The Operations Science Podcast

Manufacturing leaders are constantly balancing customer demand, production capacity, supplier risks, and unpredictable disruptions. The challenge isn't eliminating variability. It's building an operation that can manage it without relying on constant firefighting. Trevor Kennedy, who leads a 140-person manufacturing operation at Parker, joins Ed Pound to discuss the realities of made-to-order manufacturing, planning across four value streams, and keeping customer commitments despite changing conditions.  He shares practical lessons on capacity planning, supplier quality, shop-floor KPIs, and making data useful for better decisions. Key Discussion Points 02:35—Moving from Distribution to Manufacturing 06:00—Why Problems Surface Late in the Lead Time 07:20—Planning Across Multiple Value Streams 10:00—Capacity Planning and Production Scheduling 13:30—Balancing Inventory, Capacity, and Customer Demand 17:00—Supplier Quality and Reliable Material Flow 20:00—Shop-Floor Metrics and Operational Performance 23:30—Local Efficiency vs. Overall Operational Performance 25:20—Making Data Simple and Actionable 28:40—Lean, Conflicting Priorities, and Continuous Improvement 32:00—Leadership Lessons from Coaches and Abraham Lincoln Want to make better operational decisions? Explore the science behind variability, capacity, and lead times with Operations Science Applied: https://bit.ly/OSA2026 👍 Like the episode if it gave you a new perspective on operational performance.  🔔Subscribe for more practical conversations about operations science, leadership, and manufacturing.  💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔗Share the lesson with a colleague who is working to make operations more predictable. For a quick tour of operations science, check out OSI Insider, a free, self-paced introduction: https://insider.opscience.org #OperationsScience #Manufacturing #OperationalExcellence #SupplyChain #LeanManufacturing #OSI

Who is actually running your plant, and how do you know if your leadership structure is working? Alex Allen draws on years of experience working virtually every job on a factory floor to explain how leaders can transform operational performance by testing for shop-floor authority and fixing the underlying management system. Alex and Ed Pound discuss his simple diagnostic test of issuing direct verbal orders to see who acts versus who gets bogged down in meetings, along with his critical 3-step framework—Authority, Accountability, and Automation.   Key Discussion Points 02:18—Learning systems vs. living in the system 05:30—MIT nuclear reactor experience vs. factory operations 06:45—The 3-step framework: Authority, Accountability, and Automation 09:20—The "Verbal Order" diagnostic test for real authority 12:10—Capability vs. authority structure 14:50—Current results are the sum total of management decisions 17:40—Human behavior, discomfort, and responding to authority 19:55—Timeline for plant turnarounds and clearing operational weeds 22:30—Eliminating the blame game and taking authority 24:10—External constraints: The New York City flour delivery story 26:30—Flawed KPIs and the "cases per week" trap 29:20—Redefining "winning hearts and minds" through clarity 32:40—Scorecards, autonomy, and automating friction out of the system 36:20—Real-world AI applications and preserving institutional knowledge 39:40—Alex's journey: Growing up on a Vermont farm 42:30—Life outside work and wrap-up   Don't forget to: 👍 Like this video if you find it insightful 🔔 Subscribe for more authentic conversations about operations and leadership 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔗 Share this conversation with someone working through complex operational challenges   Complex operations don't become predictable by ignoring variability. Operations Science Applied connects the science of operations with real-world management challenges. Get your copy here: bit.ly/OSA2026   #OperationsScience #Manufacturing #OperationsManagement #OperationalExcellence #Leadership #OSI

