Week 1

Chapter 1:
· WHAT IS FEASIBILITY STUDY?
· TYPES OF FEASIBILITY STUDY
· IMPORTANCE OF FEASIBILITY STUDY
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As the name implies, a feasibility analysis is used to determine the viability of an idea, such as ensuring a project is legally and
technically feasible as well as economically justifiable. It tells us whether a project is worth the investment—in some cases, a
project may not be doable. There can be many reasons for this, including requiring too many resources, which not only prevents
those resources from performing other tasks but also may cost more than an organization would earn back by taking on a
project that isn’t profitable.

A well-designed study should offer a historical background of the business or project, such as a description of the product or
service, accounting statements, details of operations and management, marketing research and policies, financial data, legal
requirements, and tax obligations. Generally, such studies precede technical development and project implementation.

TYPES OF FEASIBILITY STUDY

A feasibility analysis evaluates the project’s potential for success; therefore, perceived objectivity is an essential factor in the
credibility of the study for potential investors and lending institutions. There are five types of feasibility study—separate areas
that a feasibility study examines, described below.

1. Technical Feasibility
It is the process of proving that the concept is technically possible. The objective of the technical feasibility step is to confirm
that the product will perform and to verify that there are no production barriers. The product of this activity is a working model.
This assessment focuses on the technical resources available to the organization. It helps organizations determine whether the
technical resources meet capacity and whether the technical team is capable of converting the ideas into working systems.
Technical feasibility also involves the evaluation of the hardware, software, and other technical requirements of the proposed
system. As an exaggerated example, an organization wouldn’t want to try to put Star Trek’s transporters in their building—
currently, this project is not technically feasible. In Technical Feasibility, you need to deter the possibility to create a process that
takes expected input and gives expected output. This will depend on the expertise of team members who have taken
responsibility for all technical activities. Further, Technical Feasibility will help you to determine current resources available and
resources which you will require. Accordingly, you have to reduce this gap.
Technical Feasibility is also related to production methods. With the same amount of resources, if you improve the production
methods, then you could pass technical feasibility without introducing new resources. Otherwise, with poor production
methods, even sufficient resources cannot validate technical feasibility. Determining the Requirements of the Project is also a
part of Technical Feasibility. It involves finding components and machinery for the project, external capitals like rooms, and
amount of labor with a specific skill set for each of them, etc.
2. Economic Feasibility
This assessment typically involves a cost/ benefits analysis of the project, helping organizations determine the viability, cost, and
benefits associated with a project before financial resources are allocated. It also serves as an independent project assessment
and enhances project credibility—helping decision-makers determine the positive economic benefits to the organization that
the proposed project will provide. Economic feasibility is a kind of cost-benefit analysis of the examined project, which assesses
whether it is possible to implement it. It consists of market analysis, economic analysis, technical and strategic analysis
3. Legal Feasibility
This assessment investigates whether any aspect of the proposed project conflicts with legal requirements like zoning laws, data
protection acts or social media laws. Let’s say an organization wants to construct a new office building in a specific location. A
feasibility study might reveal the organization’s ideal location isn’t zoned for that type of business. That organization has just
saved considerable time and effort by learning that their project was not feasible right from the beginning.
4. Operational Feasibility
This assessment involves undertaking a study to analyze and determine whether—and how well—the organization’s needs can
be met by completing the project. Operational feasibility studies also examine how a project plan satisfies the requirements
identified in the requirements analysis phase of system development.
5. Scheduling Feasibility
This assessment is the most important for project success; after all, a project will fail if not completed on time. In scheduling
feasibility, an organization estimates how much time the project will take to complete.
When these areas have all been examined, the feasibility analysis helps identify any constraints the proposed project may face,
including:
Internal Project Constraints: Technical, Technology, Budget, Resource, etc.
Internal Corporate Constraints: Financial, Marketing, Export, etc.
External Constraints: Logistics, Environment, Laws, and Regulations, etc.

IMPORTANCE OF FEASIBILITY STUDY

1. Exploring Reality
The feasibility study helps you to direct the project/business idea towards the reality which you are currently imagining. In this,
you have to find answers in many questions at starting stage. Answers to these questions make you focus on further specific
questions which finally take you to an ultimate answer whether you can implement it or not.
Examples of Questions are ‘Whether people will like your product?’, ‘Will people accept improvement or changes in product or
methods?’, ‘Whether the business can create profits?’, ‘Whether competition has created entry barriers?’, etc. For this, one
must identify the benefits, uniqueness, possibilities, problem-solving nature, etc. of their business ideas so as to tackle these
questions.

2. Possibilities of Alternate Ways

The feasibility study helps you to find alternative ways of developing your business idea. These alternatives could reduce your
time, efforts, expanses, etc. Hence, this could increase your work efficiency, profitability, scalability, etc.
Also, this study allows you to explore opportunities that you haven’t even thought of at the initial stage. Further, this will
prevent you to waste your efforts and start everything again.
3. Knowledge of Financial Risks
The feasibility study helps you to determine how much you are putting your money at risk. After converting your idea into
business, it involves finding answers to various other questions. These are ‘Whether you are able to maintain cash flow or not?’,
‘How much repeating expenses are there in the project?’, ‘How long you can afford the expanses?’, ‘What more equipment,
tools, accessories you will require for developing or manufacturing?’
4. Understanding Possibility of Business Operation
The feasibility study helps you to find whether you can operate your business or not. This involves finding answers to questions
like ‘Is there any possibility to find an area for manufacturing the product?’, ‘Are there possible transportation facilities like road
connectivity, transportation vehicles?’, ‘Is it possible to find people who can run and maintain the equipment?’, ‘Is it possible to
make timely repairs if equipment malfunctions to avoid hampers in production?’ etc.

The importance of a feasibility study is based on organizational desire to “get it right” before committing resources, time, or
budget. A feasibility study might uncover new ideas that could completely change a project’s scope. It’s best to make these
determinations in advance, rather than to jump in and to learn that the project won’t work. Conducting a feasibility study is
always beneficial to the project as it gives you and other stakeholders a clear picture of the proposed project.
Below are some key benefits of conducting a feasibility study:
Improves project teams’ focus
Identifies new opportunities
Provides valuable information for a “go/no-go” decision
Narrows the business alternatives
Identifies a valid reason to undertake the project
Enhances the success rate by evaluating multiple parameters
Aids decision-making on the project
Identifies reasons not to proceed

Apart from the approaches to feasibility study listed above, some projects also require other constraints to be analyzed -
Internal Project Constraints: Technical, Technology, Budget, Resource, etc.
Internal Corporate Constraints: Financial, Marketing, Export, etc.
External Constraints: Logistics, Environment, Laws, and Regulations, etc.

Conclusion
Feasibility is a relative term. This means for a project, will not be feasible in the current time but can become feasible in the
future. For example, smartphones, which seems not feasible in the 1990s. Because we used to rely on landlines and button
phones, so we could not imagine that this phone in the future will have the ability to provide internet surfing, television-like
services, school books, ticket booking services, etc. But things happened in the 2010s.
Week 2

Chapter 2:
· FLOWCHART
· FLOW OF WORK
· SYMBOLS OF FLOWCHART
· TYPES OF FLOWCHART
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FLOWCHART

A flowchart is a visual representation of the sequence of steps and decisions needed to perform a process. Each step in the
sequence is noted within a diagram shape. Steps are linked by connecting lines and directional arrows. This allows anyone to
view the flowchart and logically follow the process from beginning to end. A flowchart is a powerful business tool. With proper
design and construction, it communicates the steps in a process very effectively and efficiently.

