Seminar Activity Week 11 (Date of presentation- 26/04/2021 or 27/04/2021)
In groups of no more than 5
Seminar Activity
1. This week you have to present your work to the seminar tutor. This is a summative presentation and marks for the presentation will be added to the final coursework.

2.With reference to the case study (either Case Study A or Case Study B) in Appendix II of this document.
Analysis and scope for improvement of an operation based on tools and techniques taught.
You should develop a process chart, explain the tools / techniques you select and discuss the feasibility of making any changes to improve the operation.
This analysis should be presented as if you were speaking to the business owner. Understanding of the operation and its constraints because of its size and its environment will be required.
Select only one case study for your work. Read the selected case study with care to make sure that nothing has been missed out. Do not assume anything has occurred that is not specified in the case study. That means that as you progress, make sure you check that any activity / material that is required in order to complete the stage in question is in place. Also check that the progression of the work is in a logical order and that there is no unnecessary duplication of work.
Do make sure that you reserve your comments for issues relating to the operation itself. HR (such as needing backup in case I was taken ill) or marketing are not relevant to this module

Submission Deadline: 24th April 2021, 15.00 noon, Turnitin Link
Submission details are in appendix I

Appendix I Presentations and submission details.

Please note the following: Your presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes. You have been allocated a letter (A,B,C,D,E etc) by your seminar tutor. This will identify the case/company and related questions that you should answer for your presentation.
Your first slide / cover sheet should include:
· A brief title
· Your seminar group (Example Seminar group 1 or 2 or 3 or 4)
· Your presentation group letter (Example: A, B, C, D, E etc)
· Your student numbers.
Your notes should be included on the notes page of the associated slide / accompany alternative submission types. Remember the normal criteria relating to academic integrity applies.
Your presentation should be submitted to Turnitin (as per your seminar group and
tutor’s name). as a PowerPoint presentation – DO NOT CREATE A PDF.
The submitted file must be saved and named/labelled as per your Seminar Group number and the group name/alphabet. For example: if you are in Seminar Group 1 and allocated name/alphabet B by the tutor, the file must be saved and named as “SeminarGroup1-TeamB”

Appendix II- Cases: These cases are written by Dr Stephanie Sandland

Case Study A:
Wedding Cakes: A business Operations

I used to have a business making wedding cakes for clients. The kitchen I used was finished to the standards required for health and hygiene regulations, and I had also received the requisite training. When fashions changed entailing learning new processes I would experiment until I developed the technique because this took a lot less time than attending classes. Clients would normally hear about me through word-of-mouth and first contact was often a phone call. I would arrange a meeting where we would discuss basic terms. If the client wanted me to go ahead and make the cake and I could fit it in my schedule, we would prepare the design.
Preparing the design entailed asking the client if they had any ideas of what they were wanting. I normally found that the only firm idea was that of colour. I would show the client various books and pictures of cakes that I had made in the past, and we would look at pictures of cakes on the web. I would listen to their comments about them. Sometimes this would be enough because they would ask me to copy a picture or duplicate one that I had made before, or the idea was sufficiently close to what they were wanting and they just needed to specify a slight alteration. For other clients the process took a lot longer. I would start by finding out a number of tiers and the preferred shape, and gradually, through elimination of ideas, arrive at a design that they were happy with. I would then be able to draw the desired design and give a price. The client would pay a deposit, I would issue a receipt and update my accounts. I would then replicate the design in Word art with colours, and send it to the client for confirmation. On this occassion the bride asked me to make purple flowers instead of the dark red. This meant I had to research to find a purple flower with the right sort of shape bud.

If the cake was to be a fruitcake, I need to make it three months in advance in order to allow it time to mature. I had to purchase the ingredients, and would try and combine orders for the non-perishable elements in order to enable me to buy at more economical quantities. While the cake was maturing I would make the decorations. I would order it from my preferred supplier and get a specific sugar paste. It was one that I was used to working with and I knew that I would get good results with it.

When the decorations were assembled, I would photograph them and send them to the client for their comment. This would enable them to confirm that they were happy and if necessary request adjustments. You might notice that in this example, the white flowers were subsequently tinged with pink at the bride’s request. If the bride was local she was welcome to come and see them. I had to be careful how I stored the flowers once they were made. It required numerous boxes and packing materials, I was able to reuse these but needed sufficient to accommodate all the flowers needed during busy periods.

The marzipan and icing were bulky and not very expensive, although they have a fairly long shelf-life provided they are kept cool and well wrapped. I used to be able to obtain this locally, although I was very careful to always buy the same brand. I have learned that some makes were decidedly inferior to others. Closer to the time of finishing the cake, I would order the necessary accessories that I needed such as cake boards. The range of sizes I needed for the cake boards could not be found locally so I would order them from the same store as the one that supplied the flower paste.

