Experiential / Reality-based Learning / May 11, 2016

Students Deliver Results at QUEST Conference

Students Deliver Results at QUEST Conference

Smith student Philip Peker ’18 writes about the QUEST Conference, May 5, 2016, at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

On Thursday, May 5, one of the most competitive and rigorous honors programs at the University of Maryland had its culminating conference. Quality Enhancement Systems and Teams (QUEST) is a multidisciplinary hands-on program in which students participate in a challenging course of study that focuses on quality management, process improvement and system design. The bi-annual QUEST Conference showcased the final consulting projects of junior QUEST honors students of Cohort 23. Twelve consulting teams of 4-5 students each from various fields of study, ranging from computer engineering to math to finance, presented their cases and final projects to the QUEST community, including their clients, current students, alumni, UMD partners, parents, and friends. Each team was guided by a project champion or two and a faculty advisor.

The evening began with alumni presentations and panel discussions. Afterwards, project posters were displayed, accompanied by some hors d’oeuvres. Then, there was an hour-long networking reception for students, alumni and client representatives to mingle, which then segued into the main event: student presentation breakout sessions, with each group given 15 minutes to present their recommendations. The evening concluded with an awards presentation, closing remarks, and of course, dessert.

Every single consulting team worked on projects that are equivalent to what real technology and management consulting firms do. Nothing was simplified, nothing was stripped down; it was a demanding, high-energy, high-pressure venture with tangible ramifications and real impact. For example, student team “VWroom,” comprised of Renee Adkins, David Dorsey, Michael George, and John Hardies worked on “Vehicle Logistics Facility Flow Optimization” for Volkswagen. The team analyzed a VW manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to see what could be improved in the outbound processes, and then created three tools to make outbound logistics leaner. The first tool delivered staff estimations, the second tool was a Java-based facility storage interface, and the third tool was a highly detailed walkthrough of the facility for scaling. Through an agile iteration process and close cooperation with the client, the team achieved accuracy and clarity in its outputs. VWroom was voted “Most Outstanding Poster” by their peers in Cohort 23.

This was also the first semester that QUEST students had the chance to team up with international students on a few of the projects. Student team “Ordning and Reda,” made up of Andrew Dicken, Shmuel Gold, and two international students from Linköping University Fredrik Bergendal and Victor Wessèn, worked with Intralox, a global manufacturer of conveyor belt systems, to “optimize pallet management.” The team was tasked with creating a leaner, more systematic process that reduces the time and money it takes to unpack and dispose of packing materials and pallets in the plant. Through SWOT analysis, process flow diagram, and floor plan flow analysis, the team pinpointed the weak links in the current process, and then designed 3D CAD drawings of a reusable cart that diagrams a leaner receiving and unpacking method. The team also provided an alternative floor plan for the facility. Industrial Engineering students Fredrik Bergendal and Victor Wessèn of “Ordning and Reda” told me that their comprehensive background in robotics and logistics theory gave their group a technical edge when conducting process analysis and coming up with a leaner facility management solution for Intralox.

“We were tasked with streamlining the process to create more value,” said Victor. “What helped us was using the focus group, and always maintaining good communication with our partners Andrew and Shmuel. We needed their support and direction in order to identify where exactly the waste was in the process line,” Fredrick remarked. “Ordning and Reda” won the “Outstanding Capstone Award” at the conference, wowing alumni judges and peers alike.

These QUEST students can now proudly say they have worked hand in hand with domestic and international companies in order to improve and optimize company systems and processes. They have experiences under their belt many seasoned professionals don’t even have, making them a rare commodity in today’s ever-more competitive job market.

For more information about QUEST, visit: www.rhsmith.umd.edu/quest.

Media Contact

Greg Muraski
Media Relations Manager
301-405-5283  
301-892-0973 Mobile
gmuraski@umd.edu 

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Back to Top