A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents a workflow or process. A flowchart can also be defined as a diagrammatic
representation of an algorithm, a step-by-step approach to solving a task. The flowchart shows the steps as boxes of various
kinds, and their order by connecting the boxes with arrows. This diagrammatic representation illustrates a solution model to a
given problem. Flowcharts are used in analyzing, designing, documenting or managing a process or program in various fields.

Benefits of Flowchart
1. Improved Communication
Flowchart software empowers entire teams to collaborate as they create, edit, and analyze flowcharts. In addition to file and
screen sharing tools, many applications include robust commenting and note-taking features that help users interact with each
other without changing screens. In addition to improving the communication between employees as they create and update
flowcharts, the diagrams themselves can improve communication of processes and workflows, especially when an existing
process is being updated or refined. For instance, manufacturing employees can follow a flowchart while setting up machines.
Likewise, programmers can easily follow their production workflow when it’s in a visual format.
2. Visual Clarity
Written documents can provide many details regarding your company’s internal processes and structures. However, people
often can’t spend the necessary time reading and deciphering complicated documents and work instructions. Flowcharts can
bring clarity to concepts that are otherwise difficult to understand. When you’re equipped with the right flowchart program,
you can not only quickly create visual representations of elaborate systems but also link multiple diagrams together. Therefore,
people can easily explore and understand multiple processes, how they interact, and their sequences. Needless to say, the
visual clarity of flowcharts makes it possible for everyone to navigate complicated, interrelated systems. Rather than sifting
through mountains of paperwork, people can easily identify points of interest at a glance. Similarly, an organizational chart can
help you and your management team define the role of every employee and department within your organization. At a glance,
people can see who reports to a particular manager and, for that matter, how to route issues for resolution. Flowchart elements
make analysis easy. For instance, a rounded rectangle typically denotes the process’ initiation or termination. Meanwhile,
square usually represents action. Different symbols can signify whether a process is stored either electronically or on paper. Your
flowchart software will help you and your team quickly locate the right symbols to place in every section of your diagrams.
3. Effective Analysis
The diagrams that you create with flowcharts can help you visually identify problems. For instance, by reviewing your
organizational chart, you might discover that some employees report to multiple supervisors. In response, you can reorganize
your business to improve accountability. A process flowchart can highlight operational bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
Similarly, by visually reviewing their work, programmers can uncover illogical sequences that can create inefficiencies and bugs.
After identifying a potential problem, programmers can know in which places they need to modify their code.
4. Problem Solving
By creating a visual representation of a problem and its possible resolutions, you will often understand it better. Furthermore, by
inviting collaboration, other stakeholders can contribute to the diagram so that you can get a comprehensive view of the
problem. Also, by working together to analyze the issue, you’ll have a chance to brainstorm solutions. While engaging in
problem solving, flowcharting breaks a problem down into well-defined parts. Flowcharts can help you make sure that you
include all available information that pertains to a particular matter. For the most part, you can see whether you’ve omitted
from your consideration any essential inputs, operations, or decisions.
5. Documentation
 Many
people
learn
better
visually
than
they do
by
reading.

Flowcharts may prove useful for simplifying otherwise difficult procedures. For example, your human resources department can
develop flowcharts that explain the onboarding process for new hires. You can also provide your employees with documentation
in the form of flowcharts. For instance, you can equip them with visual procedures for requesting time off or changing positions
within your organization. By creating client-facing documentation for your products and services in flowchart form, you can help
your customers learn to properly use the things they’ve bought. Consequently, your customers may feel more satisfied with your
business as a result of their purchases. As a matter of fact, you can create flowcharts that document the proper way to complete
every business-related task in which your business engages. In the end, by producing easy-to-follow documentation for your
employees and customers, you can reduce training requirements, standardize procedures, increase satisfaction, and improve
efficiency.

FLOW OF WORK
In any organization, office work is performed by innumerable employees. The flow of work must be ensured in such a way that
office work is done with maximum efficiency and minimum cost. The term 'flow of work' is connected with the ways in which
work moves along from one operation to another. It should be planned in such a manner so as to keep every employee steadily
employed during the working hours. According to Leffingwell and Robinson, in controlling output, the first and the most
important consideration is to handle work so that it should flow steadily without any interruption; i.e., velocities at all points
should be equal and uninterrupted. The flow of work should be planned in such a way that there is least possible wastage of
time from backward movement and motion through interruption in the flow of work. In other words, work must always move
forward from the beginning to end. When there is proper straight line flow of work, the work will be speeded up. There will not
be backtracking of work and consequently there will not be any interruption in the flow of work. Avoidance of delay in
unnecessary movement of files is possible on account of preparation of flow charts. In fact, flow charts depict the actual flow of
work in offices.

SYMBOLS OF FLOWCHART
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) set standards for flowcharts and their symbols in the 1960s.The International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) adopted the ANSI symbols in 1970. The current standard, ISO 5807, was revised in
1985. Generally, flowcharts flow from top to bottom and left to right.
TYPES OF FLOWCHART
1. The Process Flowchart
It illustrates how a process works or plan a project with a process flowchart. A process flowchart or process flow diagram is
probably the most versatile of the four commonly used flowchart types because it can be applied to virtually anything. Process
flow diagrams or process mapping can help quickly explain how something gets done in your organization. Sometimes, these
types of flowcharts use a standard language or notation, like Business Process Modeling and Notation. Use a process flow
diagram to:
Map out roles and responsibilities within an organization to gain clarity.
Describe the manufacturing process or inputs that go into creating a finished product.
Draw up a proposal for a new process or project to understand its scope and steps.
Example: Show the way you wake up in the morning, as shown below.

1. The Workflow Chart or Workflow Diagram

It understands how data and documents flow within your organization. A workflow chart shows the way a business or process
functions. The below example illustrates the steps required for a potential customer to renew a policy through a company
website. This type of workflow diagram can be used to:
train new employees
discover potential problem areas
create or organize your team around a new standard operating procedure
clarify business operations by showing a high-level overview
Example:

1. The Swimlane Flowchart

It describes how separate departments, processes or employees interact. The swimlane flowchart comes in handy when you
need to show multiple flows of information side by side. Swimlane diagrams might sound really similar to a workflow diagram,
but the key here is that it allows you to create different categories where activity takes place. A swimlane flowchart or diagram is
great for documenting a whole process that interacts with different segments of an organization or requires collaboration
among different teams. The below example illustrates the way an internal-facing department runs parallel with an external-
facing one and at what times in the process they interact with each other.
More complicated diagrams could include five, six, or even more swimlanes, like for each department within an organization or
each role on a cross-functional team. The goal of swimlanes is to clarify and simplify a flowchart, though, so avoid adding too
many lanes and keep things simple.
Example:

1. The Data Flowchart

It explains where data flows in and out of an information system with a data flow diagram. A data flowchart or data flow
diagram shows the way data is processed. It comes in handy when you want to design or analyze a system. Although most often
used for software development and design, it can be used to analyze any type of information flow, like how information moves
through a business. The below example shows a typical sales funnel. In this case the “data” is consumer behavior.
Example:
Week 3
Chapter 3:
· POLICY
· PROCEDURE
· HOW TO DEVELOP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN THE WORKPLACE
· POLICY GUIDELINES
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POLICY
A ‘Policy’ is a predetermined course of action, which is established to provide a guide toward accepted business strategies and
objectives. In other words, it is a direct link between an organization’s ‘Vision’ and their day-to-day operations. Policies identify
the key activities and provide a general strategy to decision makers on how to handle issues as they arise. This is accomplished
by providing the reader with limits and a choice of alternatives that can be used to ‘guide’ their decision making process as they
attempt to overcome problems. I like to think of ‘policies’ as a globe where national boundaries, oceans, mountain ranges and
other major features are easily identified.