I would take payment for the cake before delivery. I would issue a receipt and update my accounts. The cake was delivered direct to the reception location and assembled in situ. This meant coordinating the time of delivery with that of the venue because the table and its tablecloth had to be in position before the cake could be assembled. It also required boxes for packing the cake, and the flowers had to be packed securely to make sure that nothing was damaged in transit. This involved using soft materials such as sponges to help support sprays of flowers, because they were very fragile. I owned a cake stand, and knife as well as a variety of pillars to separate the layers, but if the bride wanted a different design, I would hire it locally.
Once the cake was assembled, I would take a photograph for my records and, apart from collecting the accessories rented to the client, my job was done.

Case Study B:
Wedding Dresses: A Business Operations

I used to have a needlework business, principally making dresses for weddings including those for the mother of the bride and bridesmaids. I was trained in pattern cutting and needlework, and the equipment I used was versatile. It consisted of a large table and even larger floor space, a sewing machine, an over-locker for finishing cut edges, Iron, ironing board, a wall mounted mirror and a dress makers dummy. I also had the essential tools such as sharp scissors, pins and needles and a good supply of thread.
The wedding business is seasonal, with the majority falling at Easter or in the summer, but I also had clients for whom I undertook more routine work. These were frequently people with non-standard measurements who could not buy off the peg, including a dwarf wanting a pair of jeans. I was flexible, offering services from altering shop bought clothing, to upholstery.
This is an example of an alteration to a shop bought dress. The bride wanted beading around the top skirt which needed to be fixed to create a waterfall effect. She also wanted a layer of tulle and lace between the top and underskirt, and a matching veil. The hardest part was matching the white colour, especially for the lace edging because it was not a standard white, ivory or cream. It entailed a trip up to the garment district in London and arranging for a supplier to order the lace. I did not want a very large quantity so I depended on a good relationship with the supplier.
Clients would normally hear about me through word-of-mouth and first contact was often a phone call. I would arrange a meeting where we would discuss basic terms. If the client wanted me to go ahead and work for them, then we would discuss their wishes, I advise them about what they would need to supply. I normally left fabric choice to clients, and they often provided a pattern that was close to their desired style.
If the client had not provided a pattern, then I would sketch their ideas at the first meeting and draw a pattern to fit the client. It would be necessary to ensure that the pattern was what they were looking for before starting on their garment, and the stage that achieved this was the same as that for a customer who provided a pattern.
As with brands of clothing, different makes of pattern produced different sized garments. I could never guarantee a good fit. When working with silk or lace, I could be using fabric that in todays values cost over £200 a metre. I could not afford to make mistakes. I would always start by making a toile. This is a “dummy run” made out of a very cheap fabric. I would then arrange a fitting so that I could make any necessary adjustments to the pattern before working with the fabric provided by the client.
The first task would be to cut the fabric for the garment and the lining. The only space I had large enough for this was the floor, so I would have to clear all the furniture out of the way, and cover the floor with sheets on order to protect the fabric. I would then spread out the fabric, pin on the pattern and cut it out. I would transfer all essential markings using a technique called “tailors tacks” and then fold and stack the fabric pieces in the order in which they would be used. Where needed. I would repeat the process for the lining fabric.
I could not guarantee that the fabric would behave in exactly the same way as the material used for the toile, so there was still a need for further fittings. I would neaten all edges early in the process, because some fabrics, such as the satin for these dresses and boleros frayed very easily. I would make all the elements that do not contribute to the fit such as sleeves and inserting zips, and finish as much as I could. I would then assemble the rest of the bodice using the largest stitch on my machine so that it could be unpicked easily. I would also make up the skirt. Similarly, if I was working on trousers, I would get as much completed as I could, ensuring the seams that controlled the fit were sewn with a large stitch. I was then ready to invite my client for the second fitting.
The aim of the second fitting was to ensure that all elements of the garment that required a close fit were accurate. For instance, I could make sure that the shoulder seam matched the slope of the clients shoulder and the sleave seam fell in the right place. If I was making a dress with a waistline, I could also check that the skirt would be attached correctly. I could find that the waistline was not perfectly horizontal for some clients, so this was an important step before attaching the skirt. After this fitting I could re-stitch all the seams that I had completed with a large stitch and prepare the garment for its final fitting.
The details such as marking the hem length were all determined on the third and final fitting. I normally handstictched the hems and if I needed to add embelishment, this also would require hand finishing.
Once complete, I would arrange for collection and payment. Some clients however asked me to deliver the dresses to the venue. On these occassions I would need to store them carefully and ensure that delivery times were appropriate for the venue.

