The concept of materials requirements planning (MRPI) is often used to optimise factory work flow. You start with known and likely orders for a product. These customer orders determine your production schedule. This in turn drives a materials requirements schedule - that is, every single component needed to build the final product. Essentially, you start with the future goal and flow backwards, in micro-detail, to take the first vital steps now.
This methodical approach works. There are fewer rushed orders, less idle time and minimised inventory buffers. The next step is to design a manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) system. This integrates the system into every aspect of your business - finance, operations, marketing and purchasing. Every decision supports the end goal - the final productions schedule and fulfilling those customer orders.
What if every battle was won before it was fought? What if the vital few steps to achieve your goals were taken in the mundane, micro-detail of daily grind, not in the euphoric moments of success?
Try the concept of life resource planning (LRP). Start with your ambitious, daunting end-goal. This is your own "customer order" - you are the customer driving the requirements for your own life!
Work back from this to determine the major steps - the production schedule - you will need to achieve this. Then start determining the components - the small, easily achievable, incremental steps you can take on a daily basis to start building the finished product.
An obvious example - your goal (the "customer order") might be to run a marathon. The critical path to this involves achieving a half-marathon, and before that, a 10k race. That is the production schedule. Now get to work on the components. Daily 30 minute runs might be the nuts and bolts that incrementally build to this goal.
This is only the start of the battle, or else we would all achieve every goal effortlessly. The secret of MRPII is that is sets all the functions of the organisation up to support the end-goal. Great companies succeed because of great processes that work regardless of the motivation of individuals (which always waxes and wanes). Routines are your friend.
Set up your life so every single aspect is a resource supporting your critical goals.
The marathon runner would want -
- Time management system - block time in the calendar for your daily run. Habits work.
- Purchasing decisions - buy top quality running shoes and sports drinks
- Friends and social networks - join a running club!
- Dietary choices - energy-rich foods for training
- Mental environment - read running and sports magazines
- Commitments - book that 10k now!
- Creative thinking - make that marathon success seem real in your mind.
If this can work for something as uninspiring and mechanical as a production line, it can work for something as flexible and creative as a motivated human being. Try life resource planning. You might be surprised at the results. ;-)