PROCEDURE
The ultimate goal of every ‘Procedure’ is to provide the reader with a clear and easily understood plan of action required to
carry out or implement a policy. A well-written procedure will also help eliminate common misunderstandings by identifying job
responsibilities and establishing boundaries for the jobholders. Good procedures actually allow managers to control events in
advance and prevent the organization (and employees) from making costly mistakes. You can think of a procedure as a road map
where the trip details are highlighted in order to prevent a person from getting lost or ‘wandering’ off an acceptable path
identified by the company’s management team

Differentiating Between Policies and Procedures Policies

Policies
· Are general in nature
· Identify company rules
· Explain why they exist
· Tells when the rule applies
· Describe who it covers
· Shows how the rule is enforced
· Describes the consequences
· Are normally described using simple sentences and paragraphs

Procedures
· Identify specific actions
· Explain when to take actions
· Describe alternatives
· Shows emergency procedures
· Includes warning and cautions
· Gives examples, show how to complete forms
· Are normally written using and outline format
Policies and procedures are required when there is a need for consistency in your day-to-day operational activities. Policies and
procedures also provide clarity to the reader when dealing with accountability issues or activities that are of critical importance
to the company, such as, health and safety, legal liabilities, regulatory requirements or issues that have serious consequences.

Are Your Policies and Procedures Meeting Your Needs?

A few ‘Critical’ signs that your policies and procedures need to be reviewed and updated include:
· An increase in the number of accidents, higher failure rates or costly overruns.
· More staff questions on ‘normal operations’ or a feeling of general confusion within a department or division.
· Employees may also be demonstrating inconsistency in their job performance and there may be an increase in the
workforce’s stress levels.
· Customers are increasing complaints.

Benefits of Policies and Procedures

Now that we have a better understanding of policies and procedures, let’s take a look at the major benefits they provide.
· Employees understand the constraints of their job without using a ‘trial and error’ approach, as key points are visible in
well-written policies and procedures.
· Policies and procedures enable the workforce to clearly understand individual and team responsibilities, thus saving time
and resources. Everyone is working off the same page; employees can get the “official” word on how they should go about their
tasks quickly and easily.
· Clearly written policies and procedures allow managers to exercise control by exception rather than ‘micro-manage’ their
staff.
· They send a “We Care!” message. ‘The company wants us to be successful at our jobs.’
· Clearly written policies and procedures provide legal protection. Juries apply the ‘common person’ standard. If written
clearly so that outsiders understand, the company has better legal footing if challenged in court.
HOW TO DEVELOP POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN THE WORKPLACE
When creating a policy or procedure for your workplace, start by reviewing the mission statement, vision and values. According
to the New South Wales Government Industrial Relations, “a workplace policy should:
· Set out the aim of the policy
· Explain why the policy was developed
· List who the policy applies to
· Set out what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior
· Set out the consequences of not complying with the policy
· Provide a date when the policy was developed or updated”

Once you implement your policies and procedures, the next step is to inform and train employees on them. You can’t expect
employees to follow guidelines if they aren’t aware of them. Be sure to schedule regular refresher training sessions, too, to keep
employees on track. Paychex WORX says that “employees may be more likely to embrace rules when they understand their
purpose and that they are not meant to be a form of control or punishment.” For this reason, keep a positive attitude during
training sessions and leave plenty of time for employee questions. Policies and procedures should not be written once and left
alone for decades. Reviewing these documents regularly and updating them when necessary is key to their success. In addition
to an annual review, consider updating them when you:
· Adopt new equipment, software, etc.
· See an increase in accidents or failures on-site
· Experience increased customer complaints
· Have a feeling of general confusion or increased staff questions regarding day-to-day operations • see inconsistency in
employee job performance
· Feel increased stress levels across the office.

Company policies and procedures ensure a safe, organized, convivial, empowering, and nondiscriminatory workplace. Policies
protect employees from a free-for-all environment of favoritism and unfair treatment. Be careful not to create policies for every
contingency, though, because management won't have the latitude to address individual employee needs. An overabundance of
policies increases the likelihood that managers will apply them unequally and unfairly. You can strike a healthy balance. In most
circumstances, if you directly address employees who are behaving in ways inappropriate to your workplace, you may not need
to develop a new company policy.

POLICY GUIDELINES
Consider creating a policy in these situations:
· Confusion about the most appropriate way to behave (dress codes, email, internet policies, or smartphone use)
· Guidance for handling common situations (standards of conduct, travel expenditures, or purchase of company
merchandise)
· Legal protection for the company (head off charges of harassment or discriminatory hiring and promotion)
· Compliance with governmental laws and agencies (Family and Medical Leave Act, Disabilities Act, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, or minimum wage)
· Establish consistent work standards, rules, and regulations (progressive discipline, safety rules, breaks, or smoking rules)
· Provide consistent and fair treatment for employees (benefits eligibility, paid time off, tuition assistance, bereavement
time, or jury duty)
Policies Every Company Should Have
Employees need consistent company policies to guide them on their roles and responsibilities, as well as the company’s
overarching business principles, ethics and beliefs — for compliance reasons and to ensure a healthy company culture. Written
policies and procedures also help protect your company from potential legal action. Creating written policies may seem like an
overwhelming task, especially when you have other HR tasks to manage, but here are a few necessary policies to get you
started:
For Employees Working at Your Company
1. Employee Position Descriptions – It defines the role of every employee, including their level of responsibility, amount of
authority for decision-making, overarching goals and specific tasks. Also create methods for monitoring performance and
developing employees through training.
2. Personnel Policies – It clearly state business hours, terms of employment (hiring and termination), wages or salary (and
bonuses, if any), insurance and health benefits, paid vs. unpaid vacation days, sick leave, and retirement.
3. Organizational Structure – This creates a chart with each person’s name and title showing how each person fits into the
structure of the organization.
4. Disciplinary Action – It address issues of honesty, performance, safety and misconduct, and determine what constitutes a
violation of company policy, as well as how employees will be disciplined if they violate certain rules.
5. No Retaliation Policy– It protects your employees and the company from harming or disobeying the policies. Make sure to
have a no retaliation policy.
6. Safety Policy – It provides industry best practices and relevant local, government and labor laws as guidelines to create
rules detailing what safe behavior at work looks like, how to use safety equipment, how to report safety hazards, etc.
7. Technology Policy – It establishes what’s acceptable and what’s not in regards to Internet, email and social media usage for
personal purposes at work.

