The objective of this article is to address the importance of planning, which tools allow better management of activities, in order to have a better performance in the execution of the tasks involved.
For this reason, it is convenient to know various concepts involved, in the same way, tools, methodologies, which have as their scoop the distribution of activities, so that their execution is carried out, having as results, achievement of goals, the efficiency of activities and improvement of yields.
Keywords
Tool, Technique, Planning, Scenario, Strategy
Introduction
In any project or task it is important to consider a work plan, to know in what time the activities will be carried out, since that will allow for better progress and therefore they will be done in a better way, if not, It will be delaying the fulfillment of proposed objectives, exceeding the time and resources used; in many cases doing re jobs.
That is why several concepts must be defined, in order to then make a comprehensive knowledge, which allows a better conceptualization, and avoids ambiguities. Planning is not exclusive to one sector, as it is implicit in many environments, both personally and organizationally, to name a few examples:
A housewife to carry out her activities such as cleaning the house, leaving and picking up her children, preparing food, dedication to personal activities, family time together, among other activities. If the person does not make a planning, she will not be able to fulfill her acquired commitments or she will be spending more time than required.
A uniform and embroidery business, if the owner or administrator does not make a proper planning, will not be able to fulfill its commitments, since it requires having the fabric on time, so that it is processed in the cutting and making of the uniforms, as well such as embroidery if requested, and the washing and ironing processes, since it must be delivered with the necessary care, to guarantee customer satisfaction, which will translate into greater orders and / or recommendations.
Background
Wisdom is the ability to see well in advance the consequences of current actions, the willingness to sacrifice short-term gains in exchange for greater long-term benefits, and the ability to control what is controllable and not worry about what is it is not. Therefore, the essence of wisdom is concern for the future. It is not the same type of interest in the future that seers have, who only try to predict it. The wise man tries to control it. (Kuri Abdala, 2009)
Concepts
Planning.- is the rational application of the human mind in anticipatory decision making, based on prior knowledge of reality, to control current actions and foresee their future consequences, aimed at achieving a fully satisfactory objective. (Kuri Abdala, 2009)
Planning according to (DefinicionDe, 2008) Planning or planning is an action that is linked to planning. This verb, on the other hand, consists of making a plan. Through planning, a person or organization sets a goal and stipulates what steps should be followed to reach it. In this process, which can have a highly variable duration depending on the case, various issues are considered, such as the resources available and the influence of external situations.
Plan: It is the coherent set of policies, strategies and goals. The plan constitutes the general and reformable framework of action, it must define the practices to be followed and the framework in which the activities will be developed. (Kuri Abdala, 2009)
Forecasts.- They are predictions of future results, two of the most common predictions are future earnings and new technological advances. (INAFED)
As expressed (Kuri Abdala, 2009) Strategy.- It is the process by which the allocation of resources is determined to achieve the best objectives of the company or organization. This concept includes key purposes, missions, objectives, programs and methods to implement it.
Scenario: A consistent point of view of what is likely to happen in the future. (INAFED)
Tool.- is an instrument that allows you to perform certain jobs. These objects were designed to facilitate the performance of a mechanical task that requires the use of a certain force. The screwdriver, pliers and hammer are tools. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Technique.- is a set of regulated procedures and guidelines that is used as a means to reach a certain end. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Strategy.- The term "strategy" is derived from the Greek "Strategos", which literally means
"Army general". Each of the ten tribes of ancient Greece each year chose a Strategos to lead their regiment. In the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), the strategos advised the Political Ruler as a council. They gave "strategic" advice on managing battles to win wars, rather than advising on "tactics" of managing troops to win battles. Over time, the strategos' work grew to include judicial functions. (Armijo, 2011)
Development
All planning consists of different stages, since it is a process that involves making successive decisions. Planning often begins with the identification of a problem and continues with the analysis of the different options available. The subject or the company must choose the option that is most conducive to solving the problem in question and start the implementation of a plan. It should be noted that, in a broad sense, planning is carried out almost every moment, even on a day-to-day basis. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
The characteristics of planning will depend on the context; The decision-making that a family makes when organizing a vacation trip is not the same as the process planned by the manager of a company to launch a new product to the market. Success will depend on the degree of knowledge, analysis and intuition of those who execute it, and in both cases a meticulous action plan could be given, regardless of the formality of each one. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
In various literary works, whether they are books or articles by authors, the classification of planning stands out, which varies according to the context in which it is involved.
