Process Design Matrix and Summary

Design Matrix and Summary

Kirsty Foss

OPS/571

August 8, 2016

Gary Olsen

Executive Summary

        In supply chain management you have two different processes that can be used depending on the product or service you are providing. They are either the service process or the manufacturing process. Under the service process you have three different approaches that can be used to provide the service, production line, self-service, or personal attention process. Under the manufacturing process you have four different approaches that can be used to manufacture a product, job shop, batch, assembly line, or continuous flow approach. In the matrix, the example for service that I provided was health care and the product was paper. Just what differentiates the service process and the manufacturing process? What are the reasons for the differences? How can these be applied to processes within my work?

Service Process

        Service process is where both the customer and the service provider both have an understanding of the service that is being offered. They understand what the service does and does not cover, their eligibility, service limitations, cost, how to request the service, and how to get help. The service process also has high customer involvement in the process and decision-making. In the service process, there are three contrasting approaches to delivering on site service. Production line approach treats the delivery of services as a manufacturing process instead of a service process. In this approach the orientation is towards the efficient production of results and not on the attendance on others (Jacob & Chase, 2014). The second approach is the self-service approach. In the self-service approach the customer takes a larger role in the production of the service they are wanting. This approach is really big with the banking industry with the use of ATMs and in the grocery retail store with the use of self-checkouts. The consumer has control of the results they receive from the self-service approach (Jacobs & Chase, 2014). The final approach is the personal-attention approach. In the personal-attention approach, the sales people build a relationship with the customer to figure out what their personal preferences are and tailor the service to meet their personal preferences. This type of service can be found in some retail clothing stores or in health care.

Manufacturing Process

        When it comes to the manufacturing process you have four different approaches that can be used, job shop, batch, assembly line, or continuous flow approach. In the manufacturing process, the customer does not have any input on the results or production of the product. In all of these approaches, there are certain steps that have to be taken at certain times in the process in order to achieve a finished product. Whether the product is easily moved from down an assembly line, from workstation to workstation, or left in a fixed spot, at certain times or points in the production parts are added to the product during production. Manufacturing process is used to produce high volume products that consumers use on a regular basis and do not need to have input on the product results. Examples of products that use the manufacturing process are automobiles, appliances, and computers.