For Customers Doing Business with Your Company

8. Privacy Policy – It protect employees, the company and your customers by establishing a policy that encourages
transparency and trust with your customers.
9. Credit Policy – It determines the terms of opening an account and building good credit with your company. Set an
acceptable amount of time for payment, and establish consequences when payment is overdue or not received.
10. Confidentiality – It protects sensitive information, and be sure to cover relationships with vendors, customers and other
suppliers. When developing policies, be sure to consult local, government’s labor regulations, as well as industry best practices
to ensure the policies you create are compliant. Also be sure to give yourself enough leeway and not write definitive, binding
statements; otherwise, you can be held liable if your manager does not follow the exact, outlined steps. It’s also important that
you properly train employees on policies and ensure employees understand and acknowledge them. That way, there’s less
chance of confusion and misunderstanding.
Why You Need to Enforce Policies and Procedures
Policies and procedures are helpful for making your workplace run more efficiently, but they are only effective if you enforce
them. Enforcement of the guidelines guarantees your organization’s operational procedures and decision-making processes are
uniform and consistent across cases. When you don’t enforce your procedures, you put your organization at risk. If an employee
or external person comes forward with an allegation against your company, having formal policies and procedures in place
strengthens your case. For example, say someone sues your organization for hiring discrimination, claiming that they were not
given a job they interviewed for because they have a disability. Having an anti-discrimination policy in place is a strong piece of
evidence in your defense. Or, say that you refuse to reimburse a first-class plane ticket an employee bought to get to a
conference. Pointing out that first-class airfare is not eligible for expense reimbursement and having proof of this in your policy
protects your organization from legal actions and reputation damage. Without formal policies and procedures, your organization
may not be reaching its potential. Developing and enforcing policies that reflect your workplace’s values make it a better
environment for all employees.

Week 4
Chapter 4:
· PRELIMINARY PAGES OF FEASIBILITY STUDY
· TITLE PAGE
· EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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PRELIMINARY PAGES OF FEASIBILITY STUDY

It contains pages that are counted in sequence (except the copyright page, which is neither counted nor numbered). Any page
with a main heading on it (title page, abstract, table of contents, etc.) is counted, but no page number is typed on the page.
Second pages to the abstract, table of contents, lists, and acknowledgments are numbered with lower case Roman numerals
centered within the left and right thesis margins and between the bottom margin and the bottom edge of the page.
Figure 4.1 Common Preliminary pages of Research Paper/Feasibility Study
Figure 4.1 shows the most common content of preliminary pages of research and feasibility study, but with the format of BSOA
program, it includes:
1. title page;
2. executive summary;
3. approval sheet;
4. acknowledgement;
5. table of contents;
6. list of figures; and
7. list of tables.
TITLE PAGE
This page is one of the most important parts of the "front matter" or "preliminaries" of a feasibility study paper, as the data on it
and its verso (together known as the "title leaf") are used to establish the "title proper and usually, though not necessarily, the
statement of responsibility and the data relating to publication". This determines the way the book is cited in library catalogs
and academic references. The title page often shows the title of the work, the person or body responsible for its intellectual
content, and the imprint, which contains the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication. Particularly in
paperback editions it may contain a shorter title than the cover or lack a descriptive subtitle. Further information about the
publication of the book, including its copyright information, is frequently printed on the verso of the title page. Also often
included there are the ISBN and a "printer's key", also known as the "number line", which indicates the print run to which the
volume belongs.
The title page aligned with the format of BSOA program contains the following:
1. Title of Feasibility Study. It summarizes the main idea or ideas of your study. A good title contains the fewest possible
words that adequately describe the contents and/or purpose of your research paper. The title is without doubt the part of a
paper that is read the most, and it is usually read first.

In this section aligned with the format of BSOA program, the title text must be:
A. written in bold letters;
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance; and
C. appeared as inverted triangle. (see figure 4.2)
2. Name of School/University and Faculty. This is where the feasibility is conducted under the name and supervision of the
school and faculty. In this section, the authors of the feasibility must address the complete name of the respective university and
department or program. (see figure 4.2)
In this section aligned with the format of BSOA program, it must be:
A. written in normal letters;
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance; and
C. appeared as inverted triangle. (see figure 4.2)
3. Purpose of accomplishing the feasibility. This part shows the fulfillment of requirement on the degree of the authors.
In this section aligned with the format of BSOA program, it must be:
A. written in normal letters;
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance; and
C. appeared as inverted triangle. (see figure 4.2)
4. Authors. This is where the names of the members/authors who conducted the feasibility study is written.
In this section aligned with the format of BSOA program, it must be:
A. written in capitalized letters;
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance; and
C. appeared as inverted triangle. (see figure 4.2)

Figure 4.2 Accomplished Feasibility Study, title page

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
An executive summary is the first section of a proposal that provides a brief overview of the document and contains its main
points. In other words, it is a condensed version of a complete feasibility study. It is primarily used in the business world, but its
application in academia is also possible. In this part, the page written in Roman numeral form must be visible.

Importance of an Executive Summary

The primary goals of the executive summary are to provide a condensed version of the main document, such as a business plan,
and to grab the attention of the reader(s). Since the readers of the business plans and feasibility reports (investors, lenders,
and C-level executives) generally do not have time to read all the lengthy documents they receive, a well-written summary can
help you to grab their attention and subsequently achieve your business goals. As the executive summary is the initial
representation of the complete document, it should cover the main parts of a plan or proposal and indicate the points that are
elaborated on in the final document.

In line with the format of BSOA program, the executive summary contains the following:
1. Title of Feasibility Study. Unlike in the title page section, the title text in this part must be:
A. Written in normal letters; the word “title of the research” must be written in bold letters; and
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance.
2. Authors. This is where the names of the members/authors who conducted the feasibility study is written.
In this section aligned with the format of BSOA program, it must be:
A. written in capitalized letters;
B. aligned center which gives the title a formal appearance; and
C. appeared as inverted triangle. (see figure 4.3)
3. Degree. This is an academic subject accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course. (see figure 4.3)
4. Date of Completion. This is where the exact month of feasibility study has been accomplished. (see figure 4.3)
5. Overview of the feasibility study. In this part, the authors of the feasibility study must give an overview of the subject of
the study (company, procedures, changes etc.). A good overview must have a general review or summary of a subject from
chapter 1 to chapter 5 of the feasibility study.
Figure 4.3 Accomplished Feasibility Study, Executive Summary

Week 5
Chapter 5:
· APPROVAL SHEET
· ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
· TABLE OF CONTENTS
· LIST OF FIGURES
· LIST OF TABLES

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APPROVAL SHEET

· This is to prove that the authors have passed the requirements needed for the thesis.
· This is signed by the thesis/FS adviser, panel and the Dean.
· This also states the grade obtained by the author/s. (see figure 5.1)
Figure 5.1 Accomplished feasibility study. Approval Sheet

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This is a page focused on expressing gratitude to organizations, agencies or individuals who, in one way or another, have aided
the researchers in finishing the thesis. (see figure 5.2)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
· The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the thesis.
· It is compiled by listing the headings in the thesis down to whichever level you choose. (see figure 5.3)
Figure 5.3 Accomplished feasibility study. Table of Contents
LISTS OF FIGURES
· It includes a list of figures (illustrations), if you have one or more items in these categories.
· Use a separate page for each list.
· List the number, caption, and page number of every figure and table in the body of the thesis. (see figure 5.4)
Figure 5.4 Accomplished feasibility study. List of Figures

LISTS OF TABLES
· It includes a list of tables if you have one or more items in these categories.
· Use a separate page for each list.
· List the number, caption, and page number of every figure and table in the body of the thesis. List the number, caption,
and page number of every figure and table in the body of the thesis.(see figure 5.5)
We had just finished the discussion part of this Module. Let’s move on to the next higher level of activity/ies or exercise/s that
demonstrate your potential skills/knowledge of what you have learned.

Week 7

Chapter 7:

· COMPANY BACKGROUND AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

· INTRODUCTION

· BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY

· MISSION, VISION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

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COMPANY BACKGROUND AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

A company background and industry analysis (also known as company information or a company summary) is an essential part
of a feasibility. It’s an overview of the most important points about the company—your history, management team, location,
mission statement and legal structure. In business, plan, it usually appears after the executive summary. This is typically the
shortest chapter of a business plan or feasibility document, but that doesn’t reduce its importance. If you’re presenting this plan
to people outside of your company, this is your opportunity to introduce yourself and your business, and you are going to want
to put your best foot forward. Imagine that the person reading your business plan document has never heard of you, and
doesn’t know anything about your business.

