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Operational Excellence Training

Is your manufacturing business strategically positioned to outpace its competitors? The effective streamlining of your company’s approach to both planning and control is the key to cutting costs, increasing efficiency, and staying one giant step ahead of the competition. In this fast-moving industry where customer demands rule all, regularly meeting and exceeding those demands is vital for success.   

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Is your manufacturing business strategically positioned to outpace its competitors? The effective streamlining of your company’s approach to both planning and control is the key to cutting costs, increasing efficiency, and staying one giant step ahead of the competition. In this fast-moving industry where customer demands rule all, regularly meeting and exceeding those demands is vital for success.   

Based on the instructor’s comprehensive and hands-on operational experience, this course will teach you the basic principles and best practices behind production management, including essential concepts like decision making, systems design and capacity, facilities location and layout, demand forecasting, resource and materials planning, capacity management and production control, and materials and inventory strategies. 

Upon completion of this course, manufacturing professionals and business owners alike will have the necessary practical skills to improve both their personal performance and the overall proficiency of their company’s manufacturing operations. This course will provide you with the knowledge, analysis, and advanced practices your business needs to stay current and competitive as an integral part of the supply chain industry. It will also show you how to consistently meet customer requirements, and how to meet those crucial obligations with significantly greater speed and accuracy than the competition.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • This course will teach you how to improve, manage, and regulate all aspects of a successful manufacturing operations infrastructure
  • You’ll develop the ability to design and oversee an effective master production schedule that makes the best possible use of your manufacturing resources
  • You’ll discover the basics of materials requirements planning, including lead time offsetting, bill of materials, and determining manufacturing order quantities
  • You’ll understand how to apply capacity planning and management to determining capacity requirements and to matching capacity with scheduling and control
  • You’ll learn the best way to develop and implement a winning production activity control system that reduces wip, inventories, and lead times

Syllabus

Operations Management Basics
Course Introduction
Glossary of Terms and Definitions

Presentation Slides

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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Examines principles and best practices in production management, such as decision making, systems design and capacity, facilities location and layout, demand forecasting, and materials and inventory strategies
Taught by Operational Excellence Training, who have hands-on operational experience
Develops skills in designing and overseeing a master production schedule to optimize manufacturing resources
Covers materials requirements planning, including lead time offsetting, bill of materials, and determining manufacturing order quantities
Explores capacity planning and management to determine capacity requirements and match capacity with scheduling and control

