From the course: Supply Chain Foundations: Project Management
Using the DIRECT framework for supply chain projects
From the course: Supply Chain Foundations: Project Management
Using the DIRECT framework for supply chain projects
- Managing a supply chain project is a lot like directing a movie. You bring together a group of people with a broad set of skills to turn your vision into a reality. In this video, I'll introduce you to a new framework called the Direct model that can help you lead any supply chain project more effectively. Sometimes our project management teams use different project management methodologies, such as Waterfall, Agile, and Lean Six Sigma. That can become confusing and overwhelming for a project manager. The Direct model works along with other project management approaches. It helps you focus on the six key elements that are necessary for the success of any project. The pillars of the Direct model are define, investigate, resolve, execute, change, and transition. Let's see how we can apply the Direct model to Two Trees Olive Oil's new project. They've outgrown their manufacturing facility and they need more space. Deciding what to do next is a huge project with a lot of smaller projects inside of it. Should they add onto their existing building or move to a new one? Will their current information system be adequate or will they need to perform upgrades? With the Direct model, first, we need to define the objective. Make sure that everyone has a clear understanding of what the project is intended to accomplish. For Two Trees, that means they need to be clear about why the current space is inadequate and what they would like to have in the future. The objective is to increase their manufacturing capacity to meet their future needs, then, investigate the options. Do enough research to make sure that you're choosing the best option for your project solution. For Two Trees, they should get cost estimates for buildings and research the capabilities and the limitations of their information systems. Resolve to a course of action comes next. Build a plan that clearly lays out what needs to be done by whom and when. For Two Trees, they could add on to their existing building or move to a new one, but whatever they choose, everyone needs to understand that that is the decision and they need to commit to the same plan for getting it done. Then, you need to execute the plan. Once the project gets started, we need to track progress, deal with issues that come up and manage changes to the project's scope. Two Trees will want to have project scorecards that are updated frequently to show whether activities are being completed on time and whether any challenges have come up along the way. They'll also want to have a process for managing scope changes, such as making additional modifications to their software. Next, we need to change over to the new system. That's when we flip the switch and go live with our project's new solution. For Two Trees, this could mean shutting down their current facility and moving all of the equipment into a new building. It's important to plan for this move step by step because a lot of things will be happening in a very short period of time. Finally, transition the people. Think about all of the people who will be affected by your project and make sure you're helping them to prepare for the changes. For example, if Two Trees moves to a new building, everyone will need to learn a new routine for basic things like where tools are located or how the new software works. It's really important to think about how changes will affect people and to help them manage that transition. As a supply chain project leader, you can make a positive impact on your organization's success by helping teams achieve their goals and deliver exceptional results. And you can use the Direct model as a guide to ensure that you and your team are doing all of the things that are needed to complete the project successfully.
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Contents
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Using the DIRECT framework for supply chain projects4m 15s
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(Locked)
Defining the DIRECT objective for supply chain projects4m 48s
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(Locked)
Investigating the DIRECT options for supply chain projects3m 46s
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(Locked)
Resolving to a DIRECT course of action for supply chain projects2m 21s
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(Locked)
Executing the DIRECT plan for supply chain projects2m 53s
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(Locked)
Changing over to the new DIRECT systems and processes for supply chain projects4m 11s
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(Locked)
Transitioning people to the new DIRECT solution for supply chain projects3m 8s
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(Locked)
Exercise: Starting up a new distribution center3m 45s
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(Locked)
Exercise: Managing a supply chain disruption4m 31s
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