Strategic Overview
Business strategies must translate to information system application function. That statement makes sense but frequently there is a disconnect between the strategic vision and the deliverable functionality of a system application. This can be avoided by aligning the objectives of the business and the requirements of the application early in the process. We suggest a quick overview to identify the opportunity and set the direction with a quantified identification of how and where the business will be affected. CSI provides guidance toward setting strategic objectives in collaborative manufacturing, manufacturing execution systems, supply chain management, business process management, and real-time enterprise initiatives.

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Senior Executive Briefings
If you want to learn about manufacturing system applications you can call an application vendor and get a sales pitch on their product. Call us and we will provide a high level executive view presentation that will explain the application basics along with how your business will be affected. Our focus is on your business process, not on a vendor’s application.

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System Opportunity Assessment
If you are examining the potential opportunity for a Manufacturing Execution System, a Supply Chain Management initiative, or a plan to engage collaborative manufacturing concepts such as CPFR® or PLM, we can provide a fast review of your current practices and business processes that might support or be affected by the initiative. The assessment will provide a high level overview of the “as is” condition, examining your supply/value chain, your information systems, and current business processes to determine the applicability of the planned technology initiative and what business improvement might be expected.

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Specification Development
Reduce your technology application risk by writing a thorough needs specification document that has been developed through an internal team. Software system vendors are likely to be knowledgeable in your industry but will they address your specific needs. The most successful system applications are based on identifying and meeting the needs of your business processes and the people in your company. A well developed specification also helps the vendors respond to your business issues on a level playing field basis providing the clearest and most competitive proposals for evaluation. CSI can plan the requirements development process with your team, work as a specification development team member or lead the process.

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Vendor Management
Identifying and including the best qualified vendor participation is crucial to meet the competitive and operational conditions for your initiative. Vendor system evaluation and project implementation progress management will help ensure meeting schedule milestones and confirm compliance with the specification requirements.

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Project Management
Technology initiatives can have a number of participants including vendors, supply chain participants and various internal departments. It may be better to go outside of your company for third party project management to guide participant performance and ensure schedule compliance. CSI can act as a member of your team or as an independent project manager participating in any part of the process from initial requirements identification to user training.

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Training
Available training programs provide a range of insight from an executive overview to direct hands-on user training. Our focus is on the business improvement gains of technology applications, not the inner workings of the technology itself. A newly installed technology solution is only as strong as the people that use it. Ensuring they are fully enabled to understand the business process issues as well as the system functionality will only enhance the return on investment.

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Collaborative Manufacturing General Assessment
The general assessment is a review of the current practices and business processes that are related to or could be enhanced through applying collaborative strategies. Collaborative manufacturing strategies including product life-cycle management, synchronized inventories/production, collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment, and manufacturing enterprise collaboration will be examined to determine potential areas of application Current practices will be reviewed examining supply chain management, information systems and business process methods to determine the applicability of collaboration concepts. The general assessment will provide an overview of the "as is" condition with a brief report (30 to 50 pages) on possible collaborative strategy deployment opportunities and will provide exposure to collaborative ideas for the client participants.

Collaborative Manufacturing Current Condition Examination
The current condition examination follows the General Assessment overview. This document defines the "as is" condition of the enterprise taking the general assessment information to a greater detail that identifies and measures the current manufacturing collaboration environment. This study will cite specific examples within the organization functional areas and provide some rationale for applying collaborative strategies. Demand and supply sides of the extended enterprise are included in the "as is" review through visits and discussion of specific potential inclusion in collaboration initiatives. The General Assessment is used as the base to define the breadth and direction of the proposed study and to identify immediate focus points. The "as is" will identify areas of opportunity within business processes of the external and the internal supply chain.

Collaborative Manufacturing Strategy Development Plan
This study is the next step following the current condition examination effort and is the "to be" vision of a possible collaboration strategy deployment. The study will provide an in-depth review of areas of possible collaborative strategy implementation including analysis of the potential for each of the four collaboration categories. The development program will include identification of objectives, identification of system boundaries, outlines of specific methodologies, expected timelines for implementation, area of magnitude costs and a review of the expected operational and financial benefits. This is intended to provide well-founded decision making data for investment and operational commitment.

Collaborative Strategy Program Management
CSI can provide staffing to either manage and direct collaboration implementation or support a client managed implementation program. This includes heading or supporting the implementation team, identifying, developing and setting objectives, establishing system requirements, setting up pilot programs, establishing training requirements, establishing vendor requirements, assisting in vendor selection and management, monitoring testing and confirming compliance with strategic and financial objectives. In certain instances project size will suggest it will be necessary to acquire resources from or work with other consulting organizations. CSI has developed relationships with other companies or we can work with your designated sources

Culture and Trust Review and Training
The most effective deterrent to an effective collaboration environment is the inability to build trust. Trust is the primary foundation of collaboration but trust between supply chain constituents can be contrary to corporate culture. This program is designed to identify areas where effective collaboration may be stymied by cultural conditions and/or the inability to establish trust between departments or companies. The program will provide a forum and the tools to proactively deal with these human elements by identifying underlying issues and providing training and a full orientation on collaborative ideas and benefits.

Training Programs
CSI provides three training programs that give clients a broad understanding of collaborative manufacturing and how the ideas can be applied in their company. Training programs including a executive level orientation to collaborative manufacturing that is concise and related specifically to the executive interest issues and additional programs aimed at varying levels of involvement.

Executive Level Collaborative Manufacturing Orientation
This is a two day program with a minimum two hour presentation to executives at the president/vice-president level. The program will provide an overview of collaborative manufacturing concepts and specific benefits as could be applied in your company. The presentation is based a review of your existing supply chain management initiatives and information technology systems and how they might support a collaborative manufacturing environment.

Manager Level Collaborative Manufacturing Training
This is a two day program with one day devoted to a review of the company plus one full day of conference room instruction for operating managers including plant managers, purchasing directors, engineering managers and manufacturing managers. The presentation will include the basic concepts behind collaborative manufacturing and the real time information tools currently in use in your company and a review of potential areas of improvement using collaboration concepts.

Practitioner Level Collaborative Manufacturing Education
This is a five day training program for up to ten people assigned the task of developing and implementing collaborative manufacturing initiatives. This program might include operating managers, program leaders, team members and other participants involved in the program including supply chain partners. The program includes one day of company process review and three full days of classroom work. There will be some formal presentation by the instructor but the program will rely on facilitating participant discussion using existing company processes and conditions as examples. The program finishes with a presentation to the chief operating officer by the team leadership. This program is preferably held offsite from the offices of the attendees.

Collaborative Manufacturing Strategy User Training
As a part of the implementation of collaborative strategies it may be necessary to facilitate changes in personnel job functions. Custom training programs can be developed to fit the operational changes.