managmenttips

Anil Kumar

Four General Tips Seven Steps of Successful Scheduling

1. Get EVERYONE to love the project. ◦ What if I don’t love it?

If you don’t love it, pretend to. We become what we pretend to be.

◦ What if my other team members don’t love it? Help them find a way. “How can I bring you in?”

◦ What if my client doesn’t love it? Big problem. Find out what they really want – see if

you can do that instead!

2. One-on-one meetings eliminate potential problems. ◦ People don’t always speak the truth in public. ◦ Producers should do these regularly, formally or

informally. ◦ Faculty should do these at least every two weeks.

3. Keep in Constant Communication◦ Be in the same room◦ Everyone should know where everyone is and will

be, and how to reach them◦ Do some social things. Don’t like your

teammates? Pretend to. ◦ Do internal demos to each other at least once a

week!

4. Producers: Carry the Water. ◦ Make sure everyone has what they need all the

time, whatever that may be. ◦ Be the Den Mother. ◦ Learn the joy of servitude.

1. Define the problem. ◦ That is, “What is the goal of this project?”

2. Pick a solution. ◦ Preferably, as simple as possible!◦ Once you pick it – make a detailed plan for how it

will happen. A plan is a real thing.◦ Don’t get too attached to your solution.

3. Manage risks. ◦ First: Identify Risks. ◦ Second: Decide how you will mitigate them. ◦ Third: Periodically review your risk list and

mitigation strategies. ◦ You might notice that mitigating risks often

requires multiple early prototypes (or, iterations)◦ The Spiral Model is a great way to manage risks!

4. Do a detailed task breakdown. ◦ Put tasks in categories, and label how long they

will take, who will do them, when they need to be done, and how important they are.

◦ How much detail? Remember, the more days there are in the estimate for one task, the less certain you are about how long it will really take.

◦ EVERY task should be on the list.

5. If you are in the red, get out. ◦ You can beg for more time. ◦ You can change the solution (Begging may be

necessary).◦ You can cut lower priority tasks. ◦ You can add people to the project – with extreme

caution!◦ The important thing: Get out sooner, not later!

6. Update the task list weekly.◦ Each week, everyone should answer two

questions: What did you do this week, what will you do next week?

◦ Feedback on predictions is how you get better at predicting!

◦ Stay out of the red!

7. When the project is over, do a post-mortem. ◦ How else will you know how to do better next

time?

General Tips◦ 1. Get EVERYONE to

love the project◦ 2. One-on-one

meetings eliminate potential problems.

◦ 3. Keep in Constant Communication

◦ 4. Producers: Carry the Water

Successful Scheduling◦ 1. Define the problem.◦ 2. Pick a solution.◦ 3. Manage risks. ◦ 4. Do a detailed task

breakdown◦ 5. If you are in the red,

get out. ◦ 6. Update the task list

weekly. ◦ 7. Do a post-mortem

at the end of the project.

Dinosaurs Alive! The Virgin Island Tabletopia The Aqua Lounge That ill-fated animation project from 2001? AugCog Hazmat Others…?

Reasons I sometimes don’t do all of these things:◦ Lack of time (a bad excuse, but there it is)◦ Some projects are so exploratory that scheduling

them is not really useful◦ Sometimes, things are just going so well, all the

formality doesn’t seem necessary

What is Supply chain? Objective of a supply chain Supply Chain Management Bull Whip effect Drivers of Supply chain performance Inventory policies Types of Distribution networks

Consists of all parties involved, directly or indirectly, in fulfilling a customer request

Supplier Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Supplier Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Supplier Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Supplier Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Upstream Downstream

Customer

Retailer

Distributor

Manufacturer

Supplier

Customer Order Cycle

Replenishment Cycle

Manufacturing Cycle

Procurement Cycle

Pull

Push

Maximise overall profit Profit

◦ Revenue generated from customer - costs incurred along the entire chain (e.g. manufacturing / storing / distributing the product)

