ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management

Team #9 – Incident Investigation

Sampoong Department Store Collapse

~ Team Self-Evaluation Report ~

Team Members:

Lukasz Glistak ________________________________

Shannon MacDonald ________________________________
Cody McIntyre ________________________________
Linda Nguyen ________________________________
Brett Schroh ________________________________

November 26th, 2010

 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report – Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Table of Contents
Executive Summary..................................................................................................................Page 1

Appendix A.............................................................................................................................. Page 2

Leadership & what it meant for Our Team..................................................................... Page 3

People Process Development.......................................................................................... Page 4

Utilization of Active Listening....................................................................................... Page 7

Appendix B............................................................................................................................... Page 8

Team Synergy................................................................................................................. Page 9

Appendix C............................................................................................................................... Page 11

References....................................................................................................................... Page 12

List of Tables
Table 1 – Individualized Investigation Responsibilities.......................................................... Page 6
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Executive Summary
“It is not a question of how well each process works; the question is how well they all work together.”
~ Lloyd Dobens [1]
Most areas of the workforce require people to work in a team environment. As the scope of work increases, so
does the size of the team, and the importance of maintaining team collaboration is extremely important. There
are usually many tasks and many deadlines. To ensure that these tasks are completed on time and that the work
output is of the highest quality, organization and communication become the key factors.
For the purpose of this incident investigation, a team leader was selected to ensure that these factors were
properly maintained. To achieve this, the leader ensured that all team members had direct access to team
member schedules, contact information, meeting minutes, announcements, and completed components of the
report. The leader ensured that effectiveness, efficiency, and equality within the team were achieved.
People processes were established to account for all facets of a constructive and successful team. Necessary
elements such as a specified decision making process, scheduling with factors of safety and clear expectations
for participation, quality of work and meeting attendance were all established prior to the commencement of the
investigation.
The element of active listening was an important aspect of communication. It was assured that the voice of
every member could be heard regarding every aspect throughout the investigation. The team meetings were
characterized by an atmosphere of equality, wherein all the members were heard, respected and appreciated. As
well, for those who are generally less comfortable with face-to-face critiquing, the online ability of
communication allowed a more comfortable area to express opinions. Active listening was essential for a
positive and effective working environment.
The team’s synergy was achieved through the interrelationships of a shared direction, work progress and people
processes. These aspects, coupled with the team members’ individual strengths, allowed the formation of a
unified force that achieved results incomparable to what a single person or non-synergistic team could
accomplish.
The elements of teamwork outlined in this report are essential to an effective team that efficiently produces
work of the highest quality. They are highly regarded as the foundations of team success.

Page 1 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Appendix A

♦ Leadership & what it meant for Our Team

♦ People Process Development
♦ Utilization of Active Listening

Page 2 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Leadership & what it meant for Our Team

Leadership was a very important element in our team. It was the root of organization, communication,
effectiveness, efficiency, and equality. On the day that the team was formed, the leader organized an effective
means of communication, a Facebook group page, which enabled all information to be compiled into one place.
This information included: team member schedules (clearly stating the availability of all members), contact
information (to ensure adequate communication between the members), meeting minutes (to ensure that the
team members had a clear and up-to-date reference of the tasks at hand), announcements (to ensure that no one
was ever left out of the loop), and completed components of the report (to enable team members the chance to
comment on each submission, from recommended changes to positive reviews).
The leader ensured that the team meetings were efficient and thorough by compiling all components that
required discussion prior to the commencement of each meeting. When organizing meeting times, the leader
ensured that there was sufficient time to complete all tasks properly. This means that work was posted on the
site with sufficient time for the team to review it and comment, followed by a meeting with sufficient time
before the work was due to ensure the highest quality submission.
The leader also ensured that: all members were in agreement before any motions were taken, all tasks were
distributed fairly between the team members, and all voices were heard. The leader was also available to offer
guidance and support throughout the duration of the project.