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Reviews summary

Solid introduction to manufacturing operations

According to learners, this course offers a solid introduction and overview of fundamental concepts in manufacturing operations. Students frequently praise the course for providing a practical foundation applicable to real-world scenarios. Many find the lectures to be clear and comprehensive, covering essential topics like demand forecasting, capacity planning, and inventory management. While widely considered excellent for beginners or those needing a refresher, some feedback suggests it may be less suitable for experienced professionals seeking advanced depth. The course content is seen as a strong starting point, although a few reviewers indicate that supplementary learning might be beneficial for a deeper dive into specific areas.
Concepts are presented in an easy-to-grasp way.
"The instructor explains complex topics in a very clear and understandable manner."
"Lectures are well-structured and easy to follow."
"Liked how the concepts were broken down logically."
"Clear delivery made learning efficient."
Ideal for those new to operations management.
"This course is great for beginners or those needing a refresher on ops basics."
"Perfect starting point if you're new to this field."
"Explains concepts clearly for someone with little prior knowledge."
Content is useful for real-world job tasks.
"I learned practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."
"The course gave me applicable knowledge I can use in my manufacturing role."
"Provides practical guidance relevant to manufacturing challenges."
"Translates theory into methods usable in operations."
Provides a broad understanding of key areas.
"The course provides an excellent overview of the fundamentals of production and operations management."
"It covers a wide range of topics from forecasting to inventory management."
"Helped me understand the interconnectedness of different manufacturing functions."
"Gives a solid theoretical and practical foundation."
May not be advanced enough for experts.
"Found some sections a bit introductory, maybe too basic for experienced professionals."
"Could use more depth on advanced topics like optimization or modern techniques."
"While broad, it doesn't go very deep into any single area."
"Excellent overview, but not for gaining expert-level knowledge."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Manufacturing Operations – Planning, Management and Control with these activities:
Study Group
Peer groups help build confidence in the subject matter, along with providing an opportunity to ask questions and teach others.
Browse courses on Production Management
Show steps
  • Find a few classmates who are also interested in forming a study group
  • Decide on a meeting time and place
  • Review the course material together
  • Work on practice problems or case studies
  • Quiz each other on the material
Production Management Workshop
Taking part in workshops can help you specialize and develop new skills that can directly apply to your coursework.
Browse courses on Production Management
Show steps
  • Research production management workshops
  • Choose a workshop that fits your interests
  • Register for the workshop
  • Attend the workshop
  • Complete the workshop exercises and activities
Production Management Problems
Drills can help you master the concepts of production management by applying what you've learned.
Show steps
  • Find a problem set or practice questions online
  • Review the concepts and equations from the lectures
  • Solve the problems on your own
  • Check your answers against the solutions
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Production Management Case Studies
Case studies can help you see how production management principles are applied in the real world.
Show steps
  • Search online for case studies on production management
  • Select a case study that looks interesting
  • Read the case study carefully
  • Answer the questions or discussion points that are included with the case study
Attend an Industry Conference
This can allow you to connect and learn from others in your field, which can help your career and your learning.
Browse courses on Production Management
Show steps
  • Research industry conferences
  • Choose a conference that fits your interests
  • Register for the conference
  • Attend the conference sessions
  • Network with other attendees
Production Management Competition
Challenge yourself against others to see how your skills measure up and to push yourself.
Browse courses on Production Management
Show steps
  • Research production management competitions
  • Choose a competition that fits your interests
  • Register for the competition
  • Prepare for the competition
  • Compete in the competition
Production Management Presentation
This activity allows you to apply your knowledge to a particular problem that you can present to the class.
Browse courses on Production Management
Show steps
  • Identify a problem or issue in production management
  • Research and gather information on the problem
  • Develop a solution or recommendation
  • Create a presentation to share your findings