When is Supply chain effective?◦ Manage Product, Information and Fund flow

ManufacturerCost = Rs. 1

RetailerCost = Rs. 5

Q = 1000

CustomerCost = Rs. 10

Demand = 900

Profit Rs. 4000

ManufacturerCost = Rs. 1

RetailerCost = Rs. 5

Q = 1200

CustomerCost = Rs. 10

Demand = 1080

Profit Rs. 5520

Buy Back

Profit Rs. 4000

Buy Back

at Rs. 3

Profit Rs. 5160

No risk

Bears All risk

Sharing

of

risks

Objective is to be able to have the right products in the right quantities (at the right place) at the right moment at minimal cost.

Each organisation seek to solve the problem from its own perspective◦ Small changes in consumer demand result in

large variations in orders placed upstream Dramatic order size variation Amplification of order size variation as one

moves up the supply chain

Supplier Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Buys 10

Orders 15

Delay 2 weeksDelay 2 weeks

Orders 25

Delay 2 weeks

Orders 40

Little or no communication between supply chain partners.

Delay times between order processing, demand, and receipt of products.

Over reacting to the backlog orders. Inaccurate demand forecasts. http://www.supplychainonline.com/previews

/SCM101/3.html

Facilities◦ Production/Storage Sites

Responsiveness Vs Efficiency

Inventory◦ Raw materials◦ WIP◦ Finished Goods◦ Responsiveness Vs Efficiency

Sourcing◦ Outsourcing

Transportation

Cost

Inventorycosts

Transportcosts

Totalcosts

Rail Air

Where do we hold inventory?◦ Suppliers and manufacturers◦ warehouses and distribution centers◦ retailers

Types of Inventory◦ raw materials◦ WIP◦ finished goods

Why do we hold inventory?◦ Uncertainty in supply and demand◦ Lead Time◦ Avoid stock outs (customer goodwill)

Inventory lot size Replenishment Lead time Stock out Reorder Point Safety stock

Procurement costs◦ Ordering cost (appx. administrative, inspection,

transportation etc.) Holding costs

◦ Maintenance and Handling◦ Taxes◦ Obsolescence

Stock-outs costs◦ Lost sales (Customer goodwill)◦ Backorders

Profile of Inventory Level Over Time

Quantityon hand

Q

Receive order

Placeorder

Receive order

Placeorder

Receive order

Lead time

Reorderpoint

Demand rate

Time

Constant

Demand

When to order How much to order Types of System

◦ Continuous Review◦ Periodic Review

Time

Inventory

OrderSize

Note:• No Stockouts• Order when no inventory• Order Size determines policy

Order Quantity (Q)

The Total-Cost Curve is U-Shaped

Ordering Costs

QO

An

nu

al

Cost

(optimal order quantity) or EOQ

Holding Costs

Tradeoff between set-up costs and holding costs when determining order quantity.

Total Cost is not particularly sensitive to the optimal order quantity

Order Quantity 50% 80% 90% 100% 110% 120% 150% 200%

Cost Increase 125% 103% 101% 100% 101% 102% 108% 125%

Continuously monitored◦ R – Reorder point, L – Lead time◦ Q – Order quantity

Time b/w orders vary but Q is fixed

Monitored at periodic intervals of length “r” Quantity set as the amount consumed

during this interval Time b/w orders fixed

Steps taken to move and store a product from supplier to customer

Design Options◦ Manufacturer storage with direct shipping◦ Manufacturer storage with direct shipping and in-

transit merge◦ Distributor storage with package carrier delivery

Manufacturer

Customers

Retailer

Drop Shipping

Manufacturer

Customers

In-transit Merge by carriers

Retailer

Manufacturer

Customers

Warehouse Storage by Distributor/Retailer

Components of supply chain (SC) Objective of SC is to max. profit Bull whip effect Facilities decisions Inventory policies Distribution networks