What happens when you're trying to hit a deadline while dealing with weather, regulations, hardware lead times, testing, and other sources of uncertainty? Josh Elvander draws on years of experience in aerospace, robotics, and technology startups to explain how leaders can manage complex operations when the work itself is difficult to predict. Josh and Ed Pound discuss risk management, team structure, Department of Defense contracting, and why Agile doesn't always fit hardware development.   Key Discussion Points 02:00—The hidden challenges of building new technology 04:00—Planning for uncertainty and risk 07:00—Managing milestones and project cadence 09:00—Building teams as technology matures 12:00—The UAE drone demonstration 15:00—Shipping, regulations, and unexpected problems 17:00—Building ownership and trust 21:00—Managing disagreement and self-awareness 23:00—Working with the Department of Defense 25:00—DoD contracts and deliverables 27:30—Why Agile doesn't always fit hardware 29:00—Operations science and project management 31:00—Josh's engineering journey and mentors   Don't forget to: 👍 Like this episode if you find it relevant 🔔 Subscribe for more authentic conversations about operations and leadership 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway ↗️ Share this conversation with someone working through complex operational challenges Complex operations don't become predictable by ignoring variability. Operations Science Applied connects the science of operations with real-world management challenges. For a quick tour of operations science, check out OSI Insider, a free, self-paced introduction: insider.opscience.org #OperationsScience #Aerospace #OperationsManagement #ProjectManagement #EngineeringLeadership #Manufacturing #Leadership #Podcast

Building automation is about much more than robots. Success depends on strong planning, smart execution, and systems that can adapt. Michael McHale shares the lessons that helped PSA Systems grow into a fully integrated automation company. Discover why project scoping matters, how AI is reshaping project management, and why experience remains a competitive advantage. This episode is packed with practical insights for manufacturers, engineers, and operations leaders. Learn how better decisions upfront create better outcomes later.   Key Discussion Points 02:10—Why PSA Built a Fully Integrated Automation Business 08:00—Why Project Scoping Determines Success or Failure 12:05—Using AI to Improve Project Management 16:00—The Challenge of Scheduling in Complex Manufacturing 25:40—Can American Manufacturing Compete with China? 29:00—The Reality of Private Equity in Automation 32:00—Why Experience Still Wins in Manufacturing 33:20—Michael McHale's Career Journey   Learn more about the Operations Science Institute: https://opscience.org Join the OSI Insider community: https://insider.opscience.org Get your copy of Operations Science Applied: https://bit.ly/OSA2026   Don't forget to: 👍 Like this video 🔔 Subscribe for more authentic conversations 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 📤 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it #OperationsScience #Manufacturing #Automation #IndustrialAutomation #ProjectManagement #AI #OperationalExcellence #Engineering #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement

Most people think logistics is about tracking a package. But moving rockets, satellites, and oversized freight is a completely different challenge. In this episode of the The Operations Science Podcast, Ed Pound sits down with Ben Martin to explore what it really takes to transport some of the world's largest and most sensitive equipment. Ben shares lessons from aerospace and wind energy, why planning often begins months—or even years—in advance, and how operations leaders manage risk when every detail matters. Key Discussion Points 01:37—Why industrial logistics is different from parcel shipping 06:18—Planning oversized freight and transporting wind turbines 09:28—From wind energy to moving rockets 17:13—Transportation failures and the lessons they teach 20:50—How AI is changing logistics planning 25:23—Why being a generalist is an advantage in operations 29:20—Ben's career journey and life outside of work Want to better understand the science behind operational performance? OSI Insider is a free, self-paced introduction: https://insider.opscience.org Go deeper with Operations Science Applied: bit.ly/OSA2026 #OperationsScience #SupplyChain #Logistics #Aerospace #Manufacturing #Leadership #Transportation #AI #OSI

