In a previous blog post, we discussed how a high or low value of Coefficient of Variation (CV) impacts the first or second term of safety stock. Today we decided to put this to the test using real customer data - here we will discuss our findings.
In this blog we briefly cover some key insights for successful time series forecasting: (a) Profiling the Shape of the Curve is the first stage, and the first step is assessing if the time series is stationary. (b) The forecast method identified must capture the shape and be able to project the shape across time. (c) There are limits in historical and no amount of “fancy math” can overcome them.
Some time ago, I had been trying to help a business improve its statistical forecasting. We tried different parameters and different forecasting algorithms but the statistical forecast for about half of the products could not be improved no matter what we tried. We decided to do a deep dive to understand the reason.
In this blog, we will illustrate through an example of these potential pitfalls (unanchored, random variation, and narrow metrics) and potential negative impact on a firm.
In the simple version of supply chain management (SCM) the goal for demand forecasting in the tactical decision tier is prediction accuracy. In the wiser version, the purpose is expanded to include an understanding of your demand (demand profiling)...
The chatter about Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) and its recent companion, machine learning (ML) is ever-present. In a wide range of economic activities, AI/ML methods are now standard practice...
There is plenty of material being written and posted on the challenges, estimating the growth in COVID19 incidences, and thoughts about the economy. The purpose of this is to pull from experiences in the trenches in shifting OPCURVE to provide some guidance on actions to take to help the nation achieve both critical goals.
An ongoing challenge for any firm is estimating demand for new products. This is especially true when the product has new technology or is replacing an existing product and the additional function in the new product is limited. Often a mathematical construct called an S curve is helpful. This blog provides an overview of S curves and why they can be helpful.
The spread of the COVID19 virus is a major concern of everyone. Typically, two critical questions are being asked: why it seemed to grow so quickly over the last few weeks and what is the impact of social distancing. This blog provides a kitchen table explanation of “rapid growth” and how social distancing might dampen growth.
Most software packages show current views of current forecasts, sales, production, and inventory. But what if you wanted visibility of the underlying trends, changes, patterns in all systems...