Page 3 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

People Process Development

• Communication between group members was established through a Facebook Group as well as e-mail
and lastly by phone. Communication was attempted in that order.
• The decision making process was modeled on a democratic system with a prerequisite of references
when considering a decision.
• Tasks based on each group members skills and strengths were assigned.
• Conflict resolution was conducted during group meetings where the issue at hand was addressed before
the entire group. A vote on the subject was conducted provided adequate references were provided
allowing the group to make an informed decision.
• A Self-directed structure with an outside leader was selected due to its effectiveness.
• Shannon MacDonald was our group leader due to the strength of her organizational skills.
• All essential roles as well as individual responsibilities were assigned (refer to Table 1 below)
• Work was conducted on an individual basis primarily due to scheduling constraints. However there were
mandatory meetings set. Timeliness, professionalism and respect were to be the norms of the group. The
initial resolution of minor disagreements or conflicts was done a person to person level before bringing
it to the attention of the group. If the conflict remained unresolved, it was then addressed during a group
meeting.
• Team values included active participation, a high standard for work quality, schedule adherence and
recognition of the aforementioned.
• When discovered, sources of information were circulated to all group members providing everyone in
the team with the same resources.
• During meetings each group member summarized their progress and findings with the team.
• Meetings provided an opportunity for all group members to ask questions and get opinions free from
negative criticism.
• Meetings were conducted Monday’s at 2:00 pm when required. It was understood that extra meetings
could be called on other days depending on particular deadlines and constraints. Those meetings were
held Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:00 pm as required.
• Each member worked to a schedule agreed upon by all group members.
• All group members had completed their individualized tasks prior to set meeting dates.
• Task selection was done in an open manner with each member electing to choose the task they felt most
interested in or well equipped for. No disagreements arose as a result of this approach.
• During meetings, the floor was open to anyone with something to say and group members listened
respectfully allowing the speaker to finish before voicing any opinions or concerns. This allowed the
group to function smoothly and effectively. It also enhanced group performance by promoting
participation.
• All group members participated actively and provided valuable insights and opinions towards the
project. Work quality was found to be high as a result of this sense of group membership and
importance.
• To improve group cohesion and reduce confusion, meeting minutes were taken. Soon after meetings
were concluded, the minutes were compiled posted on the group work site. This provided each member
with a record of decisions, changes and important notes that were discussed.
• Considerable effort was spent determining submission deadlines. The schedule decided on by the group
included significant factors of safety to ensure unforeseen difficulties, illnesses, conflicting priorities or
Page 4 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

other circumstances could be accommodated. The safety factors helped to reduce any tensions resulting
from missed deadlines. This also prevented rushed or low quality work from creating problems and
allotted time for resubmissions.
• All group members were encouraged to critique work provided it was constructive. This was
accomplished through the group work site and also during meetings. This functioned well and helped to
uncover small details that otherwise may have gone unnoticed.
• Significant details were discussed as a group prior to the beginning of individual work. Important items
such as basic and immediate causes were considered on a group basis. These important decisions
significantly impacted the general direction of the investigation and were not left to one group member’s
discretion.
• In order to streamline the meetings, topics for discussion were considered or brainstormed beforehand.
This helped to reduce meeting times and also ensured all necessary topics were addressed.

Page 5 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Table 1 - Individualized Investigation Responsibilities

Group Member Responsibility

Shannon MacDonald ̵ Team Leader

̵ Investigation of Incident losses with respect to P.E.A.P.s.s
̵ Elaboration on leadership and what it meant for our team
̵ Executive Summary for self-evaluation report
̵ Team Presentation
̵ Compilation and formatting of the report (incl. title pages,
tables of contents, etc.)