- Strategic planning Tactical planning Operational planning Regulatory planning Interactive planning
Strategic planning
In his work (Armijo, 2011) he expresses that Strategic Planning, PE, is a management tool that allows supporting the decision-making of organizations regarding current tasks and the path they must follow in the future to adapt to changes and to the demands imposed by the environment and achieve the greatest efficiency, effectiveness, and quality in the goods and services that are provided.
Strategic planning: carried out by the managers of a company, to analyze internal and external factors and their impact on the company's objectives. It is usually traced over the long term, generally several years, and consists of the detailed design of its insertion in the market, its communication with the media and its advertising campaigns. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
It consists of an exercise in the formulation and establishment of priority objectives, whose main characteristic is the establishment of courses of action (strategies) 2 to achieve these objectives.
Tactical planning
It is usually related to short-term decision-making, generally to cope with an unexpected crisis. When a product sells less than expected, for example, it is necessary to act, either by lowering the price or improving the offer by including accessories or making bundles. These actions must be in accordance with the strategic plan that was initially drawn up. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Operational planning
It refers to the organization of the resources and personnel of a company for the resolution of problems. It is essential for any company, since it draws up the action plan and the relationship that the different departments will have with each other for the development of tasks in a time generally stipulated by the management department. In work groups made up of a team and its leader, the latter receives projects and their corresponding deadlines, and decides how to proceed, which member will be in charge of each task, etc. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Regulatory planning
It is a series of rules and regulations that are created for the proper functioning of a company. From employees' clothing, to work hours and breaks, everything must be previously established to ensure that they work in an orderly manner. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Interactive planning
It is the most used by companies that offer technological products. It is based on mapping solutions to problems in an ideal future, as well as the path to achieve that future. When the necessary tools or infrastructure are not available to achieve certain objectives, the necessary actions to achieve those resources are analyzed. (DefinicionDe, 2008)
Planning tools
Planning tools are methodologies used in organizations to plan how to manage processes or projects. (Home, Planning tools, 2012)
It illustrates (Home, Planning Tools, 2012) that these tools can do two things:
- To facilitate and standardize the planning methodology of projects, activities and tasks. To help design products, processes and services according to the requirements and functions foreseen in the future.
The following list are planning tools, with a brief explanation:
- AMFE - Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects (Introduction) - Tool for the development of safe products and services. Guide for the use of AMFE - Modal Analysis of Failures and Effects - How to carry out an AMFE analysis with examples. Gantt diagram - Planning and monitoring of activities and projects.Intuitive Poka-yoke design method - Error-proof design.QFD - Deployment of the quality function (Introduction) - Introduction to the analysis of needs and expectations.QFD usage guide - Deployment of the quality function - Steps to carry out an analysis of needs and expectations when designing a product or service. Correlation diagrams - Graphic representation that shows the relationship of one variable with respect to the other. The 5S - Systematics to achieve better organized workplaces.AQP - Advanced Quality Planning - Techniques and activities that focus on preventing failures and defects Kanban Method - Method to obtain a highly effective and efficient production system The McKinsey 7S - Seven basic factors for the strategy of any organization. Pert diagram - Diagram for the design of operational processes in projects TQM - Total quality management - Helps the management of an organization to achieve maximum efficiency and flexibility Taguchi loss function - How to numerically evaluate the loss quality in a project. RCM - Maintenance Centered in Reliability - Analysis to develop an efficient program through preventive maintenance. Gemba Kenri - A logical and rational form of factory management.CCV - Life Cycle Cost - Tool to optimize purchases and choose the most profitable option APQP - Advanced product quality planning - Structured methodology to develop products / services Scrum methodology - Systematic to increase the efficiency of work teams in projects and product development. Business Model Canvas - Tool to develop a business idea. DFSS (Design For Six Sigma) - Methodology derived from Six Sigma focused on the launch of new products. SWOT Analysis - The SWOT analysis consists of a matrix where the Weaknesses, Threats, Strengths and Opportunities of a project or an idea of which we want to know its present and future viability are analyzed.Force field analysis - This technique is used when an organization seeks to make changes or propose improvements within departments, processes, or implement new tools. Cell production - seeking maximum process efficiency by optimizing resources on production assembly lines in Covey Matrix series - Plans and organizes tasks based on their urgency and importance.