Manufacturing doesn't become chaotic because people aren't working hard enough. It becomes chaotic when leaders don't understand how variability moves through a system. Fred White spent 13 years flying UH-60 helicopters before moving into manufacturing, eventually becoming the first production manager at Tesla's Gigafactory. He shares what that experience taught him about variability, constraints, flow, leadership, and continuous improvement. Ed and Fred also discuss the end-of-the-month scramble, why pushing people harder doesn't solve capacity problems, and the operational principles that remain true across industries. Key Discussion Points 00:00 Introduction 02:25 From military aviation to manufacturing 03:00 Building Tesla's Gigafactory 05:50 Lessons learned after Tesla 08:55 The end-of-the-month scramble 11:10 Breaking down silos with value streams 13:05 Why doing more with less creates problems 15:05 Operations principles across industries 16:00 Advice for new operations leaders 17:05 AI in manufacturing 18:15 Making continuous improvement stick 25:00 The experience that changed Fred's career Want to better understand why operations behave the way they do? OSI Insider is a free, self-paced introduction to operations science: https://insider.opscience.org Go deeper into variability, flow, and operational performance with Operations Science Applied: bit.ly/OSA2026 Don't forget to: 👍 Like this video 🔔 Subscribe for more authentic conversations 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔗 Share it with someone who needs to hear this #OperationsScience #Manufacturing #OperationalExcellence #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #OperationsManagement #SupplyChain #ManufacturingLeadership

Most manufacturers see variability as the enemy. Christopher Morgan has spent decades proving otherwise. As General Manager of Street Furniture Australia, Christopher leads a highly customized manufacturing operation where no two days look the same. Customers constantly request modifications, project timelines shift without warning, and traditional automation often isn't an option. Yet despite all that variability, his team has built systems that deliver predictability, visibility, and higher output. In this conversation, Christopher shares how a simple scheduling change increased output by 30%, why visual management still beats complicated software in many situations, and how limiting work-in-progress helped create a more efficient operation. Whether you're leading a factory, managing projects, or trying to improve flow in any business, this episode offers practical lessons on dealing with uncertainty without losing control. Key Discussion Points 02:30—Why they never retire products 05:00—Why automation doesn't work for their business 07:00—Managing variability as a competitive advantage 08:00—Locking the production schedule & 30% productivity increase 12:00—Confirmed Dispatch Dates & customer lead times 15:00—Velocity over volume philosophy 17:00—The red tubs visual management system 18:00—Black tubs for urgent orders & pink tubs for R&D 21:00—Why exactly 35 red tubs? 23:00—Scheduling by labor hours instead of dollar value 24:00—Finished goods inventory & storage strategy 26:50—Factory layout redesign & continuous improvement 29:00—Building a culture of ownership & employee engagement 32:30—Using AI for scheduling, purchasing & engineering drawings 35:20—Christopher Morgan's career journey 39:00—Hobbies: historical reenactment & Polish saber fencing If this conversation challenged the way you think about operations: 👍 Like this episode 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on operations, leadership, and continuous improvement 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway ↗️ Share this episode with someone responsible for improving flow, productivity, or operational performance Ready to make better decisions in uncertain environments? Learn the principles behind flow, capacity, variability, and operational performance in Operations Science Applied: https://insider.opscience.org #OperationsScience #Manufacturing #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #LeanManufacturing #OperationsManagement #IndustrialEngineering #BusinessLeadership #SupplyChain #Productivity #OSI

Many Lean and continuous improvement programs struggle—not because the tools are wrong, but because organizations overlook the foundation: developing capable people. In this conversation, Abdulrahman Yossri shares lessons from nearly two decades of manufacturing leadership across consumer goods, chemicals, aluminum, and industrial operations. Together with Ed Pound, they discuss why capability building is the key to sustainable operational excellence, how leaders can align teams around shared goals, and why companies should think of themselves as training academies.   Key Discussion Points 02:10 The common challenge across manufacturing 07:15 Why problems are opportunities for improvement 08:10 Lessons from becoming a plant manager 13:00 Why capability building comes before Lean 16:35 The four levels of workforce development 23:00 Solving the skilled labor challenge 28:20 Connecting education to industry 31:00 Using AI without losing expertise 38:00 Final thoughts If this conversation gave you a new perspective on leadership and operational excellence: 👍 Like the video 💬 Share your biggest takeaway in the comments 📤 Pass this along to someone building high-performing teams Want to better understand the science behind operational performance? OSI Insider is a free, self-paced introduction designed to help leaders understand why operations behave the way they do. For a deeper dive, explore Operations Science Applied #OperationsManagement #LeanManufacturing #ContinuousImprovement #OperationalExcellence #Manufacturing #OSI

