A planning and scheduling architecture for complex operations
Actenum's software solutions are based on a process and workflow architecture that we have developed. It provides a coherent and consistent approach to planning and scheduling activities, as they occur over time.
Why do we need an architecture for planning and scheduling?
In many organizations, there is no formal framework or architecture for planning and scheduling activities, despite their important contribution to organizational success. Instead, there are separate activities that:
- Have evolved over time in an uncoordinated manner,
- Are difficult to manage,
- Can't easily be scaled as the level of activity increases or as the organization grows,
- Use a mixture of uncoordinated manual methods and software tools, and
- Don't support collaboration very well.
The diagram below illustrates the typical planning and scheduling processes in these organizations.
Every year, the overall production cycle is run according to production targets, budgets, resource constraints, and so on. There may be multiple, different, planning processes in place, where “planning” may cover one or more years, or may look ahead only three to six months. Often there are intermediate processes that focus on planning activities that will occur between one and three months out.
At regular intervals (perhaps daily or weekly), various organizational groups must collaborate on scheduling production-related activities. Each group usually uses its own processes and tools, and has its own version of current information, so there has to be constant communication and explanations passing between the groups.
Usually there's a mixture of MS-Excel, MS-Project or Oracle Primavera, pencil and paper, and enterprise-class Supply Chain Planning software in use. The result is that:
- Communication is difficult,
- You don't have easy access to the data that you really need,
- Information is found in multiple forms in various silos around the organization.
How does Actenum's architecture improve planning and scheduling?
Actenum's planning and scheduling architecture is shown in the diagram below.
The overall process is based on the same corporate feeds as in the prior situation. But note the following:
- We use a centralized database to capture and provide all required information;
- The information is available to any user, in an appropriate form (for example, published on the web);
- Data from the different organizational units is consolidated into a single source (which provides a “single version of the truth”;
- The different organizational groups now have a unified, integrated planning view of operations.
Moreover, this architecture allows you to develop and assess multiple scenarios for short- and long-term operational plans in a collaborative environment, so that you can select the best one, based on your specific optimization criteria and constraints.
There are three major activities that are linked and that provide for multiple time horizons:
- Long term planning,
- Mid-range scheduling, and
- Short term operational scheduling and dispatch.
Long term planning
You can carry out long term planning automatically, and create and evaluate various scenarios for sequencing activities and allocating resources. Once you have selected an appropriate plan, you store it in the database to make it available to other users.
Mid-range scheduling
You carry out mid-range scheduling to assign resources to activities in an optimized way, so that organizational targets are met. Your schedules are stored in the database and available to all other parties in the production chain.
Short term operational scheduling and dispatch
When changes and disruptions occur during the operational day, you can quickly assess their impact on your targets, and devise an appropriate resolution path. This enables you to follow the best course of action rapidly and with confidence.