UK Best Tutor Support Team
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: cathy olenga olengacathy@gmail.com
Date: Tue, Apr 20, 2021 at 4:23 PM
Subject: SG5011
To: olengacathy olengacathy@gmail.com
Seminar Activity Week 11 (Date of presentation- 26/04/2021 or 27/04/2021)
In groups of no more than 5
Seminar Activity
1. This week you have to present your work to the seminar tutor. This is a summative presentation and marks for the presentation will be added to the final coursework.

2.With reference to the case study (either Case Study A or Case Study B) in Appendix II of this document.
Analysis and scope for improvement of an operation based on tools and techniques taught.
You should develop a process chart, explain the tools / techniques you select and discuss the feasibility of making any changes to improve the operation.
This analysis should be presented as if you were speaking to the business owner. Understanding of the operation and its constraints because of its size and its environment will be required.
Select only one case study for your work. Read the selected case study with care to make sure that nothing has been missed out. Do not assume anything has occurred that is not specified in the case study. That means that as you progress, make sure you check that any activity / material that is required in order to complete the stage in question is in place. Also check that the progression of the work is in a logical order and that there is no unnecessary duplication of work.
Do make sure that you reserve your comments for issues relating to the operation itself. HR (such as needing backup in case I was taken ill) or marketing are not relevant to this module

Submission Deadline: 24th April 2021, 15.00 noon, Turnitin Link
Submission details are in appendix I

Appendix I Presentations and submission details.

Please note the following: Your presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes. You have been allocated a letter (A,B,C,D,E etc) by your seminar tutor. This will identify the case/company and related questions that you should answer for your presentation.
Your first slide / cover sheet should include:
· A brief title
· Your seminar group (Example Seminar group 1 or 2 or 3 or 4)
· Your presentation group letter (Example: A, B, C, D, E etc)
· Your student numbers.
Your notes should be included on the notes page of the associated slide / accompany alternative submission types. Remember the normal criteria relating to academic integrity applies.
Your presentation should be submitted to Turnitin (as per your seminar group and
tutor’s name). as a PowerPoint presentation – DO NOT CREATE A PDF.
The submitted file must be saved and named/labelled as per your Seminar Group number and the group name/alphabet. For example: if you are in Seminar Group 1 and allocated name/alphabet B by the tutor, the file must be saved and named as “SeminarGroup1-TeamB”

Appendix II- Cases: These cases are written by Dr Stephanie Sandland

Case Study A:
Wedding Cakes: A business Operations

I used to have a business making wedding cakes for clients. The kitchen I used was finished to the standards required for health and hygiene regulations, and I had also received the requisite training. When fashions changed entailing learning new processes I would experiment until I developed the technique because this took a lot less time than attending classes. Clients would normally hear about me through word-of-mouth and first contact was often a phone call. I would arrange a meeting where we would discuss basic terms. If the client wanted me to go ahead and make the cake and I could fit it in my schedule, we would prepare the design.
Preparing the design entailed asking the client if they had any ideas of what they were wanting. I normally found that the only firm idea was that of colour. I would show the client various books and pictures of cakes that I had made in the past, and we would look at pictures of cakes on the web. I would listen to their comments about them. Sometimes this would be enough because they would ask me to copy a picture or duplicate one that I had made before, or the idea was sufficiently close to what they were wanting and they just needed to specify a slight alteration. For other clients the process took a lot longer. I would start by finding out a number of tiers and the preferred shape, and gradually, through elimination of ideas, arrive at a design that they were happy with. I would then be able to draw the desired design and give a price. The client would pay a deposit, I would issue a receipt and update my accounts. I would then replicate the design in Word art with colours, and send it to the client for confirmation. On this occassion the bride asked me to make purple flowers instead of the dark red. This meant I had to research to find a purple flower with the right sort of shape bud.

If the cake was to be a fruitcake, I need to make it three months in advance in order to allow it time to mature. I had to purchase the ingredients, and would try and combine orders for the non-perishable elements in order to enable me to buy at more economical quantities. While the cake was maturing I would make the decorations. I would order it from my preferred supplier and get a specific sugar paste. It was one that I was used to working with and I knew that I would get good results with it.

When the decorations were assembled, I would photograph them and send them to the client for their comment. This would enable them to confirm that they were happy and if necessary request adjustments. You might notice that in this example, the white flowers were subsequently tinged with pink at the bride’s request. If the bride was local she was welcome to come and see them. I had to be careful how I stored the flowers once they were made. It required numerous boxes and packing materials, I was able to reuse these but needed sufficient to accommodate all the flowers needed during busy periods.

The marzipan and icing were bulky and not very expensive, although they have a fairly long shelf-life provided they are kept cool and well wrapped. I used to be able to obtain this locally, although I was very careful to always buy the same brand. I have learned that some makes were decidedly inferior to others. Closer to the time of finishing the cake, I would order the necessary accessories that I needed such as cake boards. The range of sizes I needed for the cake boards could not be found locally so I would order them from the same store as the one that supplied the flower paste.