Assessment and control tools
Evaluation tools are used to monitor the current status of a project, process, product or service in order to have a detailed view of its status, evaluate it or find ways to improve it later. (Home, Management tools: planning, evaluation and improvement, 2012)
The following list are assessment tools with a brief description:
- Pareto diagram - The famous 80% -20% curve to organize data and focus efforts on the most important thing. Correlation diagram - Graphical representation that shows the relationship of one variable with respect to another. Ishikawa diagram - Study to locate the causes of the problems. Dashboard - Management model, with a periodical information support for the management of the company's processes. Check list - Checklists. MAQ - self-quality matrix - Tool to detect in real time where defects are produced and the place where they are generated. Kano analysis - Systematics for product development and customer satisfaction. Control diagrams - Methodology for supervising production processes. LOL-PLOT - Data sample to draw conclusions.RAM Method - Refers to the effort and time required to repair a process when a failure has been made. COC - Quality and Non-quality Costs - Analysis of the cost that the company invests in quality, to minimize both potential failures and costs of excess quality. ABC Analysis - Tool to diagnose which are the most important items in an organization. ASP - Analysis of staff satisfaction - Tool to measure what employees think about their organization. Fast Diagram - Cost analysis.AHP model - Decision making through its breakdown. Kawakita Jiro method - Problem solving method. Repeatability and reproducibility studies - R &R analyze the variation between the measurement method and the different people who can perform these measurements. VSM: Value Stream Mapping - Lean manufacturing technique to analyze and design material flows. Monte Carlo simulation - Statistical technique to predict and correct Behaviors in production lines. Root Cause Analysis - Methodology to analyze incidents and establish actions to solve them.
Continuous improvement tools
Continuous improvement tools are designed to find weak points in current processes, products and services. In the same way, some of them focus on pointing out which are the priority areas for improvement or which can bring the most benefits to our work, so that we can save time and make changes only in the most critical areas. (Home, Management tools: planning, evaluation and improvement, 2012)
The following list includes continuous improvement tools and a brief description:
- PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) Cycle - The best known method of continuous improvement that all others rely on. This is the basis of continuous improvement. Value analysis - An orderly method to increase the value of a product or service. Kaizen method - Seeks continuous improvement of all aspects of the organization. Affinity diagram - Bring together ideas or issues to organize and summarize by grouping the like-minded ideas Six Sigma / Six Sigma Analysis - Process improvement method based on reducing their variability DFSS (Design For Six Sigma) - Methodology derived from Six Sigma focused on the launch of new products. Stratification - Tool to go from the general to the particular for the analysis of a problem.The 5 whys - Method based on asking questions to explore the cause-effect relationships that generate a particular problem.Benchmarking - Continuous process of comparing products, processes and services against competitors.Lean Manufacturing - Quality tool to increase the effectiveness and efficiency at work.Méjoto Jidoka - Allows each process to have its own quality self-control.Experiment design DOE (Introduction) - Introduction to the design of experiments: a methodology that defines a series of tests for a process and draws conclusions that can be interpolated to predict results and optimize the process mathematically. Use Guide to Create an Experiment Design (DOE) - Steps to create and draw conclusions from a successful experiment design.PM Analysis - Methodology to study the anomalies that may occur in a process.BPR process improvement and reengineering - Tools to eliminate the physical and mental limitations of the organization.SMED - Rapid tool change - Systematic to make a quick tool change and save time. The 3 Gen method - Solving a problem from an understanding of the root cause. CMMI: Improving processes in technology industries - “Capability maturity model integration” serves to evaluate and improve systems development and operation processes COBIT: Framework for IT-related processes - World reference framework for information technology companies. "Control Objectives for Information and related Technology".Design For Delight - It seeks to achieve product innovation to increase customer satisfaction. Corrective Actions Program - The most common way to implement a continuous improvement system in companies. Harada Method - A method based on Lean, and thinking about workers. Root cause analysis - Methodology to analyze incidents and establish actions to solve them. Kotter Model - A methodology for managing change.Kotter Model - A methodology for managing change.Kotter Model - A methodology for managing change.
