The Business Improvement function within an organisation is, almost by definition, intended to be cross-functional and cross-departmental and to look at original and new ideas. Paragon models are the ultimate cross-functional planning and operational tool, allowing radical ideas to be developed and tested before implementation.
Models allow complex planning and decisions in which there are many options and variable factors. They allow the impacts of risks to be assessed and contingencies planned for.
Traditionally, big planning decisions are decided either by central diktat, by inter-departmental bartering, or simply by each department doing its thing and seeing how everything works out (or doesn't). Rarely are the details of how to arrive at an optimum compromise thoroughly considered, alternatives properly evaluated or results examined in detail - partly because of the time taken for each planning iteration. As a result, misunderstandings arise and plans only have a passing association with reality.
A model provides an objective tool in which the impact of everyone's input can be assessed. It facilitates inter-functional working on a project, both when the model is being built and afterwards when operating the model. The model also can reveal critical factors in performance, allowing management to concentrate its efforts in the right places.
For example, investment, operational and financial results are often intimately linked. However, rarely is a truly interactive process used to decide on the optimum solution for the business as a whole, to check robustness and to try radical options - there simply isn't time. But with a Paragon model, evaluating options can be carried out in minutes and thoroughly considering all the important factors that affect the outcome.
Contact Paragon and we can talk to you about all the applications and benefits of modelling and how these can significantly improve your business planning and operations. If you're involved in proposing business improvement initiatives for your company, you cannot afford to at least be aware of where modelling can help.
case studies
Tesco
Distribution Centre
Tesco needed an independent assessment of the impact of proposed changes and whether efficiency and loading time targets would be met. The materials handling supplier recommended Paragon Simulation.
North Ayrshire Social Services
Social care in North Ayrshire
Understand and measure how changing the management of services reduced the frequency and impact of delayed hospital discharges for elderly and disabled people.
Providers of merchant payment processing services
Supplies variety of outsourced in-bound contact centre,data processing and customer support services
A simulation model to help analyse and optimise the operation of the EFT process service centre.
people say
"The analysis carried out by Paragon was used to investigate where best to spend time and resources to reduce specific delays and which alternative paths through the patient discharge system should be promoted. This suggested that temporary care home admission may serve to cut the funding time delay and thereby reduce delayed discharges."
Bernadette M Docherty, Corporate Director Social Services, North-Ayrshire Council
