Operations is not a black box. You should start any gemba journey with an operations science map to guide you quickly and efficiently.

Once a supplier’s supplier’s strengths and weaknesses are understood from operations science-based analysis, supply chain managers can bring price into the conversation and much more easily establish a productive and mutually profitable relationship as we demonstrate.

Just as you would survey the ground to evaluate it as a foundation for a bridge, you should evaluate your suppliers as part of building a relationship. Operations science provides the ability to evaluate suppliers without discussing sensitive cost information.