1 © Life Cycle Engineering 2011 The Misguided Application of the Planner/Scheduler Tim Kister Senior Planner/Scheduler Life Cycle Engineering Carolinas.

1© Life Cycle Engineering 2011© Life Cycle Engineering 2011

The Misguided Application of the Planner/Scheduler

Tim KisterSenior Planner/Scheduler Life Cycle Engineering

Carolinas ChapterAnnual Meeting

August 25th – 26th, 2011CU ICAR

4 Research DriveGreenville, SC 29607

BMW Zentrum1400 Highway 101 S.

Greer, SC 296519:00 am- 4:00 pm EST

2© Life Cycle Engineering 2011

Background

• Senior Planning/Scheduling SME with Life Cycle Engineering (LCE)– Co-Authored “Maintenance Planning and

Scheduling Handbook” with Bruce Hawkins• LCE – 12 years• Alcoa, Mt Holly, formally Alumax of SC – 20

years• E.I. DuPont, Cooper River – 3 years• U.S. Navy – 6 years, Nuclear Submarines


Today’s Objectives

• Establish the primary goal of the planner/scheduler

• Identify the factors that prevent the planner/scheduler from attaining their goal.


Goal of Planning

Avoidance of delays during work execution is the primary goal of planning and scheduling

Advanced planning has the most profound effect on timely and effective accomplishment of maintenance work

For every hour of effective planning, the typical return is three hours in maintenance labor time saved or an equivalent savings in materials and production downtime


The Planner’s Role

RightPeople

RightPlace

RightTime Information

Spec’sSafety

Permits

Maintenance

Work

Follow up

Analysis

Improvement

RightTools

EquipmentMaterials


Scheduler’s Role

Scheduling is “When to do the Job”

The purpose of scheduling is to ensure that resources are available at a specific time when the equipment is available


Four Week Forecasting

50% Loaded100% Loaded(100% Loaded)

In Progress Next Week

75% Loaded

Second Week Third Week

30% Loaded, All

PM/PdM

Fourth Week


Planner Utilization

• 1/3 of all companies have a Maintenance Planner position

• Of that 1/3, less than 10% are used efficiently• Why is there such a gap???


Contributing Factors

• Gofers• Clerks• Parts Chasers• Parts Expeditors

Planner/Schedulers are Not!!

• Purchasing Agents/Buyers• Relief Supervisors• Fall back maintenance labor


Common Causes of Planning Group Failures

• Over worked planners• Unqualified planners• Overlapping job responsibilities• Careless planners• Lack of communication


Over Worked Planners

• The most common reason for failure is simply too few planners on staff

– It is impossible for a planner to effectively support too many tradespersons

– Details are missed that affect efficiency of execution

– Plans are incomplete, productivity and planning integrity suffer

• Proper planner to tradespersons ratio addresses this problem


Span of Control

• Planner/Schedulers 1:20– Many factor influence this ratio

• Defined roles & responsibilities• Maturity of processes• Area/assets assigned

• Supervisors 1:10 (8 to 15)


Unqualified Planners

• Careful planner qualification, selection and training are essential

• Planners without the proper training hinder planning effectiveness


Planner Attributes

• Experienced tradesperson, well respected

• Understands the “P/S Process”

• Comfortable with engineering drawings

• Self motivated, a visionary type person

• Communicates well at all levels of the organization

• Good administrative and computer skills

• A leader


Overlapping Job Responsibilities

• Lines of responsibility are not clearly defined

– Addressing Breakdown/Emergency Issues

– Procurement & Part Expediting

– Daily Schedule Adjustments

– Filling in for Supervisors

– Committees, Safety, Quality


Lines of Responsibility

• The planning function should report at least one level above the first line maintenance supervisor

• If to low, the position will not receive proper management support


Lines of Responsibilities

Maintenance Manager

Maintenance Superintendent

P/S Area A

Maintenance Crew

Maintenance Supervision

This is not the proper chain of

reporting


Lines of Responsibilities

Maintenance Manager

Maintenance Control Mgr.

Maintenance Superintendent

P/S Area A

P/S Area B

P/S Area C

P/S Central Shops

Clerical Support

Maintenance Organization

Clerical Support


Roles & Responsibilities

• Clear description of responsibilities documented

– be assigned 100% of the function– not fill in for a crew supervisor that is out or on

vacation– not be required to return to their tools during

breakdowns or major outages

• The planner/scheduler should:


Careless Planner/Schedulers

• Incomplete work packages

• Not managing the backlog

• Parts lists lacking or incomplete parts lists on “planned” work orders

• Little or no coordination of scheduled work


Lack of Communication

• Team/partnership between the planner and supervisor/s has not been developed

• Miscommunication or no communications are taking place

• Operations and Maintenance scheduling is not coordinated

• Feedback from the floor non-existent


Planner Relationships

General Management

Operations MaintenanceSafety, etc.

Operations Manager

Maintenance Manager

Supervisor Maintenance Planner/Scheduler

Maintenance Supervisor


Transitioning to an Effective Planner/Scheduler

• Defined roles & responsibilities• Defined planner qualifications, selection and

training processes in place

• Proper planner to tradesperson ratios

• Attention to work order details and completeness

• Teamwork and communication


Dedicated & Focused Planner/Schedulers

• A dedicated planner will allow the supervisor to spend more time directing their team

• Several jobs can be planned more efficiently by a focused planner rather than one at a time as a supervisor or tradesperson would do

• The aim of effective planning and scheduling is to optimize the utilization of maintenance resources by reducing delays


Distribution of a Planner’s Day

• Job Screening ___%• Job Requirements/Analysis ___%• Job Research ___%• Detailed Job Planning ___%• Job Package Preparation ___%• Procurement ___%

5%

10%

5%

20%

5%

20%


Distribution of a Planner’s Day

• Scheduling ___%• Daily Schedule Adjustments ___%• Job Close Out ___%• Personal/Miscellaneous ___%

15%

5%

5%

10%


Planner/Scheduler Focus

• Remember:– The primary goal of planning and

scheduling is the reduction of delays, waits and interruptions

Next Week

and– The first day of a successful

planner/scheduler’s focus is ……


Questions???


The principles and concepts in this presentation can be found in our

book.


Contact Information

Tim Kister, [email protected]: 843-810-5815

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.lce.com/

1 © Life Cycle Engineering 2011 The Misguided Application of the Planner/Scheduler Tim Kister Senior Planner/Scheduler Life Cycle Engineering Carolinas.

Documents

pm est life cycle engineering

engineering drawingss

primary goal of planning

schedulingadvanced planning

maintenance planner

planner utilization13

hour of effective planning

maintenance labor time