Reflection on Researching, Organizing, and Writing the Formal Report Draft:
The research and organization of the formal report was mostly straightforward. Previous work from the outline, progress report, and even the proposal provided direction on what tasks needed to be done. The organization followed the structure of the outline, although some adjustments were made to accommodate the available information. For example, no amount of research could reveal an approximate cost of switching from paper shelf-labels to electronic shelf-labels (ESL). There were many ESL modules available on sites like ebay and aliexpress but considering how the prices ranged from 10-100s of dollars, these were neither reliable nor applicable. Loblaw (the owners of Shoppers Drug Mart) would probably reach out directly to ESL manufacturers to agree on a quote, and the number would remain private between the two parties, like it did for Superstore.
With the research completed and outline adapted, writing the report was essentially filling in the details. Analysis and visualization of survey data was performed using figures, and summaries of both paper shelf-labels and ESLs were represented in tables. Careful attention was paid to ensure objective tone since the report was a comparison between two competing products, but the process of writing was smooth overall.
Reflection on Reviewing Peer’s Formal Report Draft:
Peer reviewing Ashley’s formal report draft allowed me to see some areas of improvement for my own report. I was particularly impressed with the you-attitude throughout the entire piece, especially since the report is critiquing the American Club Fitness Facility’s practices. Additionally, each figure in the report was followed by an interpretation, allowing the reader to easily follow Ashley’s thought process.
At this point, I am fairly comfortable with the structure and process of peer reviewing; however, I think I am spending too much time on it. I will continue to strive for improvement through the final assignments and beyond.