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.

person writing on notebook
Learn More
Integrated Business Planning

Behavior Challenges when Implementing IBP

Behavior is a critical issue in the implementation of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) because the success of IBP relies heavily on people and their ability to work collaboratively and align their behaviors with the goals of the process. There are several reasons why behavior can be a challenge in IBP implementation. Firstly, IBP requires a significant shift in the way people work and think. It involves breaking down silos and encouraging cross-functional collaboration, which can be difficult in organizations where departments have historically worked independently. This requires a change in behavior at both an individual and organizational level, and this…
Debbie Evans
April 4, 2023
Business

Truth Beats Stretch: An S&OE Story

On Monday at 8:07 a.m., the war room smelled like dry-erase and coffee. Ravi, the supply planner, clicked his laptop shut with a little flourish. “Good news,” he said. “I bumped the plan eight percent. Bit of a stretch, but it’ll light a fire.” Maria, who ran the bottleneck filler line, raised an eyebrow. “We have one filler,” she said. “It runs at one filler speed.” “Totally,” Ravi said. “But if we aim higher, we’ll get more. People step up.” By noon the “stretch” had turned into schedule musical chairs. To hit Ravi’s number, the plan jammed in two extra…
Debbie Evans
October 8, 2025
Business

IBP Is Not a Forecasting Process (Despite What Everyone Thinks)

Every time a company decides to “implement IBP,” the conversation usually starts the same way. “We need a better forecast.” And just like that, the entire organization begins a heroic quest to improve forecast accuracy — new software, new models, more meetings, more spreadsheets, more debates about whether next month should be up 3% or down 2%. Meanwhile, leadership is quietly hoping this will somehow fix inventory, service, profitability, growth, capacity constraints, and the general feeling that the business is being run by a series of surprises. Unfortunately, a better forecast will not solve those problems. A forecast is simply…
Debbie Evans
March 16, 2026
Integrated Business Planning

“Independence Day: When Integrated Business Planning Declares Its Own Freedom!”

Introduction: As we celebrate Independence Day, we can't help but draw a hilarious parallel between the spirit of freedom and the world of Integrated Business Planning (IBP). Yes, you read that right! IBP, the strategic planning process that aims to synchronize and liberate business operations, has a comedic connection to the day we celebrate independence. So, grab your party hats and let's embark on a lighthearted journey through the intertwined worlds of IBP and the 4th of July. Breaking Free from Silos: Just as our founding fathers fought to break free from the chains of tyranny, IBP strives to break…
Debbie Evans
July 3, 2023