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Chaos In Scheduling

How To Stabilize The Scheduling System

Most scheduling systems are "feedback systems." Such systems can become unstable under certain conditions and produce erratic and unpredictable behaviors. Instability and fast response are often opposed in such systems. This creates significant problems for the designers and users.

Automatic Control and System Theory along with the new branch of Physics known as Chaos also contributes to our understanding. Chaos is quite common in scheduling and other business systems.

While these pages are conceptual and theoretical, a basic understanding helps to understand real scheduling systems and improve their performance.

Series Summary

To Minimize instability and chaos:

  •  Keep It Simple

  •  Implement Flow Lines & Cells

  •  Employ Kanban, Direct Link & Broadcast

  •  Reduce All Time Delays

  •  Schedule Frequently

  •  Increase Linearity

  •  Minimize Unnecessary amplification

Kanban Operation
Jay Forrester

Jay Forrester was an expert on feedback control systems who designed fire control systems during World War II, In the early 1960's he investigated the application of system theory to a wide range of business and industrial systems. His book, "Industrial Dynamics," has become a classic. Peter Senge and others at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology extended this work in more recent times.

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Value Stream & Process Mapping

The Strategos Guide To Value Stream and Process Mapping goes  beyond symbols and arrows. In over 163 pages it tells the reader how to do it and what to do with it.

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