I would take payment for the cake before delivery. I would issue a receipt and update my accounts. The cake was delivered direct to the reception location and assembled in situ. This meant coordinating the time of delivery with that of the venue because the table and its tablecloth had to be in position before the cake could be assembled. It also required boxes for packing the cake, and the flowers had to be packed securely to make sure that nothing was damaged in transit. This involved using soft materials such as sponges to help support sprays of flowers, because they were very fragile. I owned a cake stand, and knife as well as a variety of pillars to separate the layers, but if the bride wanted a different design, I would hire it locally.
Once the cake was assembled, I would take a photograph for my records and, apart from collecting the accessories rented to the client, my job was done.

Case Study B:
Wedding Dresses: A Business Operations

I used to have a needlework business, principally making dresses for weddings including those for the mother of the bride and bridesmaids. I was trained in pattern cutting and needlework, and the equipment I used was versatile. It consisted of a large table and even larger floor space, a sewing machine, an over-locker for finishing cut edges, Iron, ironing board, a wall mounted mirror and a dress makers dummy. I also had the essential tools such as sharp scissors, pins and needles and a good supply of thread.
The wedding business is seasonal, with the majority falling at Easter or in the summer, but I also had clients for whom I undertook more routine work. These were frequently people with non-standard measurements who could not buy off the peg, including a dwarf wanting a pair of jeans. I was flexible, offering services from altering shop bought clothing, to upholstery.
This is an example of an alteration to a shop bought dress. The bride wanted beading around the top skirt which needed to be fixed to create a waterfall effect. She also wanted a layer of tulle and lace between the top and underskirt, and a matching veil. The hardest part was matching the white colour, especially for the lace edging because it was not a standard white, ivory or cream. It entailed a trip up to the garment district in London and arranging for a supplier to order the lace. I did not want a very large quantity so I depended on a good relationship with the supplier.
Clients would normally hear about me through word-of-mouth and first contact was often a phone call. I would arrange a meeting where we would discuss basic terms. If the client wanted me to go ahead and work for them, then we would discuss their wishes, I advise them about what they would need to supply. I normally left fabric choice to clients, and they often provided a pattern that was close to their desired style.
If the client had not provided a pattern, then I would sketch their ideas at the first meeting and draw a pattern to fit the client. It would be necessary to ensure that the pattern was what they were looking for before starting on their garment, and the stage that achieved this was the same as that for a customer who provided a pattern.
As with brands of clothing, different makes of pattern produced different sized garments. I could never guarantee a good fit. When working with silk or lace, I could be using fabric that in todays values cost over £200 a metre. I could not afford to make mistakes. I would always start by making a toile. This is a “dummy run” made out of a very cheap fabric. I would then arrange a fitting so that I could make any necessary adjustments to the pattern before working with the fabric provided by the client.
The first task would be to cut the fabric for the garment and the lining. The only space I had large enough for this was the floor, so I would have to clear all the furniture out of the way, and cover the floor with sheets on order to protect the fabric. I would then spread out the fabric, pin on the pattern and cut it out. I would transfer all essential markings using a technique called “tailors tacks” and then fold and stack the fabric pieces in the order in which they would be used. Where needed. I would repeat the process for the lining fabric.
I could not guarantee that the fabric would behave in exactly the same way as the material used for the toile, so there was still a need for further fittings. I would neaten all edges early in the process, because some fabrics, such as the satin for these dresses and boleros frayed very easily. I would make all the elements that do not contribute to the fit such as sleeves and inserting zips, and finish as much as I could. I would then assemble the rest of the bodice using the largest stitch on my machine so that it could be unpicked easily. I would also make up the skirt. Similarly, if I was working on trousers, I would get as much completed as I could, ensuring the seams that controlled the fit were sewn with a large stitch. I was then ready to invite my client for the second fitting.
The aim of the second fitting was to ensure that all elements of the garment that required a close fit were accurate. For instance, I could make sure that the shoulder seam matched the slope of the clients shoulder and the sleave seam fell in the right place. If I was making a dress with a waistline, I could also check that the skirt would be attached correctly. I could find that the waistline was not perfectly horizontal for some clients, so this was an important step before attaching the skirt. After this fitting I could re-stitch all the seams that I had completed with a large stitch and prepare the garment for its final fitting.
The details such as marking the hem length were all determined on the third and final fitting. I normally handstictched the hems and if I needed to add embelishment, this also would require hand finishing.
Once complete, I would arrange for collection and payment. Some clients however asked me to deliver the dresses to the venue. On these occassions I would need to store them carefully and ensure that delivery times were appropriate for the venue.