Career center

Learners who complete Manufacturing Operations – Planning, Management and Control will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Operations Manager
An Operations Manager is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for planning, organizing, and controlling the production process to ensure that products are manufactured efficiently and meet customer specifications. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of production management, including decision making, systems design and capacity, facilities location and layout, demand forecasting, resource and materials planning, capacity management and production control, and materials and inventory strategies.
Production Supervisor
A Production Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the production process in a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for ensuring that products are manufactured according to specifications, and that production schedules are met. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of production management, including decision making, systems design and capacity, facilities location and layout, demand forecasting, resource and materials planning, capacity management and production control, and materials and inventory strategies.
Manufacturing Engineer
A Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for designing and improving the manufacturing process in a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for developing new and efficient ways to produce products, and for ensuring that products are manufactured to the highest quality standards. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of production management, including decision making, systems design and capacity, facilities location and layout, demand forecasting, resource and materials planning, capacity management and production control, and materials and inventory strategies.
Quality Control Inspector
A Quality Control Inspector is responsible for ensuring that products meet quality standards. They are responsible for inspecting products at various stages of the production process to identify and correct any defects. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of quality control, including statistical process control, sampling techniques, and inspection methods.
Inventory Manager
An Inventory Manager is responsible for managing the inventory of a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for ensuring that the facility has the right amount of inventory on hand to meet production needs, while also minimizing inventory costs. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of inventory management, including inventory control techniques, inventory forecasting, and inventory optimization.
Production Planner
A Production Planner is responsible for planning and scheduling the production process in a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for developing production schedules that optimize the use of resources and minimize production costs. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of production planning, including production scheduling, capacity planning, and materials planning.
Purchasing Manager
A Purchasing Manager is responsible for managing the purchasing of goods and services for a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for negotiating contracts with suppliers, ensuring that the facility gets the best possible prices and quality, and managing the supply chain to ensure that the facility has the materials it needs to meet production schedules. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of purchasing management, including supplier selection, contract negotiation, and supply chain management.
Materials Manager
A Materials Manager is responsible for managing the materials used in the production process in a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for ensuring that the facility has the right materials on hand to meet production needs, while also minimizing materials costs. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of materials management, including materials planning, inventory management, and materials handling.
Supply Chain Manager
A Supply Chain Manager is responsible for managing the supply chain of a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for ensuring that the facility has the materials it needs to meet production schedules, while also minimizing supply chain costs. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of supply chain management, including supply chain planning, supply chain execution, and supply chain performance measurement.
Project Manager
A Project Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and executing projects in a manufacturing facility. They are responsible for ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the required specifications. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of project management, including project planning, project scheduling, and project control.
Business Analyst
A Business Analyst is responsible for analyzing business processes and identifying opportunities for improvement. They are responsible for working with stakeholders to develop and implement solutions that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of business analysis, including business process analysis, requirements gathering, and solution design.
Consultant
A Consultant is responsible for providing advice and guidance to clients on a variety of business issues. They are responsible for working with clients to identify and solve problems, and to develop and implement solutions that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their businesses. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of consulting, including business analysis, problem solving, and solution implementation.
Entrepreneur
An Entrepreneur is responsible for starting and running their own business. They are responsible for developing a business plan, raising capital, and managing the day-to-day operations of their business. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of entrepreneurship, including business planning, marketing, and finance.
Operations Research Analyst
An Operations Research Analyst is responsible for using mathematical and statistical techniques to solve problems in business and industry. They are responsible for developing and implementing solutions that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of operations research, including mathematical modeling, optimization, and simulation.
Financial Analyst
A Financial Analyst is responsible for analyzing financial data and making recommendations on investment decisions. They are responsible for using financial models to forecast future financial performance and to identify undervalued or overvalued investments. This course will help you build the skills you need to be successful in this role by providing you with a foundation in the principles of financial analysis, including financial modeling, valuation, and portfolio management.

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Manufacturing Operations – Planning, Management and Control.
Provides a comprehensive overview of operations management, including sustainability and supply chain management. It valuable resource for students and professionals who want to learn more about the field.
Provides a comprehensive overview of production planning and control. It covers topics such as forecasting, scheduling, and inventory control. It good resource for students who want to learn about the planning and control of manufacturing operations.
Provides a comprehensive overview of industrial engineering and management. It covers topics such as work measurement, production planning, and quality control. It good resource for students who want to learn about the management of industrial operations.
Provides a comprehensive overview of production and operations management. It valuable resource for students and professionals who want to learn more about the field.
Provides a comprehensive overview of operations research. It covers topics such as linear programming, queuing theory, and simulation. It good resource for students who want to learn about the quantitative methods used in operations management.
Provides a comprehensive overview of quantitative techniques for management. It covers topics such as statistics, linear programming, and queuing theory. It good resource for students who want to learn about the quantitative methods used in management.
Provides a comprehensive overview of manufacturing processes. It covers topics such as metalworking, plastics processing, and electronics manufacturing. It good resource for students who want to learn about the different processes used in manufacturing.
Provides a comprehensive overview of manufacturing planning and control. It valuable resource for students and professionals who want to learn more about the field.
Provides a comprehensive overview of facility layout and design. It covers topics such as space planning, material flow, and equipment selection. It good resource for students who want to learn about the design of manufacturing facilities.
Provides a comprehensive overview of manufacturing strategy. It covers topics such as product design, process selection, and supply chain management. It good resource for students who want to learn about the strategic management of manufacturing operations.
Provides a comprehensive overview of manufacturing systems engineering. It covers topics such as systems analysis, design, and simulation. It good resource for students who want to learn about the engineering of manufacturing systems.

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