Lukasz Glistak ̵ Provide an overview of the team’s process for doing the
investigation
̵ Describe the team’s people and work processes including
details (People process development)
̵ Add details to people and work processes
̵ Provide cost estimations for Recommendations
̵ Conclusion for incident investigation

Cody McIntyre ̵ Description of our team’s investigation steps

̵ Analyse how the team used “active listening”
̵ An analysis of the team’s synergy

Brett Schroh ̵ Event Tree, complete with a brainstormed list of all other
possible consequences.
̵ Recommendations section

Linda Nguyen ̵ Develop a fault tree analysis, starting off at immediate

causes and leading up to basic causes
̵ Executive Summary

All ̵ References
̵ Review/critique and suggestions

Page 6 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Utilization of Active Listening

The definition of active listening is “consciously participating and applying oneself to hearing what another
person is saying.” [2] The utilization of active listening is essential for necessary communication to occur. It
results in an effective and efficient team atmosphere to accomplish work. During team meetings members were
seated at the same level and had the ability to see all of the team members. This allowed people to feel like they
were equals, listened to and that each contribution were respected and appreciated. The team had numerous
group meetings where each person had a chance to explain the task they were responsible for. There would be a
chance to ask questions if anything was unclear, making sure that the team understood what was being done
while making the member feel heard. Active listening does not only apply to verbal interactions, but can also be
put into practice during online discussions. The team implemented a Facebook group that was used to discuss
and analyze each other’s work. This may seem intimidating having people analyze personal work but by doing
it online, it allows each member to feel comfortable and more confident in completed work compared to a face-
to-face critique. The team had a culture of respect and appreciation for the members of the group, and with this
culture came an eagerness to listen to the other members’ ideas. Everyone respected each other’s ideas allowing
for more people to speak up and get involved, making sure no subject was left unresolved. Without active
listening, our team would not have been as successful and would not have been as enjoyable to work with. It is
essential for a high quality incident investigation.

Page 7 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Appendix B

Team Synergy

Page 8 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Team Synergy

Team Synergy Analysis

Synergy defined by Webster is “a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct business
participants or elements (as resources or efforts).” [3] The team’s synergy was achieved through the
interrelationships of a shared direction, work progress and people process. With the team selected on the basis
of having each member posses a specific strength, it enhanced the quality and effectiveness of the work done. It
was observed that with the interrelationship above and the team members’ individual strengths, the team formed
a unified force that achieved results incomparable to what a single person or non-synergistic team could
accomplish. The components of shared direction, work progress and people process and how they related to the
team are shown below.

Shared Direction
The teams focus was to perform a high quality and thorough incident investigation on the Sampoong
Department Store collapse. By doing this all members would gain valuable skills and insight into the
investigation process and be rewarded with a high performance evaluation.

Work Progress
This was the team’s most effective element. Each member had individual strengths and weaknesses that the
team utilized to maximize the potential of the group’s work. The team developed a work system that consisted
of a process that was repeated until the successful completion of the task at hand. This process involved group
collaboration  task delegation  individual completion of responsibilities  group reviews and input 
revisions  completion of tasks. By having this process under time constraints, continuous group input and
reviews, each task was efficiently shaped into a high quality product. The team implemented an essential line of
communication through Facebook which provided a continuous collaboration medium for all completed work
and concerns. Communication between members was also accomplished through planned meetings.

People Process
The team, as well as the team members, held themselves to a high standard of work and continuously exceeded
expectations. This showed the team’s commitment and respect towards each other and formed a very
comfortable and productive atmosphere for tasks to be completed. This was all achieved through mutual beliefs
and values that formed norms and boundaries within the team. These norms and boundaries were all discussed
as a group and defined the culture of our work. This culture shaped the way we performed tasks and approached
all decisions.
When a team performs in a uniform manner, but still allows each member to excel using personal strengths, the
team’s efforts are multiplied creating a high quality and unmatched result. This is what the team accomplished

Page 9 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

through the three elements above, creating a synergy that allowed the team to perform at an optimal level. This
reflects in the quality of every element submitted.

Page 10 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

Appendix C

References

Page 11 of 12
 ENGG 404 – Engineering Safety & Loss Management
Sampoong Department Store Collapse – Team Self-Evaluation Report - Team #9
November 26th, 2010

References
[1] Dobens, L. (n.d.). Lloyd Dobens Quotes. Retrieved from
http://thinkexist.com/quotation/it_is_not_a_question_of_how_well_each_process/11419.html

[2] McAffer, D. (2010). Active Listening [Course Handout]. From ENGG 404 Team Building
Workshop (p.8)

[3] Synergy. (n.d.) . In Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/synergy

Page 12 of 12