Chapter 1 of feasibility paper aligned with the format of BSOA program contains the company background of the company. It
includes the following:

· Mission and Vision, Goals, Objectives,;

· Logo;

· Organizational structure of the company and the department where the feasibility is focused on, i.e. (Human Resource
Management and Quality Assurance, Research and Development Department);

· industry analysis of the company;

· employments;

· economic growth;

· list of competitor; and

· industry forecast.

INTRODUCTION

After the title and preliminary pages of the feasibility paper, the introduction is the next thing your audience will read, so it's
vital to begin strongly. The introduction is the author’s opportunity to show readers and reviewers why the subject and topic is
worth reading about and why your paper warrants their attention.

The introduction serves multiple purposes. It presents the background to your study, introduces your topic and aims, and gives
an overview of the paper. A good introduction will provide a solid foundation and encourage readers to continue on to the main
parts of your paper—the methods, results, and discussion.
The following are suggested to construct an effective introduction. These tips apply primarily to full papers and letters reporting
original research results.

1. Start broadly and then narrow down. In the first paragraph, briefly describe the broad research area and then narrow
down to your particular focus. This will help position your feasibility topic within the broader field, making the work accessible to
a broader audience, not just to specialists in your field.

2. State the aims and importance. Papers are sometimes rejected for "not showing the importance of the topic" or "lacking
clear motivation" usually neglect this point. Say what you want to achieve and why your reader should be interested in finding
out whether you achieve it. The basic structure can be as simple as "We aim to do X, which is important because it will lead to
Y."

3. Cite thoroughly but not excessively. Instead of simply saying that the topic is important, show why the topic is important.
Once you've narrowed your focus to the specific topic of your study, you should thoroughly cover the most recent and most
relevant literature pertaining to your study. Your review of the literature should be complete, but not overly long—remember,
you're not writing a review article. If you find that your introduction is too long or overflowing with citations, one possible
solution is to cite review articles, rather than all the individual articles that have already been summarized in the review.

4. Avoid giving too many citations for one point. Consider the following sentence: "Many studies have found a significant
association between X and Y [4-15]." This sentence cites too many studies at once. Although references [4-15] might provide a
good overview of the topic, this sentence doesn't provide enough context or explanation for these past studies. If all of these
references are worth citing, they should be discussed in greater specificity. For example, "A significant association has been
found between X and Y in men [4-7], women [8-11], and children [12-15]."

5. Clearly state either your hypothesis or feasibility questions. For research in empirical sciences, stating a hypothesis can be
an effective way of framing the research. For example, instead of stating "In this study, we show that X is related to Y by method
A," you could say, "In this study, we hypothesize that X is related to Y, and we use method A to test this hypothesis." For
research in formal sciences or exploratory research, you could consider stating a research question instead: "In this study, we
examine the following research question: Is X related to Y?" Note that the research question doesn't always have to be stated in
the interrogative form (with a question mark); instead, you can put the question into a declarative sentence: "In this study, we
investigate whether X is related to Y." Hypotheses and research questions are effective because they help give shape to the
paper and serve as "signpost phrases" that guide readers through your paper smoothly.

6. Consider giving an overview of the paper. An organizational overview is more common in some fields than others. It is
particularly common in technology, but less so in medicine. In the last paragraph of your introduction, consider giving a section-
by-section overview of your paper if it is appropriate for your field. For example, "In Section II, we describe our analysis methods
and the datasets we used. In Section III we present the results. In Section IV, we discuss the results and compare our findings
with those in the literature. In Section V, we state our conclusions and suggest possible topics for future research."

7. Keep it short. Try to avoid an overly long introduction. A good target is 500 to 1000 words, although checking the journal's
guidelines and past issues will provide the clearest guidance.

Example structure of an introduction

Introductory paragraph:

· Give a general introduction to the topic for broad audience

· Narrow the focus to your particular topic

· State your research problem and aims

Literature review (usually several paragraphs):

· Summarize the relevant literature on your topic

· Describe the current state of the company

· Note any gaps in the literature that your study will address

Research targets (usually one paragraph):

· State your hypothesis or research question

· Briefly describe how you will accomplish your aims

· Give a preview of your main results and state the contribution of the work (optional)

Paper overview (optional; one paragraph):

· Give a section-by-section overview of the paper's contents

BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY

When writing the company background. The authors must give an overview about the company, the content on this part is
recommended to have the following:

A. Company overview (or company summary). This is where you’ll briefly sum everything up.

B. Company history. It provides the back story, including date of founding, who was involved and how the company started.
This is the “Once upon a time…” of the company. The company history section will start out with when your business was
founded and who was involved, and will go into a little of the backstory. Historical data may not be essential.

C. Management Team. It provides details about who runs the company, and other key roles.

D. Location and facilities. It provides a description where are the company’s workspaces and different branches (if any).

E. Company commitments. It provides details about the on-going operations of the company.

F. Products and Services. It provides details about the kind of products and services that the company caters to their market.

MISSION, VISION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

A Mission Statement defines the company’s business, its objectives and its approach to reach those objectives. A Vision
Statement describes the desired future position of the company. Elements of Mission and Vision Statements are often combined
to provide a statement of the company’s purposes, goals and values. However, sometimes the two terms are used
interchangeably.

How Mission and Vision Statements work

Typically, senior managers will write the company’s overall Mission and Vision Statements. Other managers at different levels
may write statements for their particular divisions or business units. The development process requires managers to:

· Clearly identify the corporate culture, values, strategy and view of the future by interviewing employees, suppliers and
customers

· Address the commitment the firm has to its key stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders and
communities

· Ensure that the objectives are measurable, the approach is actionable and the vision is achievable

· Communicate the message in clear, simple and precise language

· Develop buy-in and support throughout the organization

Importance of vision and mission statement in an organization

Both the mission and vision statement play an important role in the organization:

· The vision and mission statements define the purpose of the organization and instill a sense of belonging and identity to
the employees. This motivates them to work harder in order to achieve success.

· The mission statement provides the direction that is to be followed by the organization while the vision statement
provides the goal (or the destination) to be reached by following the direction.

· It helps to properly align the resources of an organization towards achieving a successful future

· The mission statement provides the organization with a clear and effective guide for making decisions, while the vision
statement ensures that all the decisions made are properly aligned with what the organization hopes to achieve

· The vision and mission statements provide a focal point that helps to align everyone with the organization, thus ensuring
that everyone is working towards a single purpose. This helps to increase efficiency and productivity in the organization. In
conclusion, we can only say that vision and mission statements are very essential for companies. Without vision and mission
statement companies do not have the goals and if there is no goal, how can companies survive? A Vision and mission statement
is a born of every planning and strategy of the companies and they can best be described as a compass and destination of the
organization respectively. However, we can say that vision and mission statements are the base of organizations as not doing so
would be like going on a journey without knowing the direction you are to follow or the destination.

