough space between notes: When writing leave a lot of space
between ideas. Your notes will be easier to read and add to when needed.

Use graphic organizers or pictures: Sometimes it is helpful to draw

pictures that make connections between ideas, sequences or events.

Write down page numbers from your textbook: This makes it easier to
gather information for assignments quizzes or tests.

REVIEW YOUR NOTES: This is important!!!! Make sure you take the
time to look through your notes and develop questions or rephrase them so
they make sense to you!!!! Write down any questions you have and ask at
the beginning of the next class.

GET NOTES FROM MISSED CLASSES: Create a partnership with

another student that you can rely on and also can rely on you for notes when
 a class is missed. If not you may need to schedule time after school to do
this with your teacher.

4. PREPARATION OF THE BODY FOR OPTIMAL LEARNING:

 The Power Supply:
The more relaxed we are when learning new things, the more readily
& deeply we absorb new information. This state of relaxation is more
“yogic” not “couch-potato.” It involves good posture and a healthy
breathing pattern. No slouching!
When you are feeling particularly present and optimally registering
new facts, your body actually enters an even deeper state of relaxation
that is extremely pleasurable & healthy. Metaphorically, relate to new
information as if it is a liquid, not a solid. Progressive relaxation
enhances your ability to soak up information like a sponge or chew
water.

 Relaxation:
While there are no specific guidelines for how much relaxation a
person should incorporate into their lifestyle, making time to unwind
and enjoy life is an important part of maintaining good health. Deep
relaxation, like meditation, when practiced regularly not only relieves
stress and anxiety, but also is shown to improve mood. Deep
relaxation has many other potential benefits as well—it can decrease
blood pressure, relieve pain, and improve your immune and
cardiovascular systems. Making time to find enjoyment is also an
important element of relaxation. Laughing decreases pain, may help
your heart and lungs, promotes muscle relaxation and can reduce
anxiety. If you aren’t getting enough time to relax, you may find
yourself feeling tense and stressed out. Long-term stress, if not
addressed, can cause a host of health issues, including chest pain,
headaches, digestive issues, anxiety, depression changes in sexual
desire and the ability to focus.

 Rest:
Getting the correct amount of quality sleep is essential to your ability
to learn and process memories. Additionally, sleep helps restore your
body’s energy, repair muscle tissue and triggers the release of
 hormones that effect growth and appetite. Just like exercise, the
amount of sleep you need depends on your age. The National Heart,
Lung and Blood Institute recommends at least 11-12 hours for
Preschool-aged children, 10 hours for school-aged children, 9-10
hours for teens and 7-8 hours for adults. Quality of sleep matters too.
Quality of sleep refers to how much time you spend in REM (rapid
eye movement) sleep. REM is the most restorative of the 5 cycles of
sleep and should account for one-fourth of the time you spend
sleeping. For example, an adult who sleeps 8 hours in a night should
spend a total of 2 hours in REM sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep,
or good quality sleep every once in a while, you may notice that you
wake up feeling groggy, not well rested, and experience difficulty
concentrating. If you consistently do not get enough quality sleep, you
are at higher risk for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity,
Headaches and depression. Try to stay in the suggested guidelines for
amount of sleep - getting too much sleep on a regular basis can be
problematic for health as well. If you feel as though you are not
getting enough sleep on a regular basis and it is affecting your work or
personal life, talk to your primary care doctor to discuss whether you
may have an underlying sleep disorder, like insomnia or sleep apnea.

 Physical and Psychical Exercise:

Getting the appropriate amount of exercise benefits nearly all aspects
of a person’s health. Not only does exercise help control weight, it
also improves mental health, mood, chances of living longer, and the
strength of your bones and muscles. Adults ages 18 and over
(including older adults) need at least 2½ hours of moderate aerobic
activity each week and muscle strengthening exercises twice a
Week. Children and adolescents need an hour of physical activity
every day, with vigorous activity at least 3 days each week. They also
need muscle and bone strengthening exercises at least 3 days of the
week. Moderate intensive activities include briskly walking,
gardening, playing doubles tennis or a leisurely bike ride. Vigorous
intensive activities include jogging, running, swimming laps, jumping
rope, hiking or group activities like Zumba or step aerobics. Muscle-
strengthening activities to include in your routine twice a week
include yoga, lifting weights, resistance band exercises and body-
 weight resistance activities like pushups and sit ups. You don’t have
to spend hours on a treadmill each day to meet the recommended
amounts of physical activity. Ten minutes of moderate or vigorous
activity at a time 15 times a week (roughly twice a day) will take care
of it. Not getting enough exercise puts you at increased risk for
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high
blood pressure and some cancers. Additionally, if you sit or stand for
too long, you are more likely to have back pain, so it is important to
alternate standing and sitting throughout the day and make sure to
move around periodically.

5. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WORK( THE WORK

ENVIRONMENT):
Workers and union health and safety representatives are increasingly listing
Issues such as downsizing/understaffing, mandatory overtime, push for
Production, cross-training/multi-tasking, and work overload as key factors
Causing or contributing to injuries, illness and stress in their workplaces. All
of these issues are related to how work is organized and being restructured.
Work organization is about the control of work and the division of labor. It
Includes the tasks performed, who performs them and how they are
performed in the process of making a product or providing a service. Many
workplaces are undergoing massive changes in the ways in which work is
organized, often made possible by innovations in information and
communications technologies. New forms of work organization, such as
combined jobs, multi-tasking, teams, telecommuting, electronic performance
monitoring, use of temporary workers, contract workers and alternative work
schedules, are being introduced with very little attention to their potential to
hurt workers. However, we do know that these forms of work restructuring
can increase workers’ risk of injuries, illnesses and stress.

Forms of Work Organization

The organization of work includes many aspects, such as pace of work
(speed of an assembly line, quotas), work load, number of people
performing a job (staffing levels), hours and days on the job, length and
number of rest breaks and days away from work, layout of the work, skill
mix of those workers on the job, assignment of tasks and responsibilities,
and training for the tasks being performed. When work is restructured, these
aspects of work organization can be changed dramatically. Work is
restructured by management to achieve the goals of standardization of the
work, which in turn is used by management to increase in their control over
work. Some common terms for work organization/reorganization include:

• Lean Production: An overall approach to work organization that focuses

On elimination of any “waste” in the production/service delivery process. It
Often includes the following elements: “continuous improvement”, “just-in
time production”, and work teams.

• Continuous Improvement: A process for continually increasing

productivity and efficiency, often relying on information provided by
employee involvement groups or teams. Generally involves standardizing
the work process and eliminating micro-breaks or any “wasted” time spent
not producing/serving.

• Just-in-Time Production: Limiting or eliminating inventories, including

Work-in-progress inventories, using single piece production techniques
Often linked with efforts to eliminate “waste” in the production process,
Including any activity that does not add value to the product.

• Work Teams: Work teams operate within a production or service delivery

Process, taking responsibility for completing whole segments of work
product. Another type of team meets separately from the production process
to “harvest” the knowledge of the workforce and generate, develop and
implement ideas on how to improve quality, production, and efficiency.

• Total Productive Maintenance: Designed to eliminate all nonstandard,

Non-planned maintenance with the goal of eliminating unscheduled
Disruptions, simplifying (de-skilling) maintenance procedures, and
Reducing the need for “just-in-case” maintenance employees.

• Outsourcing/Contracting Out: Transfer of work formerly done by

Employees to outside organizations.
In many workplaces undergoing restructuring, worker knowledge about the
 Production/service process is gathered through “employee involvement” and
the used by management to “lean out” and standardize the work process,
thereby reducing reliance on worker skill and creativity. This restructuring
has resulted in job loss for some workers, while increasing the work load
and work pace for those who remain on the job. The result of these changes
in work organization is that it is no longer just machines that are wearing out
– it is the workers themselves.

6. READING TYPOLOGIES-THE TAKING OF NOTES:

One of the first things you learn about teaching is that there are different
reading techniques and the students should be aware of which technique is
most suited, depending on the reading task required by the text or by
Their teacher. Training students to know their reading techniques and
deduce when best to apply them is indeed important, especially under exam
conditions when time constraints come into play and decisions need to be
made depending on time availability and the importance of the task at hand.
The four main types of reading techniques are the following:
Skimming
Scanning
Intensive
Extensive

Skimming; Skimming is sometimes referred to as gist reading. Skimming

may help in order to know what the text is about at its most basic level. You
might typically do this with a magazine or newspaper and would help you
mentally and quickly shortlist those articles which you might consider for a
deeper read. You might typically skim to search for a name in a telephone
directory. You can reach a speed count of even 700 words per minute if you
train yourself well in this particular method. Comprehension is of course
very low and understanding of overall content very superficial.

Scanning;

Picture yourself visiting a historical city, guide book in hand. You would
most probably just scan the guide book to see which site you might want to
visit. Scanning involves getting your eyes to quickly scuttle across sentence
and is used to get just a simple piece of information. Interestingly, research
has concluded that reading off a computer screen actually inhibits the
pathways to effective scanning and thus, reading of paper is far more
conducive to speedy comprehension of texts. Something students sometimes
do not give enough importance to is illustrations. These should be included
in your scanning. Special attention to the introduction and the conclusion
should also be paid.

Intensive Reading;

You need to have your aims clear in mind when undertaking intensive
reading. Remember this is going to be far more time consuming than
scanning or skimming. If you need to list the chronology of events in a long
passage, you will need to read it intensively. This type of reading has indeed
beneficial to language learners as it helps them understand vocabulary by
deducing the meaning of words in context. It moreover, helps with retention
of information for long periods of time and knowledge resulting from
Intensive reading persists in your long term memory. This is one reason why
reading huge amounts of information just before an exam does not work
very well. When students do this, they undertake neither type of reading
process effectively, especially neglecting intensive reading. They may
remember the answers in an exam but will likely forget everything soon
afterwards.

Extensive reading

Extensive reading involves reading for pleasure. Because there is an element

of enjoyment in extensive reading it is unlikely that students will undertake
extensive reading of a text they do not like. It also requires a fluid decoding
and assimilation of the text and content in front of you. If the text is difficult
and you stop every few minutes to figure out what is being said or to look up
new words in the dictionary, you are breaking your concentration and
diverting your thoughts.