Forecasting Techniques
Forecasting techniques fall into two ranges:
- Quantitative: they apply a set of mathematical rules to a previous Data Series to predict future data. Qualitative: They use the judgment and opinions of connoisseurs. They are generally used when accurate data is limited or difficult to come by.
Quantitative Projection Techniques.
Time series analysis. Fit a trend line to a mathematical equation and project into the future.
Regression Models. Predicts a variable based on other known or budgeted variables.
Econometric models. Regression equations to simulate segments of the economy.
Economic indicators. Use economic indicators to predict a future state of the economy
Substitution effect. Use a mathematical formula to predict how, when, and under what circumstances a new product or technology will replace the existing one.
External Comparison (Benchmarking)
Tool to find the best characteristics, processes, and services of the product that is possible, in order to use them as a parameter to improve the products, processes and services of the company itself.
The company is typically compared against the industry leader (s) to add value to the comparison.
Budgets.
It is a numerical plan to allocate resources to specific activities. (INAFED)
Types of Budgets.
- Income budget. It is a budget that projects future sales. Expense Budget. List the primary activities undertaken by a unit and assign a monetary value to each of them. Profit Budget. They combine income and expense budgets into one to verify utility contributions. Cash Budget. Anticipate how much cash the organization will have on hand and how much it will need for its expenses. Capital Expenditure Budget. Predicts investments in property, buildings, and core equipment Variable budgets. Budget that takes into account those costs that change with volume, such as labor, materials, and some administrative costs.
Approaches to Budgets
Incremental Budget. Allocate funds to the departments according to the allocations of the previous year.
Zero Base Budget. System in which budget requests start from scratch, regardless of previous assignments.
Operational Planning Tools (INAFED)
Programming. List of the necessary activities, their order to be carried out, who should do each and the time necessary to complete them.
Gantt chart. Bar graph with time on the horizontal axis and activities to be programmed on the vertical axis.
Load graph. It is a modified Gantt chart. Rather than listing activities on the vertical axis, the load boxes list entire departments or specific resources.
SWOT ANALYSIS (INAFED)
Its main function is to detect the relationships between the most important variables in order to design adequate strategies, based on the analysis of the internal and external environment that is inherent to each organization.
PERT Network Analysis (INAFED)
The Pert network is used as a quantitative planning and control tool, allowing administrators to have an optimization model that provides the optimal solution for a sequence of activities over time, which must be carried out to finalize the action plan. It also allows the administrator to schedule a project in advance and at the same time calculate the time required to complete it.
As a control tool, the Pert network facilitates control activities, allowing the comparison of real time with that planned.
To illustrate the Gantt Chart and Mesh Pert, it is very important to first identify the different activities of the process, with the respective sequences and times of each activity.
Breakeven analysis
Technique to identify the point in which the total income is hardly enough to cover the total costs.
Linear programming
Mathematical technique that solves resource allocation problems.
Theory of tails
Technique that balances the cost of having a queue against the cost of service to serve that queue.
Probability Theory
Use of statistics to analyze past predictable patterns and reduce risk in future plans.
Conclusions
Planning tools are many and there is a great variety, planning is feasible, selecting one or more tools, since it will allow things to be done more efficiently.
Thesis topic: Analysis and implementation of planning tools, applying 3 in particular within the company Fricongelados
Objective: It is to measure and quantify the benefits provided by the implementation of planning tools and make a comparative of before and after.
Bibliography
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