Operations

OPERATIONS covers forecasting, planning & budgeting, scheduling and control. It lasts three or four hours depending on whether a formal budget is prepared (using the optional work sheets).

Participants run a simulated operating unit for twelve months. Each month they must decide on how much to produce, the amount of raw materials to purchase and whether to work more than one shift. But, before doing this they must forecast future sales (based on past sales trends) and decide a strategy to ensure they meet demand at the lowest possible cost.

While running the unit they will have decide whether sales are meeting forecast and costs are to budget despite the erraticness of the sales and actual production.

Operations is ideal for introduction to operations, financial appreciation, and on management appreciation courses. Also, a special version exists (Smooth Operator) for company conferences.

Originally designed in 1981, Operations has been in use since then and was completely revised in 1997 (incorporating our latest design paradigms).

KEY LEARNING: The simulation covers these issues:

• Sales Forecasting
• Operations Planning
• Budgeting
• Scheduling
• Performance Measurement
• Operational Control
• Analysis, Diagnosis & Decision-Making
• Team Working

DURATION: Three hours. This short duration allow the simulation to fit into most course time-tables (even the "difficult" after dinner slot).

TARGET AUDIENCE: The simulations are designed to be used by trainees, junior management up to middle management, functional specialists and supervisors. Or, as an ice breaker, for all levels up to senior management.

METHOD: After a short briefing the training group is divided into several teams of three to five participants. Each consider the problem facing them and then make a series of decisions that are fed, by the team, into their own microcomputer that simulates their effect. The results are printed for the team to analyse before making their next decisions. This decision-making cycle should be repeated for at least eight periods. At the end of the simulation phase the teams reunite to discuss and compare results.

The simulations may be used with any number of teams and, if necessary, up to three teams may share a microcomputer.

AVAILABILITY: This simulation is available off-the-shelf and a comprehensive Trainer's Pack is provided allowing trainers with little or no experience with simulations to run the them.

KEY LEARNING

SALES FORECASTING

The simulation starts with participants analysing five year's sales history. Optionally, this allows the introduction of statistical sales forecasting approaches such as time-series analysis and, for advanced groups, band forecasts. Alternatively, to shorten this phase, participants can be provided with prepared forecasts.

OPERATIONS PLANNING

Participants, must decide how much to produce, what materials to purchase and whether or when to increase the number of shifts worked. In doing this, they must evaluate and balance the costs of overtime, inventory holding, purchase volume discounts, the costs of changing shifts and lost sales.

BUDGETING

If time allows and if required, a full set of budgeting work sheets is provided to allow participants to produce a detailed budget. Alternatively, participants can build a "spread-sheet" model based on the work sheets.

SCHEDULING

Having decided their budget, teams must actually run the unit on a month by month basis. They enter target production, purchasing and shift working decisions into the simulator that then produces the results for analysis and comparison against the budget.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Besides introducing participants to standard manufacturing costs and cost of sales, the simulation allows exploration of trends in unit costs, measures of efficiency losses, inventory costs and the balance between sales, production and inventory.

OPERATIONAL CONTROL

With random variations in sales and production achieved, coupled with inaccuracies in the forecast, participants must measure how they are meeting their budget and decide whether they can meet year-end targets. To help with this activity, an, optional, worksheet is provided.

ANALYSIS, DIAGNOSIS & DECISION-MAKING

The uncertainties, ambiguities and dynamics of the simulation mean that it can be used to acquaint new graduates, engineers and scientists with the nature of business and decision-making.

TEAM WORKING

With participants working in small teams, they have the opportunity to share experience and knowledge, present and promote different viewpoints, develop time management and their "people" skills.

DOCUMENTATION

Documentation is provided separately for the UK and US Versions MS Word format and comprises:

A Participants' Manual that provides, for the participants. a description of the simulation, a description of their task and how to use the software.

The Background Notes describe the simulation for the trainer and may be used as a handout to the participants at the end of the simulation.

The Record Sheets are optional and are provided to allow teams to share key results as the simulation progresses.

Using the Simulator provides, for the trainer (and computer support staff), information about installing the simulation and the use of the software.

Running the Simulation provides, for the trainer, information about running the simulation.

Briefing is a MS Power Point briefing explaining the simulation to the participants. (You may find it useful if you review this before reading the briefs.)

	UK Versions	US Versions
Participants' Manual
Background Notes
Record Sheet
Using the Simulator
Running the Simulation
Briefing

SIMULATOR DOWNLOAD

This is provided to allow you to download an evaluation version of the Operations simulation. Before you do this you must have two blank formatted floppy discs available (labeled Disc 1 and Disc 2). Also be advised that the Cab files will take some time to down load.

The table below shows the files to download, their description, size and the floppy disc to save to. Once all files are downloaded, place Disc 1 in your floppy drive. Click Start and then Run and enter A:\setup.exe. The program will then install.

Help with downloading - especially with Windows XP or Vista.

If, instead of installing from the Web, you are installing from the CD-ROM version of this resource you can install directly by clicking setup.exe and opening the file.

Most recent update: 06/09/08
Hall Marketing, Studio 11, Colman's Wharf, 45 Morris Road, London E14 6PA, ENGLAND
Phone & Fax +44 (0)20 7537 2982 E-mail jeremyhall@simulations.co.uk