The Right Data in the Right Place at the Right Time

On September 19, 2012, Mark Gavoor presented a webinar “The Right Data in the Right Place at the Right Time.”  This webinar was sponsored by Northwest Analytical an industry leading provider of manufacturing intelligence and statistical process control software.  Mark was invited to present by Jeff Cawley, VP of Industry Leadership.   Mark and Jeff have known each other for years being introduced by their mutual friend Dr. John Surak.  John invited both Jeff and Mark to co-author a paper with him and co-authored a paper together in the January 2008 issue of Food Quality.  Click here to read the article. 

In sharing some of what we do at CR Supply Chain Consulting with Jeff.  We compared our approach with the good work that Northwest Analytics and decided to focus on the importance of sound data management and information in today’s supply chain.   Mark always advocates that the goal of the supply chain is to provide the right products, in the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, with the right quality, at the lowest possible costs.  This, of course, cannot be done if the supply chain does not have the right data, in the right place, at the right time, in the right format, with perfect quality.

CR Supply Chain’s concept of Supply Chain Physics is built around three laws: 

• The Law of Interdependency:  Running a supply chain is a multi-criteria optimization problem.   We are constantly trading off Inventory, Quality, Service, and Cost.  We balance the needs of our customers and our own company.
• The Law of Constraints:  The multi-criteria optimization problem has very real constraints that must be adhered to.  There is a limit in how much we can produce.  There is a limit to how far, how fast, and in what quantities goods can be shipped from point A to point B.
• The Law of Information:  Information drives this all.  Information now moves at the speed of light… er… the internet.  Having the right data, in the right place, at the right time influences our decisions regarding lead times, inventory, customer service, and reactions to market demands.

At CR Supply Chain, we have long advocated the critical importance of having good data.  We believe the old maxim that is attributed to Dr. Deming:  “In God we trust; all others must bring data."  But, while this is true on the tactical analytical level, we are buried by data today simply because of ERP systems and the amazing technology behind them.  Data is theoretically available instantaneously anyone at anyplace providing that they are connected to the internet and have the permission to access the data.  In the larger scope, we may want to modify Deming’s quip to read “… and all others must bring information.”  Data is one thing.  Data that is processed into actionable information is what is needed in every part of our modern supply chains. 

Thanks to Jeff Cawley and the good people at Northwest Analytics for inviting Mark to present this webinar.   The webinar can be viewed on the Northwest Analytics website:  CLick here to view the webinar.