What is a Demand Driven Planner?

Roberta McPhail first learned of demand-driven planning in 2009. She felt it was the next best thing in supply chain and management. Today, she is Canada’s leading certified Demand Driven Institute master trainer.

“Demand-driven planning is easy to use and gets results!” McPhail tells us.

McPhail teaches the Demand Driven Planner (DDP™) Program, which is designed for planning, purchasing, and supply chain personnel who are responsible for implementing and maintaining a demand-driven material requirements planning (DDMRP) implementation.

She has experienced first-hand the benefits that becoming DDP certified can bring to both a career and a company.

“Individually, you will become a certified expert to change and manage DDMRP projects,” McPhail says. “Organizationally, with a DDP certified professional on staff, DDMRP capability becomes internal.”

Organizations become much less reliant on external DDMRP consultants, McPhail says. Demand-driven planning also drives 20% (and larger) reductions in inventory.

According to McPhail and other demand-driven experts, demand-driven planning is a classic “too good to be true.”

“In France and Italy this system has been exploding,” McPhail says. “Why? It gets results. … Companies have spent major money in traditional planning to no avail. This is actually embarrassing.”

One of the most difficult parts about becoming demand-driven can be the mindset behind it. Demand planning requires a fundamental shift in operations, but it’s one that when made can greatly improve efficiencies and production.

“It’s a change from being forecast-centric to demand-centric,” McPhail says. “For example, most safety stock systems are never reviewed or optimized. DDMRP has dynamic adjustments to its core. We have to unlearn our systems from the last 50 years!”

To start making this change, McPhail recommends reviewing materials about demand planning with an open mind. Another way is to experience the results for yourself through action-oriented training.

On February 20 and 21, 2020, SHEA Global is hosting a two-day Demand Driven Planner Class in the Greater Toronto Area led by McPhail, where participants can learn about becoming a demand-driven planner.

This class is ideal for those interested in learning and evaluating a DDMRP supply chain system. Participants will compare DDMRP to both traditional MRP and Lean systems. It is software agnostic but will prepare you for a software evaluation and/or potential pilot projects. Attendees will also learn about the ROI justification of this supply chain system and the global activities related to DDMRP.

“I love presenting to manufacturing-centric audiences,” McPhail says.

The workshop is for anyone who touches inventory or has oversight of inventory. Planners, schedulers, buyers, supply chain managers, and directors should all consider attending this training to learn and evaluate this new system with an open mind.

In addition, this training is the official preparatory course for the Demand Driven Planner Professional (DDPP)™ certification exam. Each participant of the DDP will receive a certificate of completion from the Demand Driven Institute. This is the perfect way to take your demand-driven learning further while bringing actionable insights back to your organization.

“Participants will leave the training with a greater awareness of what DDMRP is and why the system exists, as well as knowing where and how to gain more information,” McPhail says.

Space is limited but there is still time to register for the DDP™ training. See details and how to sign up: https://learn.sheaglobal.com/ddp-training.

At SHEA Global, we have a proven record of successful demand-driven transformations. Ask us today about our training workshops, DDMRP pilot program, and other supply chain solutions.