Question 5:

What are some possible ways the company can gather information and what kind of information
can be collected? Describe them.

Before we begin gathering information we need to define the problem.

1. You may need to state the problem in broad terms since the exact problem may not be
obvious.
2. Prepare a statement of the problem and find someone to review it and to talk it over. If
the problem is a job situation, review it with your supervisor or the appropriate
committee or resource.

Consider these questions:

What is the problem?
Is this the real problem, or merely a symptom of a larger one?
Does it need an immediate solution, or can it wait?
Is it likely to go away by itself?
Can I risk ignoring

3. There are two ways to gather information either use information that's already out there
or, you can collect new information yourself.

Method Overall Purpose

when need to quickly and/or easily get lots

questionnaires, surveys, checklists of information from people in a non-
threatening way

when want to fully understand someone's

interviews impressions or experiences, or learn more
about their answers to questionnaires

when want impression of how program

operates without interrupting the program;
documentation review
is from review of applications, finances,
memos, minutes, etc.
to gather accurate information about how a
observation
program actually operates, particularly about
 processes

explore option in depth through group

discussion, e.g. about reactions of clients
focus groups
and to gather useful in evaluation and
feedback

to fully understand or depict staffs

experiences in a GST implementation, and
case studies
conduct comprehensive examination through
market research