Supply Chain Illustrated

Stop Managing Chaos
Start Driving Change

Recent Posts

Julie and Matt go to a Demand Driven Planner Workshop. Eyes Wide Open.

Today, we find Julie, Matt and two other members of their team attending a Demand Driven Planner workshop. There is a certification possible, but right now Julie and Matt just want to evaluate if this methodology is as promising as it seems. We catch up with them during a break in the class.

Sales and Operations Planning. Let’s re-imagine it.

What is the purpose of starting a Sales and Operations Planning process? For many, S&OP is a process to get information to flow between various parts of the business, the most obvious being Sales and Operations (hence the name). The premise, I believe, is that if Operations knows what is happening in Sales, then they will be able to respond. Great starting point. At some point, perhaps it worked well.

The Mystery of Company Culture vs Work Life Balance.

I was mapping what I thought my own Work-Life balance should include, based on one current methodology. Physical, Emotional, … and then I went off the rails. Because I started thinking about the viewpoint of the company and how aligning the company’s Work-Life balance offering with the individual’s Work-Life balance requirements will make a huge difference in achieving that balance.

Perspectives need to change.

So, as we slowly spin into chaos, we have to finally admit that trying to use a tool based on precision and exactness creates a challenge as our world becomes more and more imprecise.

About Become Demand Driven | John Melbye is the founder.

Focus on Problems to Solve, Not Numbers to Meet

I get these crazy thoughts that perhaps sometimes we are going about things the wrong way. Or maybe it is clearer to say we are starting at the wrong end. To achieve any goal, there are always at least two approaches to take. Should I start with the target and determine how it can be achieved? Or should I start with a process or behavioral change and see how much improvement I can make?

Supply Chain Management – Three Holy Grails

What are the things that, if we could find them, would make Supply Chain Management a whole lot easier? In fact, they are the things for which some of us search our entire careers. Have a look at my list of three. Let me know if you agree or if you have additional holy grails that you seek.

Complexity and Precision – Part Two

What if we could segment the precision, with built-in connectivity between the segments, rather than forcing the entire operation into a step by step linear process?

Complexity and Precision – Part One

We can embrace the complexity and build a system where everyone is judged on the preciseness of their input and their output. Aligning the various complexities along the various steps of a process so that each step is exactly and precisely in line with the preceding and proceeding steps. Sound simple?

Capability vs Experience

What does it mean to be over-qualified? When I was hiring people, I was always eager to find those who may one day replace me or even surpass me. Why would I want to hire someone that was only capable of meeting the current requirements?

A Customer Service Story

During our phone conversation yesterday, when you asked me how long before we could ship our product to you, I went about researching the lead time for our top selling product.

4 Types of Supply Chain Visibility Vital to Success

Years ago, at one of our APICS meetings, we had a meteorologist from a local television station as our guest speaker. I figured it would be interesting, but I never figured that her first words would be like a beacon in the darkness and a goal for which I have been striving ever since.

Why do the old methods still exist?

We all can agree that having the right amount of inventory is valuable. Yet most businesses have too much of the wrong stuff and too little of the right stuff.

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