Week 8
Chapter 8:

· INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

· EMPLOYMENT

· ECONOMIC TREND

· KEY COMPETITORS

· INDUSTRY FORECAST

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INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Industry analysis is defined as an assessment tool designed to offer business entity a comprehensive idea about the complex
nature of a specific industry. It includes reviewing the market, political, and economic factors that have a direct impact on the
development of an industry. Industry analysis is conducted by the business entity or specifically an entrepreneur to identify the
factors which are influencing the sector that they have already or thinking about investing in. The potential new entrants,
condition of the competitors, and both the buyer and suppliers have a direct influence on the working of an industry. It is the
industry analysis concept that gives the business entity the necessary information so that they can make plans to tackle them
effectively. Remember, it is vital to gain a definite perspective about the forces at work in the overall scheme of things if you
want to conduct comprehensive strategic planning. The industry analysis helps the owner to know about the various
opportunities as well as threats that face the business so that they can take steps to combat them and gain competitive
advantage. Understanding the environment surrounding the industry and the factors that are influencing them helps to
anticipate future trends and gives you the weapon to take the required direction with confidence.

10 Benefits of industry analysis

The benefits of using an industry analysis are described below.

1. The industry analysis report is beneficial as it helps to assess the profitability of a particular industry.

2. It is generally able to forecast the potential behavior of the competitors.

3. Helps to recognize and identify strategies that will prove its worth.

4. Industry analysis is a tool to develop a competitive strategy that will act as the best defense against competitive forces.

5. Helps to highlight the strength and weakness of an organization with its analysis.

6. Industry analysis pinpoints the area where strategic changes will yield best payoffs.

7. It emphasizes on the area where the industry trend shows threats or even opportunities.

8. Industry analysis helps the entrepreneur to know about the position of his company relative to the competitors in the
industry.

9. Can easily forecast demand and supply and consequently about the financial gains.

10. Industry analysis helps to discover untapped opportunities in the industry.

The industry analysis part of the feasibility study aligned with the BSOA program contains the following:

1. EMPLOYMENT. It is a term for workers and managers working for a company, organization or community. These people
are the staff of the organization. In general, any person hired by an employer to do a particular job in exchange for payment is
an employee, but there are different kinds of employees.

· Table of qualification. This table shows the position, job qualifications of different positions within the company. (see figure
8.1)

Figure 8.1 Table of qualifications of the positions

· Table of Employee Benefits. Employee benefits are defined as indirect, non-cash, or cash compensation paid to an
employee above and beyond regular salary or wages. These benefits include health insurance, life insurance, paid vacation,
flexible work schedules and workplace perks like on-site snacks and meals (see figure 8.2). The two categories of the employee
beneficiaries are the following:

A. Regular Employee. Regular employees are not in a temporary status and are regularly scheduled to work the company's full-
time schedule. Generally, they are eligible for the full benefits package, subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of each
benefit program.

B. Probationary Employee. Probation refers to a trial period at the start of a full-time or part-time employee's employment that
is generally set out in their employment contract. The Act refers to a Minimum Employment Period which is determined by the
amount of time the employee has worked in the business and the size of the business.

Figure 8.2 Table of Employee Benefits

2. ECONOMIC GROWTH TREND

Economic growth can be defined as the increase or improvement in the inflation-adjusted market value of the goods and
services produced by an economy over time. Essentially, economic growth is also an increase in real national income. As more
goods and services are produced, the real income of a nation (usually measured in terms of gross national product or gross
domestic product) increases and people are able to consume more.

This section shows the growth number of employees of the company where the feasibility is being conducted (see figure 8.3). To
construct the economic trend section in feasibility study which is aligned in BSOA program, it must contain the following:

· Chart. A chart is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as
bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabular numeric data, functions or some
kinds of quality structure and provides different info.

· Data interpretation. Data interpretation is the process of reviewing data through some predefined processes which will
help assign some meaning to the data and arrive at a relevant conclusion. It involves taking the result of data analysis.

· Data Conclusion. The data conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter to them
after they have finished reading the paper. A conclusion is not merely a summary of your points or a re-statement of your
research problem but a synthesis of key points.

Figure 8.3 Economic Growth Trend Chart and Interpretation

3. KEY COMPETITORS

Competition in business is the contest or rivalry among the companies selling similar products and/or targeting the same target
audience to get more sales, increase revenue, and gain more market share as compared to others.

Competitive research is the backbone of a strong marketing strategy. After all, if you can’t identify your competitors and their
marketing tactics, you’ll struggle to differentiate yourself and your product from the crowd. But how do marketers identify their
primary competitors and their strategies? Here is our five-step strategy for how to identify your competitors, research your
competition, and channel it into powerful marketing that meets your customers’ needs.

How to Find Competitors

Finding competitors doesn’t have to be taxing or complicated. The first step to finding your competitors is to differentiate
between your direct and indirect competition.

Direct competition. It is a term that refers to the companies or publishers who sell or market the same products as your
business. Your customers will often evaluate both you and your direct competitors before making a purchase decision or
converting.

Indirect competition. It is a term that refers to the companies or publishers that don’t sell or market the same products, but are
in competition with your business digitally. They may write the same type of content as you and be competing for the same
keywords. In short, they are competing for your customers’ attention.

Let’s discuss three ways to identify both your direct and indirect competitors.

How to Identify Direct Competitors

When identifying competitors who are in direct competition to your business, you’ll want to start with your product. A thorough
understanding of your product and the value it provides to your audience or customers is crucial to identifying your direct
competition. If you work for a sneaker brand, for example, you are not simply in competition with other sneaker brands. You’re
also in competition with large shoe retailers, and any other brands and business that are creating footwear. Only by looking at
your product and evaluating its value (you need to know not just that your sneakers cover and protect feet, for example, but
also that people might evaluate them for durability, athletic use, and style), will you realize the full scope of your competition.

A few effective techniques for identifying direct competitors:

1. Market Research

Take a look at the market for your product and evaluate which other companies are selling a product that would compete with
company. Talk to your sales team and find out which competitors they see come up often in their sales process. From there,
you’ll be able to take a closer look at those companies, their product and marketing efforts, and create strategies to outperform
them.

2. Solicit Customer Feedback

Again, your customers are the key to unlocking your direct competitors. Once they’ve decided on your business and product,
you can ask them which other businesses/products they were evaluating. Customers often reveal unexpected competitors that
aren’t even on your radar. In addition, during the sales process your sales team can also ask your potential customers which
businesses they are considering. If they haven’t decided on your product yet, your team will be able to speak to their needs
better if you know which businesses or products they are considering.

3. Check Online Communities on Social Media or Community Forums

In this day and age, your potential customers will often seek out advice and recommendations on social media sites and apps, or
on community forums like Quora or Reddit. By investigating the conversations your customers have on these websites, you’ll be
able to further identify your competitors. This is especially true for any marketers speaking to millennial audiences. Research by
Deloitte shows that 50% of millennial report that a recommendation from a friend or family member has a high influence on
their buying decision. And 27% of both millennial and Gen Z feel an online recommendation from someone in their social media
circle has a high influence on their buying decisions.

To construct the key competitor section in a feasibility study that is aligned in BSOA program, it must contain the following:

A. Company Name. It is the name by which a corporation is identified.

B. Brief background. The authors must give a short details about the company in order to justify that the company is really
existing as a competitor

C. Table of Products. The authors of the feasibility must provide a table where the products of the competitor company is
written. (See figure 8.4)

Figure 8.4 KEY COMPETITORS

4. INDUSTRY FORECAST

Industry Forecasting is the process of making predictions based on past and present data and most commonly by analysis of
trends. A commonplace example might be estimation of some variable of interest at some specified future date. Prediction is a
similar, but more general term.

This section shows the growth number of employees of the company where the feasibility is being conducted (see figure 8.5). To
construct the industry forecast section in feasibility study which is aligned in BSOA program, it must contain the following:

· Chart. A chart is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as
bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent tabular numeric data, functions or some
kinds of quality structure and provides different info.

