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19.2 Operations and Supply Chain Management Visualizations

2 min readLast Updated on August 6, 2024

Operations and supply chain management are crucial for business success. Visualizations like process flow diagrams, Gantt charts, and supply chain network maps help companies optimize their workflows, track progress, and identify bottlenecks.

These tools enable better decision-making in areas like inventory management, demand forecasting, and logistics optimization. By visualizing complex data, businesses can streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction across their supply chains.

Process Visualization

Visualizing Process Flows and Timelines

Top images from around the web for Visualizing Process Flows and Timelines
Top images from around the web for Visualizing Process Flows and Timelines
  • Process Flow Diagrams map out the sequence of activities or steps in a process, showing inputs, outputs, and decision points, which helps identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and opportunities for improvement
  • Gantt Charts display the schedule and dependencies of activities over time using horizontal bars, enabling better project planning, resource allocation, and progress tracking (construction projects, software development)
  • Capacity Utilization Dashboards monitor the usage of resources, such as machines, labor, or space, against their maximum capacity, highlighting areas of under or over-utilization and guiding optimization efforts (manufacturing plants, call centers)
  • Quality Control Charts track process performance metrics over time, such as defect rates or cycle times, to detect deviations from acceptable ranges and trigger corrective actions, ensuring consistent quality output (assembly lines, pharmaceutical production)

Supply Chain Management

Mapping and Optimizing Supply Chain Networks

  • Supply Chain Network Maps visually represent the flow of goods, information, and finances across suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers, revealing the structure, dependencies, and potential risks in the supply chain (global logistics, e-commerce fulfillment)
  • Logistics Route Optimization uses geospatial data and algorithms to determine the most efficient paths for transportation, considering factors like distance, time, cost, and constraints, reducing delivery times and expenses (last-mile delivery, freight shipping)

Monitoring Inventory and Lead Time Performance

  • Inventory Turnover Visualization shows the rate at which inventory is sold and replaced over a period, indicating the efficiency of inventory management and helping optimize stock levels and reordering (retail stores, warehouses)
  • Lead Time Analysis examines the time between order placement and fulfillment, broken down by stages like processing, production, and shipping, to identify delays and streamline operations (custom manufacturing, drop-shipping)

Demand Planning

Forecasting and Planning for Future Demand

  • Demand Forecasting Graphs predict future customer demand based on historical sales data, market trends, and external factors, guiding production planning, inventory management, and resource allocation (seasonal products, new product launches)
  • Capacity Utilization Dashboards, in the context of demand planning, compare projected demand against available capacity, highlighting potential shortages or excesses and enabling proactive adjustments (staffing plans, production schedules)

Optimizing Inventory and Lead Times for Demand Fulfillment

  • Inventory Turnover Visualization, when used for demand planning, monitors the alignment between inventory levels and anticipated demand, preventing stockouts or overstocking and improving working capital efficiency (fast-moving consumer goods, perishable items)
  • Lead Time Analysis, from a demand planning perspective, assesses the responsiveness of the supply chain to changes in demand, informing strategies to reduce lead times and improve customer service levels (made-to-order products, emergency supplies)
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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2025 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.

© 2025 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
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