Integrated Business Planning

Let’s Rethink How We Manage Business

 

IBP is provocative, challenging, and, at times, contentious, yet the benefits are unquestionable. We have experience navigating the dynamics which impede IBP implementation in a variety of different businesses. This experience affords us the opportunity to help others take the concepts of IBP and provide pragmatic operational solutions, avoiding rabbit-holes, minefields, and some of the frustration associated with the deployment.  This site is created to provide online support, answer questions, and help others on their IBP implementation journey.

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Integrated Business Planning

Simplifying Success: How Integrated Business Planning Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated or Time-Consuming

In the fast-paced world of business, staying competitive requires smart planning and adaptability. Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is often hailed as a game-changer in achieving these goals, but it's a common misconception that IBP must be complex and time-consuming. In reality, simplifying the IBP process is not only possible but can also lead to more efficient and effective outcomes. Start with Clear Objectives: A fundamental step in simplifying IBP is to establish clear objectives. What do you want to achieve with IBP? Is it improved demand forecasting, better inventory management, or enhanced financial planning? By defining your goals upfront, you…
Debbie Evans
September 11, 2023
BusinessIntegrated Business PlanningManagment

Outliers in Demand

Identifying outliers: The first step is to identify the outliers. This can be done manually or by using statistical methods. Some common methods for identifying outliers include: The interquartile range (IQR): The IQR is a measure of the spread of data. To calculate the IQR, first find the first and third quartiles of the data. The IQR is the difference between the third and first quartiles. Data points that are more than 1.5 times the IQR away from the nearest quartile are considered outliers. The z-score: The z-score is a measure of how far a data point is from the…
Sriram Parameswaran
May 3, 2023
BusinessOperations

Discovering A New Idea

It’s been decided, the benefits are too great to be ignored, the business case is indisputable, the business is going to implement integrated business planning. Three months later the design workshops have been completed, key roles have been defined and appointments made. Notions of advancements in demand planning, inventory reduction, service level improvements now await, it’s only months away! The enterprise now looks to the integrated business planning leader in excited anticipation of fulfilling the promises which lead the business here. So, it begins! There’s a belief the decision to implement integrated business planning (IBP) itself brings the implied rewards…
Kim Britton
September 21, 2020
Integrated Business Planning

Basics

IBP, Integrated Business Planning, the most wanted yet unwelcome process ever devised! In most circumstances, IBP enters the enterprise to resolve issues associated with supply and demand; demand plan bias, poor service levels, excessive inventory. In reality, many issues of supply are the manifestation of decisions made elsewhere in the business well before manufacturing and distribution are called upon. Ironically, it’s arguable the challenges thrust upon manufacturing and distribution by the broader business consume every ounce of resource, in doing so prevent Supply identifying and addressing deficiencies in their own operational capabilities. So here’s where the promises of IBP improving…
Kim Britton
September 21, 2020