· Data interpretation. Data interpretation is the process of reviewing data through some predefined processes which will
help assign some meaning to the data and arrive at a relevant conclusion. It involves taking the result of data analysis.
· Data Conclusion. The data conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your research should matter to them
after they have finished reading the paper. A conclusion is not merely a summary of your points or a re-statement of your
research problem but a synthesis of key points.

Figure 8.4 KEY COMPETITORS

We had just finished the discussion part of this Module. Let’s move on to the next higher level of activity/ies or exercise/s that
demonstrate your potential skills/knowledge of what you have learned.

Week 9

Chapter 9:

· CURRENT STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT

· CURRENT SITUATION

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CURRENT STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT

It is a description of the current situation within an organization, comprising various dimensions including people, policies,
processes, and technologies. This chapter contains the current user’s description of the employees of ABC Company according to
the Organizational structure, current situation, flowchart and the procedure description.

1. Current Users’ Description. It shows the job alignment of the personnel working within the department. It includes the
name of the personnel, position and job description of the personnel that describes their function. The authors of the feasibility
study must use a table in order to complete this section. Current user’s description is divided into two categories, these are the
following: (see figure 9.1 and 9.2)

A. Executive User’s Description. An executive directs, plans, and coordinates operational activities for their organization or
company and are normally responsible for devising policies and strategies to meet company goals. Executives often travel to
attend meetings and conferences and visit regional, local, national, or international offices. The persons involved in this section
are the executives or administrators of the company. It includes their names, title and the job description. Executive users must
be identified before writing down the personnel user’s description.

B. Department User’s description. These users are the mediocre employees working within the department and their job
description is directly relevant to each procedures conducted by the department. (e.g. office staff, utilities, operation staff).

NOTE: When writing the users’ description of the executives and the personnel within the department, all the data must be “as
is” since it is written on the company’s manual. If the authors need to add description, it must be approved by the
administrators of the company.

CURRENT SITUATION OF THE DEPARTMENT

A current department situation, or company situation, is a section included in a procedure plan. It describes a description of the
department, the procedural operation in place and goals for the future. It also states the department mission statement. The
current department situation is one section in the feasibility describing the company’s current state of market.

The Current Situation section in feasibility study that is aligned in the format of BSOA program must contain the following:

1. Brief introduction. It describes the current state of the department. Each office procedures which are conducted by the
department must be written in this part. It must have the following

A. Services offered; and

B. Office procedures on how to operate the services by the department (e.g. hiring process)

2. Office Procedures within the department. It describes and specify the flow of each procedures which are conducted by the
department.

3. Existing Problems. It shows the current problem currently occurs within the department on a daily basis.

4. Description of the problem. It describes how the problem affects the efficiency of office procedures and operations within
the department.

5. Flowcharts of the procedures. It illustrates the step by step procedures and operations of the department.

6. Procedure description. It describes how the step by step procedures are conducted and who the personnel assigned.

Week 10
DATA COLLECTION

Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then
enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a research component in all study fields,
including physical and social sciences, humanities, and business feasibility. Also, data collection is defined as the procedure of
collecting, measuring and analyzing accurate insights for research using standard validated techniques. A researcher can
evaluate their hypothesis on the basis of collected data. In most cases, data collection is the primary and most important step
for research, irrespective of the field of research. The approach of data collection is different for different fields of study,
depending on the required information.

DATA COLLECTION METHODS

A list of basic data collection tools includes the following:

1. Interviews. Interviews are probably the most common tool used in planning, monitoring and evaluation. They can be
carried out with one person at a time (individual interviews) or groups of people. They can be administered formally or
informally. They can be carried out face-to-face or through remote media such as telephone and Skype. Interviews can also be
conducted through written questions via letters or email. Interviews may be structured, semi-structured or open-ended.
Structured interviews are based around a core set of questions that are always asked in the same order. Semi-structured
interviews also contain a core set of questions, but allow the interviewer to ask supplementary questions, or change the order in
which questions are asked. There are three types of interviews which are used to gather data in qualitative research such as
structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, and unstructured interviews

A. Structured interviews are kind of verbally presented questionnaire. In structured interviews, a list of pre-determined
questions is asked to the respondent. The questions are not altered during the interview and no follow-up questions are asked
to get an explanation on a given answer. These interviews can be conducted fast because there is almost no chance for both
interviewer and respondent to get deviated from the topic. The responses can be compared and analyzed easily because of the
uniformity of the questions asked. However, a little bit explanation can be provided to the respondents in case they require your
help to answer a question better. You need to prepare questions in such a way so that they will get you maximum information.
Therefore, preparing questions for structured interviews is a long and difficult process. Only a limited number of respondents
can be interviewed by the use of structured interview method.

B. Unstructured interviews are kind of regular conversation between two people. Unstructured interviews can begin with an
opening question like “Can you tell me about your experience visit a retail store?” and then the interview will progress by asking
questions on the basis of the response of the first question. These interviews also require your skills to form questions in such a
way so that they will get you a detailed response. Let us understand this with the help of our first example “Can you tell me
about your experience visit the retail store?”. This question is formed in such a way that it will stimulate the respondent to
answer it in deep detail. However, the same question formed in “How was your experience of visiting the retail store?” The
respondent will answer this question by simply saying “good or bad”. Though you will get your answer, you will not learn
anything from it. Hence, you will miss the purpose of your interview. Therefore, a person who conducts unstructured interviews
must know how to ask questions so that they will get him a detailed response. In addition to this, you should have a good
presence of mind to form questions on the spot. Unstructured interviews are very time-consuming and they usually last for long
hours and they are difficult to participate in and manage, because of the lack of pre-determined questions list. Unstructured
interviews are suitable for those researches where the interviewer has little or almost no-knowledge about the research topic or
researcher want to get information about a topic from a different perspective.

C. Semi-structured interviews are a combination of both structured and unstructured interviews such as, a researcher will
come up with a list of questions to be asked in the interview, but he can also ask follow-up questions to get deeper detail or
explanation from the respondent on the basis of his response. This type of interviews is mostly used for research in the health
care industry, where interviewer provide guidance to participants on what they should talk about. This helps the participant to
provide accurate information.

2. Questionnaires and surveys. These are designed to collect and record information from many people, groups or
organizations in a consistent way. A questionnaire is a form containing questions. It may be a printed form or one designed to be
filled in online. Questionnaires may be administered in many different ways. A survey, by contrast, is normally a large, formal
exercise. It typically consists of three different aspects: an approved sampling method designed to ensure the survey is
representative of a wider population; a standard questionnaire that ensures information is collected and recorded consistently;
and a set of analysis methods that allow results and findings to be generated.

3. Observations. At its most simple, observation involves ‘seeing’ things – such as objects, processes, relationships, events –
and formally recording the information. There are different types of observation. Structured or direct observation is a process in
which observations are recorded against an agreed checklist. Expert observation is usually carried out by someone with specific
expertise in an area of work, and involves the expert observing and recording information on a subject. Observation may also be
carried out as a participatory exercise. Where this is the case the intended beneficiaries of a project or program are involved in
planning an observation exercise, observing, and discussing findings.

4. Documentation and records. It is the records of Photographs and videos show, still or moving images. Photographs can be
used on their own, but are more often accompanied by written captions, providing additional information. Videos are often
accompanied by a commentary. The use of photography and video has become increasingly common within M&E over recent
years. This is partly because of improvements in mobile phone technology, which has increasingly enabled people to produce
cheap, high quality audio-visual products.