Most operations teams spend too much time arguing about lead times. Customers want products faster. Sales wants shorter lead times. Operations pushes back. But what if the real goal isn't lead time at all? Kim Shelby shares how her team shifted from fixed lead times to due-date quoting. The result was better customer communication, stronger operational performance, and more reliable delivery commitments. The conversation explores demand variability, capacity management, forecasting, leadership, and practical AI applications in supply chain operations.   Key Discussion Points 01:15 Meet Kim Shelby 03:15 Managing operations in a high-change environment 04:30 Why production dates create unnecessary noise 07:20 The shift from lead times to due-date quoting 10:00 Managing customer expectations 12:00 Building support through pilot programs 13:45 Demand variability and forecasting challenges 16:00 Capacity utilization and operational performance 20:00 When OTIF improves but customers remain unhappy 22:00 Improving cash flow through better commitments 24:00 AI applications in supply chain operations 27:00 Kim's career journey 33:00 Career advice: Say yes to everything Stop relying on fixed assumptions. Learn the science behind reliable delivery, better forecasting, and stronger operational performance with Operations Science Applied: bit.ly/OSA2026 If you want more insights on how to level up your operations, visit insider.opscience.org   #OperationsManagement #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #Leadership #CommitDate #LeadTime #ATP #OperationalExcellence #OperationsScience #ContinuousImprovement #OSI

Construction projects rarely fail because of one big mistake. More often, they collapse under misalignment, unrealistic schedules, procurement delays, poor sequencing, and operational variability that no one planned for. Construction manager and mechanical engineer Milton Griffiths shares lessons from greenfield and brownfield infrastructure projects, discussing how contractors, procurement teams, logistics, weather, workforce fatigue, and communication all shape project outcomes in the real world. The discussion explores practical construction leadership, operational clarity, risk management, supplier coordination, schedule realism, and why successful project delivery starts long before work begins onsite. Key Discussion Points 02:20 – What separates successful projects from failing ones 04:45 – Greenfield vs. brownfield construction realities 05:20 – Why unrealistic schedules destroy projects 07:00 – Procurement lead times and remote project logistics 09:15 – Managing inventory and equipment on construction sites 12:00 – Weather, climate, and operational variability in construction 14:00 – Laydown areas, theft risks, and inventory control 18:15 – Early warning signs that projects are falling behind 20:00 – Workforce fatigue, morale, and productivity 21:00 – Change orders, contractor incentives, and schedule pressure 24:00 – Standing time, coordination, and contractor claims 27:00 – Buffers, contingencies, and risk management 28:00 – Common misunderstandings that derail construction performance 30:00 – Ubuntu culture and collaboration between contractors 31:00 – Why brownfield projects are more predictable 33:00 – AI, drones, and emerging technology in construction 35:00 – Milton’s engineering journey and early influences 38:00 – Transitioning from design engineering into construction management 41:00 – Art, mentorship, and launching The Hidden Strength Podcast Construction leadership isn’t just about getting work done faster. It’s about understanding flow, variability, coordination, and the operational realities that determine whether projects succeed or spiral into chaos. Operations become easier to improve when you understand the science behind how work actually flows. Explore the principles behind variability, coordination, and operational performance with Operations Science Applied: bit.ly/OSA2026 You may also find OSI Insider useful. It's a free guided tour through operations science that's structured, self-paced, and designed to be a quick read: https://insider.opscience.org   If this conversation challenged the way you think about project execution: 👍 Like this video 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on operations, leadership, and project execution 💬 Share your biggest takeaway in the comments 🔗 Send this to someone managing complex projects or construction teams   #ConstructionManagement #ProjectManagement #OperationsManagement #Leadership #Engineering #Infrastructure #ConstructionProjects #OperationalExcellence #MechanicalEngineering #OperationsScience #OSI