About the Velocity Scheduling System:

This system was developed for highly complex job shops because these shops struggled with implementing the traditional Theory of Constraints  DBR / SDBR (Drum Buffer Rope / Simplified Drum Buffer Rope) solutions you read about in The Goal.  This struggle was caused by 2 main issues 1) in these high complex/custom environments the constraint can move day-to-day or week-to-week; and 2) the starting condition of this type of environment IS  much different.

After working with a number of  job shops Dr Lisa figured out:

  • the order to implement. What to do first, then second and so on.
  • that the first steps we take need to provide BIG results to get the buy-in and support to continue.
  • that the scheduling and priority of the shop needs to be visual.
  • that the visual scheduling system facilitates eveyone’s involvement and the desperately needed communication throughout the shop.
  • how to create an effective scheduling system that does not require massive computing and manpower to run.
  • how to accommodate a complex environment where the constraint moves frequently.
  • how to implement the Theory of Constraints process of on-going improvement so that we continuously improve.
  • and, how to coach managers and supervisors to get it done.

This approach lead to the big results for the shops that had the encourage to implement and turned into the VELOCITY SCHEDULING SYSTEM (VSS).

We also found that our VSS created faster buy-in and helped the changes to stick.

VSS is a total job shop scheduling, management, and improvement system including:

  • Velocity Board  – the visual shop scheduling tool whic is a large physical board that goes in the shop.  This board is simple, just communicates our priorities and directs us to what we should be working on.
  • To Be Released Board – the visual shop planning tool.  This is also a physical board that goes into the shop.  We use this board to make sure we are ready to work on a job.
  • Detailed Planning – the off-line planning tool (we use Excel) to monitor load vs capacity and to plan our release order and to monitor constraints.
  • VSS Dashboard – the Excel tool we use to measure our results and track our financials.
  • POOGI – we track why we go into the red zone of our Velocity Board and use this information to direct our continuous improvement efforts.  POOGI is Process Of On-Going Improvement. 

In addition you learn:

  • The 8 steps to implementing the Velocity Scheduling System, with examples and coaching to help YOU apply it to YOUR situation.
  • What key metrics to measure (opertional and financial) to ensure you stay on track and how to use the pre-programmed Excel that is provided. 
  • How to conduct a 5 Minute Meeting  to communicate to the entire team.
  • How to get agreements within your team on the actions you want to take.
  • How to get your customers to supply missing information to complete their job.
  • How Theory of Constraints is similiar and differs from Lean.
  • How to use the provided Excel file for detailed planning and how to customize it for you.
  • How to determine how much raw material stock to hold and how/when to replenish.

About Dr Lisa:

"Dr Lisa" Lang

"Dr Lisa" Lang

Dr Lisa Lang, is the President of the Science of Business (click here to visit our main website), a consulting firm specializing in helping companies to achieve bottom line results. She has served as the Global Marketing Director for Dr Eli Goldratt, father of Theory of Constraints and author of The Goal. Dr Lisa has a PhD in Engineering from the University of Missouri – Rolla and is one of the few TOCICO certified experts in Theory of Constraints worldwide. In addition, Dr Lisa specializes in job shops (highly customized environments) and applying TOC to sales and marketing, having developed the Mafia Offer Boot Camp (see www.MafiaOffers.com). 

Before becoming a consultant, Lisa was in operations, strategic planning, purchasing, and R&D while working for Clorox, Anheuser-Busch and Coors Brewing.

In addition to consulting, Dr Lisa is a highly sought after Vistage/TEC speaker on “Maximizing Profitability”. Dr Lisa also provides professional keynote speeches and workshops for organizations like: TLMI, ASC, NTMA, NAPM and private events for corporations like: TESSCO, Bostik, GE, and Sandvik Coromant.

Dr Lisa Specialties:

Theory of Constraints, Professional Speaker, Applying TOC (Theory of Constraints) to Marketing and Sales, Marketing Constraint, Sales Constraint, Pricing, Cash Flow and applying Drum Buffer Rope (DBR) to highly complex job shops.