5. Focus groups discussions. Focus group discussions (FGDs) are facilitated discussions, held with a small group of people who
have specialist knowledge or interest in a particular topic. They are used to find out the perceptions and attitudes of a defined
group of people. FGDs are typically carried out with around 6-12 people, and are based around a short list of guiding questions,
designed to probe for in-depth information. FGDs are often used to solicit the views of those who would not be willing or able to
speak up at larger group meetings. They may also be used to access the views of minority or disadvantaged groups, such as
women, children or people with disabilities.

Guidelines for Data Gathering

With so many different survey question options, how do you choose the right ones for your needs? Before being able to build an
effective survey, you need to ask yourself how you intend to use the results obtained in the survey. Deciding on the exact goals
of your survey beforehand will make the choice of an adequate survey question type much easier. For example, your question
choice and response options are likely to differ depending on whether you’re looking to measure customer satisfaction,
calculate your net promoter score (NPS), or conduct market research. Some of the factors that may determine the type of
survey questions you’re going to use include:

· The type of information you need;

· The depth of information you need; and

· The amount of time your respondents haves available

Sometimes just slightly varying the types of survey questions and answer choices can have a significant impact on the value and
quality of the results you obtain, as well as on the response rate. That’s why you need to pay special attention to the length of
your survey and the number (not just the type) of questions included.

The Ideal Survey Length

Another important point to consider is the length and number of survey questions. Modern internet users, whose attention span
has never been shorter, are exposed to ridiculous amount of content every minute of every single day. In such circumstances,
you wouldn’t expect them to sit through mind-numbingly long customer satisfaction surveys or read ridiculously long questions.
With that in mind, questions should be fairly short. One or two lines of text the most. When it comes to the number of
questions, some of the best-performing surveys ever have had 8-10 questions.

Week 11
ously impact the quality and value of your survey’s results.
Bad results can lead to bad decisions—the very thing you set out to avoid by making a survey in the first place. Ask the wrong
questions, or ask them in the wrong way, and you'll end up with products and services no one wants. That's why thoughtful
survey design is so important. It'll help you get better, trustworthy results. Here are some tips on how to build an effective
survey, starting with the one thing that's most important in a survey: questions.

Surveys: Where to Begin

It's easy to begin the survey writing process by brainstorming a list of questions to ask. Your head's full of questions you're dying
to ask your customers, and it'd be so easy to type them out in a survey app and call it a day. But that's far from the best way to
start. Instead, you should begin your survey building process by brainstorming the answers you want. You want actionable
feedback, and you'll be most likely to get that by thinking through the exact answer you want. This could be a simple answer
(perhaps "Our customers want us to offer THIS flavor of soda") or a more complicated hypothesis you want to prove (such as
"Concern about social status is/is not correlated with social media usage."). So sit down, and think through what you want to
learn from your survey. Write down each answer you want, with a blank in the spot of the thing you want to learn—the flavor of
soda to offer, the feature people are missing, or the correctness of a statement. Once you've completed this exercise, use the list
to build questions for your survey. Starting with a list of answers and turning them into survey questions will ensure you include
all of the questions you need, and word them in a way that will get effective answers. It will also prevent you from inflating your
survey with questions that don’t matter. Just like you start a building project with blueprints—and don't just begin pouring
concrete whenever you decide you want a new building—your survey should start with the answers you need, and then you'll
be better prepared to make the questions that will provide those questions.

TYPES OF SURVEY QUESTIONS

1. Open-ended survey questions. Open-ended questions give your respondents the freedom to answer in their own words,
instead of limiting their response to a set of pre-selected choices (such as multiple-choice answers, yes/no answers, 0-10 ratings,
etc.).
Examples of open-ended questions:
What other products would you like to see us offer?
If you could change just one thing about our product, what would it be?
2. Closed-ended survey questions. Closed-ended questions limit a user’s response options to a set of pre-selected choices.
This broad category of questions includes:
· Nominal questions. Nominal scale is often used in research surveys and questionnaires where only variable labels hold
significance. In this survey question, only the names of the brands are significant for the researcher conducting consumer
research. There is no need for any specific order for these brands. If you’re looking for a simple count, like “35% of people said
ABC” or “20% of men and 24% of women…” then there's a variety of question types you can use: Yes/No, checkbox, or multiple
choice question type. These types of questions are also called “nominal” questions. Analysis of categorical-level questions can
include counts and percentages—"22 respondents" or "18% of customers", for example—and they work great for bar graphs
and pie charts. You cannot take averages or test correlations with nominal-level data.
Example of nominal question:
What are you using [product name] for?
1. Business
2.Personal use
3. Both business and personal use

· Likert scale questions. To understand the Likert rating scale, you first need to understand what a survey scale is. A survey
scale represents a set of answer options—either numeric or verbal—that cover a range of opinions on a topic. It’s always part
of a close-ended questions (a question that presents respondents with pre-populated answer choices). So what is a Likert scale
survey question? It’s a question that uses a 5 or 7-point scale, sometimes referred to as a satisfaction scale that ranges from one
extreme attitude to another. Typically, the Likert survey question includes a moderate or neutral option in its scale. Likert scales
(named after their creator, American social scientist Rensis Likert) are quite popular because they are one of the most reliable
ways to measure opinions, perceptions, and behaviors. Compared to binary questions, which give you only two answer options,
Likert-type questions will get you more granular feedback about whether your product was just “good enough” or (hopefully)
“excellent.” And Likert questions can help you decide whether a recent company outing left employees feeling “very satisfied,”
“somewhat dissatisfied,” or maybe just neutral. This method will let you uncover degrees of opinion that could make a real
difference in understanding the feedback you’re getting. And it can also pinpoint the areas where you might want to improve
your service or product.
Example of Likert scale questions:
Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with our company?
· Very satisfied
· Somewhat satisfied
· Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
· Somewhat dissatisfied
· Very dissatisfied
I’m satisfied with the investment my organization makes in education:
· Strongly agree
· Agree
· Neither agree nor disagree
· Disagree
· Strongly disagree

· Rating scale questions. A rating scale is a subset of the multiple-choice question which is widely used to gather opinions
that provide relative information about a specific topic. Most researchers use a rating scale when they mean to associate a
qualitative measure with the various aspects of a product or feature.
Examples of Rating Scale Close Ended Questions
1. How difficult (1) or easy (5) was it to log in to the app? (1=Very difficult, 5=Very easy)
2. How disinterested (1) or interested (5) are you in purchasing Nike boots? (1=Not at all interested, 5=Extremely interested)
3. Please rate your agreement with the following statement: “I understand who this product is for.” (1=Strongly disagree,
5=Strongly agree)

· Dichotomous. It is divided into two parts, relating to, involving, or proceeding from dichotomy the plant's dichotomous
branching a dichotomous approach can't be split into dichotomous categories. This a form “True or False” or questions that are
only answerable by two categories. (yes or no, black or white etc)
Examples of a dichotomous question includes;
For each of the following statements, indicate True or False
1. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

“Yes or No”
2. Do you encounter problems during hiring process?

· Rank Order. Rank order questions are basically multiple-choice questions represented in a single column format. They are
close ended questions that allow respondents to evaluate multiple row items in relation to one column item or a question in a
ranking survey and then rank the row items.
Examples of Rank Order Closed Questions
1. Please rank these toppings on a scale of 1 to 5. With 1 being your favorite. (See figure 11.1)
· Olives
· Sausage
· Mushrooms
· Anchovies
' Pepperoni