Operations questions, answered from the research.
Short, specific guides for decisions operators actually face. Each one states what the evidence supports, where it stops, and which playbook steps to test it with.
Hire more agents or fix routing? Why queues grow
A support queue that keeps growing while everyone is busy is usually about utilisation and variability, not just headcount. What to measure first.
6 sources Demand forecastingForecast bias, accuracy and value added: what to measure
Accuracy alone does not tell you whether a forecast helps. Judge it against a simple benchmark, track bias, and measure every planner override.
5 sources Maintenance and asset reliabilityCondition-based vs preventive maintenance: how to choose
Choose maintenance tasks by what a failure would cost, not by habit. How criticality, failure history and monitoring fit, and where the evidence stops.
4 sources Inventory and replenishmentReorder point or periodic review? Set it item by item
No single inventory policy fits every item. Segment items, check record accuracy, then set safety stock from your own forecast error and lead-time variability.
4 sources Continuous improvement and change adoptionWhy process improvements don't stick (and what to do)
Improvements often fade because results arrive late and pressure replaces diagnosis. What the research says, and the steps that help a change hold.
6 sources Supply chain and supplier resilienceSingle vs dual sourcing: how to weigh supplier risk
No rule says dual sourcing always beats single sourcing. Break supplier risk into types, then weigh buffers against backups. What the research supports.
5 sources Measurement and operating cadenceOperations review meeting agenda: decisions, not dashboards
A short operations review agenda that starts from decisions, reads data in time order, and retires measures that stop earning their place.
6 sources Maintenance and asset reliabilityIs predictive maintenance worth it? What the evidence says
Predictive maintenance is not automatically worth it. What the research supports on savings and costs, and how to test it against your own baseline.
6 sources Maintenance and asset reliabilityWhich assets to maintain: rank by criticality first
Not every asset deserves the same maintenance. Rank assets by the consequence and likelihood of failure, then choose tasks by consequence.
4 sources