The Five Rs of Note-Taking

Here is an easy way to remember the most important points of note-taking:

1. Record: During the lecture, write all meaningful information legibly.

 2. Reduce: After the lecture, write a summary of the ideas and facts using
key words as cue words. Summarizing as you study helps to:

Clarify meanings and relationships of ideas

Reinforce continuity
Strengthen memory retention
Prepare for exams in advance

3. Recite: To study properly, you must recite all the information in your own
words without looking at our notes or the text.

4. Reflect: Think about your own opinions and ideas as you read over your
notes. Raise questions, then try to answer them creatively. Record original
ideas in your notebook and review them regularly. Use your creative ideas
when answering exam questions, in classroom discussions, and when
writing papers.

5. Review: Before reading or studying new material, take ten minutes to

quickly review your older notes. Skim over the main ideas and details.
Review enhances your retention of old material while adding new material
to your memory.

7. PREPARATION FOR THE REVIEW- THE PROCESS OF

RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS:
Gather and submit evidence and specialist reports.
Organize your witnesses.
Make a submission in support of your case.
Note your hearing date and venue details.
Let us know of any changes.
Good preparation is essential
What you need to prepare for a hearing
You don't have to attend the hearing, but it is recommended. Alternatively,
you can give evidence in writing, or arrange for someone else to present it
for you.

Providing evidence
Before the hearing, both you and ACC will need to provide your evidence to
the Reviewer and all other parties. You can provide your evidence to us by
email. You need to be clear about why you lodged the review application,
the documents and people you will need to help support your case, and
provide any relevant medical evidence. You may also be asked to provide
additional specialist reports.

Organizing your witnesses

If you need witnesses to give evidence, please let the reviewer and other
parties know at least 14 days before the hearing. You should provide the
witness names and the evidence they will be providing. Make sure your
witnesses know where and when to attend the hearing.

Making a submission
You can also make a submission, or argument, to support your review
application. Written submissions must be received by parties at least five
working days before the hearing. You can read out or give spoken
submissions, or they can be written and then presented at the hearing.

Confirm attendees
Decide who will be at the hearing with you. Anyone who is directly
involved can attend the hearing, including:

Your reviewer.
You and/or your legal representative.
A support person.
A representative from ACC.
your employer and/or their representative (for work injuries).
Witnesses or experts.
Interpreters.
An observer from Fairway Resolution, if all parties agree.
Please be aware that review hearings are not open to the public.

Withdrawing from your review

you can decide to withdraw from the review at any time, and you do not
have to give either ACC or us a reason for the withdrawal. You must inform
us in writing by sending us a letter or completing ACC’s withdrawal form. If
your hearing is within three weeks, please also let us know by telephone.
If you wish to apply for, you need to let us know.

Hearing date delays

you or any other party can request an adjournment of a scheduled review
hearing (delay) in writing. Not all requests to adjourn a review hearing are
granted, and you should be prepared to go ahead with the hearing on the
scheduled date. Only a reviewer can grant an adjournment.
If you want to delay your hearing, you should clearly explain in writing:
why you cannot attend the hearing (for example, because of a family
bereavement or illness); and the earliest date you are available for a new
hearing. If the hearing is adjourned, Fairway Resolution will send a letter to
all parties. In most cases, the letter will also include a new hearing date.

8 Step Problem Solving Process

Step 1: Define the Problem.

What is the problem?
How did you discover the problem?
When did the problem start and how long has this problem been going on?
Is there enough data available to contain the problem and prevent it from
getting to the next process step? If yes, contain the problem.

Step 2: Clarify the Problem.

What data is available or needed to help clarify, or fully understand the
problem?
Is it a top priority to resolve the problem at this point in time?
Are additional resources required to clarify the problem? If yes, elevate the
problem to locate the right resources and form a team.
Consider a Lean Event (Do-it, Burst, RPI, and Project).
Ensure the problem is contained and does not get passed to the next process
step.

Step 3: Define the Goals.

What is your end goal or desired future state?
What will you accomplish if you fix this problem?
What is the desired timeline for solving this problem?
Step 4: Identify Root Cause of the Problem.
Identify possible causes of the problem.
Prioritize possible root causes of the problem.
What information or data is there to validate the root cause?

Step 5: Develop Action Plan.

Generate a list of actions required to address the root cause and prevent
problem from
Assign an owner and timeline to each action.
Status actions to ensure completion.

Step 6: Execute Action Plan.

Implement action plan to address the root cause.
Verify actions are completed.

Step 7: Evaluate the Results.

Monitor and Collect Data.
Did you meet your goals defined in step 3? If not, repeat the 8-Step Process.
Were there any unforeseen consequences?
If problem is resolved, remove activities that were added previously to
contain the problem.

Step 8: Continuously Improve.

Look for additional opportunities to implement solution.
Ensure problem will not come back and communicate lessons learned.
If needed, repeat the 8-Step Problem Solving Process to drive further
improvements.