Abstract: | In the exercise, students in a junior‐level operations management class are asked to manufacture a simple product. Given product specifications, they must design a production process, create roles and design jobs for each team member, and develop a statistical process control plan that efficiently and effectively controls quality during production. During an in‐class exercise, students test their plan in a pilot study. After class, they are asked to determine whether their process is stable and capable, critique their plans, and recommend plan modifications before they commence mass production. This exercise provides students with a unique opportunity to combine several fundamental topics from an operations management course into one assignment. Furthermore, assessment of learning outcomes before and after the exercise suggests that it improves learning outcomes in several areas. |