how i help

Restore Stability to Your Production Environment.

Every business runs on two critical flows: information and materials. Production planning is the point where information is converted into physical work, where decisions about demand, capacity, inventory, and service take operational form.

When planning is unclear or unstable, variability spreads quickly through the operation. Production planning should create control. Too often, it creates noise.

When Planning Systems Don’t Deliver

Many organisations invest heavily in planning systems expecting automation, accuracy, and reduced reliance on spreadsheets. Yet in practice, production schedules are still built, adjusted, and managed in Excel.

This should be treated as a material risk. Planning decisions directly shape inventory investment and service performance. The continued reliance on advanced spreadsheet skills is often a signal that traditional planning logic has not kept pace with today’s operating environment.

The Hidden Driver of Inventory Growth

Planners are measured on service. The unintended consequence is predictable — buffers expand, jobs are pulled forward, and inventory grows quietly in the background.

Over time, this behaviour increases working capital without necessarily improving outcomes. These are not execution failures. They are system design problems.

A Familiar Pattern

I’ve worked with businesses that update forecasts daily and chase constant noise, as well as those that follow MRP outputs without question. In both cases, service levels suffered and operational stability declined.

Effective production planning reduces intervention. It does not create more of it.

How I Help

I design planning environments where:

• Inventory buffers are deliberately positioned to protect service
• Replenishment responds to actual consumption
• Forecasts guide mid-term decisions rather than daily execution
• Planners manage exceptions instead of rebuilding schedules

This approach simplifies operational signals, reduces volatility, and establishes a more stable production rhythm.

I help move beyond heroic planning. When planning rules are undocumented or inconsistently applied, organisations become dependent on individual judgement to keep operations moving. By making decision rules explicit and repeatable, businesses reduce reliance on heroics, remove ambiguity, and build confidence in their planning outcomes.'

Align Planning With Business Objectives

A core focus of my work is developing a clear understanding of existing planning processes and system capabilities, then aligning them to strategic objectives around throughput, inventory, and service. The result is a planning process that is understood, trusted, and capable of operating effectively in a variable environment.

Outcomes Businesses Typically See

• More stable production schedules
• Reduced inventory driven by short-term decisions
• Improved operational flow
• Fewer expedites and last-minute changes
• Greater confidence in planning decisions

Next step: Bring Control Back to Planning

Production planning should provide stability as a business grows, not amplify volatility. If your planning environment feels increasingly reactive, it is often a sign that the system itself needs redesign.