Solve a Case study for a process improvement specialist with background in data analysis

Need help working on this case study without using AI. Details below;   Overview Estimated time: ~2 hours  What we are assessing: Structured problem solving, application of CI / process improvement methodologies, ability to translate analysis into clear, practical recommendations, executive storytelling and concise communication Deliverable: A 3–5 slide executive PowerPoint deck, plus supporting analysis as needed.  Feel free to make assumptions where needed in your analysis or presentation material.   Business Context You are part of the Process Transformation & Continuous Improvement team supporting Group Benefits Operations.  Over the past 6–9 months, a core operations team responsible for handling high-volume service requests (e.g., policy updates, billing adjustments, and inquiries) has experienced:   •        Increased intake volumes (~10–15%) •        Growing backlog and inconsistent turnaround times •        Elevated rework and processing errors •        Increased escalations and customer dissatisfaction •        Feedback from employees indicating unclear priorities and uneven workload distribution   Initial discussions suggest issues with: •        Intake and triage processes •        Work allocation and prioritization •        Lack of standardization across teams   Team structure: The work is currently supported by approximately 15 processors and 2 team leads, with team leads responsible for manual triage and allocation.   Leadership is looking for a clear diagnosis of what is driving performance challenges and a practical, implementable plan to stabilize and improve operations over the next 3–6 months.   Data Package Use the datasets below for your analysis.  You are not expected to use all data equally.  Focus on the most relevant insights to support your recommendations.     Dataset 1 – Volume & Throughput Metric Value Weekly incoming volume ~1,200 requests Weekly completed volume ~1,050 requests Backlog growth +150/week Average cycle time (simple work) 1–2 days Average cycle time (complex work) 5–10 days   Dataset 2 – Quality & Customer Impact Metric Value Rework rate ~20% Escalation volume Increasing (no centralized tracking) Customer feedback Negative trend Repeat follow-up requests Increasing   Dataset 3 – Workforce & Ways of Working Observation Detail Intake channels Shared inbox, tickets, manual escalations Work allocation Manual (team lead driven) Prioritization No standardized framework Visibility Limited across team workload Employee feedback “Priorities unclear”, “Work not evenly distributed”   Dataset 4 – Process Step Breakdown Step Avg Touch Time Avg Wait Time Rework Rate Intake & triage 10 min 8 hrs 15% Validation 25 min 1 day 25% Processing 30 min 1 day 18% Approval (if needed) 15 min 2 days 10% Final confirmation 5 min 4 hrs 5%     Dataset 5 – Rework Drivers Driver % of Rework Missing information from intake 40% Incorrect initial classification 25% System errors / re-entry 15% Policy interpretation inconsistencies 20%   Dataset 6 – Work Allocation Observations •        Some team members consistently carry 30–40% more work than others • Work is assigned based on:   o Availability rather than skill or complexity o Manual team lead judgment •        There is no shared visibility across team workload •        Complex work is not consistently routed to more experienced staff •        Frequent escalations interrupt planned work   Constraints •        No additional headcount in the short term •        Core systems cannot be replaced •        Limited automation capacity available (e.g., Power Platform) •        Must maintain compliance and quality expectations •        Leadership has expressed interest in automation as a potential solution, but there is uncertainty whether underlying process issues have been fully addressed   Candidate Tasks   Key Output: Create a concise PowerPoint deck intended for an executive audience. Your deck should be visually clean, clearly structured, focused on key insights and actions Your slides should include an executive summary, key insights and root causes, prioritized recommendations, implementation considerations   Expectations: •        Clearly structure your thinking •        Call out assumptions where needed •        Focus on what matters most (not everything)   1)  Operational Assessment Using the information provided, analyze the current state and identify what is driving performance challenges. Your analysis could include: •        Intake and demand patterns: what is happening and why •        Throughput vs. demand: where is the gap and what is driving it •        Process inefficiencies: rework, delays, bottlenecks •        Work allocation and prioritization challenges •        Relationship between backlog, rework, and customer impact •        Any additional observations you believe are most relevant   2)  Root Cause & Problem Framing •        What are the core problems (not just symptoms)? •        What are your top hypotheses for root causes? •        Where would you focus first and why?   3)  Improvement Opportunities Identify 2–3 priority opportunities to improve performance. For each: •        What is the improvement? •        What problem does it address? •        Expected impact •        Effort / complexity •        Key trade-offs   4)  Implementation Approach Outline a pragmatic implementation plan: •        What would you do in the first 30–60 days? •        How would you roll changes out across teams? •        What risks would you anticipate?   5)  Sustainability & Control •        How would you ensure improvements are adopted and sustained? •        What controls, metrics, or governance, would you put in place?