Skip to content
LeanSuite - Lean Manufacturing Software

Free template

Updated

Logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area plan

A logistics and customer service pillar model area plan is a 90-day plan for proving, on one value stream, that material can flow to the line and on to the customer on pull, with fewer shortages and less stock, before the method spreads to other value streams. The team maps the current state, sets up point-of-use material at the line, designs a supermarket, sizes the kanban loops, puts a water spider on a fixed route and timetable, adds FIFO lanes, sets up shortage escalation and writes standard work for the material handlers. This template has the 13-week plan as a Gantt chart in three phases with the owner, deliverable and done-when of each activity, a scoring table to choose the model value stream from loss data, the team, a KPI board, the day-90 gate, and the expansion plan for months 4 to 12 in three waves, with a worked example.

Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.

Page 1 of the logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area plan: a 13-week Gantt chart in three phases with the owner, deliverable and done-when of each activity, from mapping the current state to the day-90 gate.
13-week Gantt planValue stream map to pullModel area scoringTeam rolesKPI boardDay-90 gateExpansion wavesWorked example

When to use it

When to use a logistics pillar 90-day plan

  • When lines stop for missing parts while the warehouse holds weeks of stock.
  • When late or short deliveries to customers trace back to how material moves inside the plant.
  • When a plant wants to prove pull, kanban and a water spider route on one value stream before changing them all.
  • When leaders want a logistics plan they can review every week: who does what, by when, and what done looks like.

How to fill it in

  1. 1

    Choose the model value stream from loss data

    Score up to three candidate product families (five in Excel) on loss data, visibility, team willingness and repeatability, from 1 to 3. Loss data here means late deliveries, line shortages, stock and picking errors. Pick the highest total; on a tie, the higher loss data score wins.

  2. 2

    Name the team and write day 1

    Sponsor, pillar lead, the logistics lead and material handlers, the planner, and the production supervisor and operators.

  3. 3

    Set the baseline and the day-90 targets

    On-time in-full to the customer, line stops for missing material, inventory days, picking errors and kanban loops running.

  4. 4

    Run the 13 weeks and update the plan every week

    Move a bar if your area needs it, write the week each activity really finished, and add one actual per KPI each week. Late activities turn red in the Excel version.

  5. 5

    Pass the day-90 gate

    The sponsor and pillar lead check the six gate items with evidence. If one is not met, fix it before any other area starts.

  6. 6

    Plan the expansion waves

    Wave 1 goes to value streams with similar parts, flows or customers, with the model area logistics lead running the first map in each. Each new value stream runs its own 13 weeks against its own baseline.

The 90-day plan

Week by week: from the current-state map to pull

The standard plan printed on page 1 and in the Excel version. Days 1 to 30 are weeks 1 to 4, days 31 to 60 weeks 5 to 9 and days 61 to 90 weeks 10 to 13. Move the weeks to fit your value stream.

  • 1

    Activity
    Choose the model value stream and form the team (Setup)
    Owner
    Pillar lead
    Deliverable
    Team list; product family chosen with the selection table
    Done when
    Team named, sponsor agreed, first meeting held
  • 1 to 2

    Activity
    Measure the baseline (Data)
    Owner
    Planner
    Deliverable
    On-time in-full, inventory days, shortages, picking errors, lead time
    Done when
    Every KPI on the board has a baseline
  • 2 to 4

    Activity
    Map the current state (Map)
    Owner
    Model area team
    Deliverable
    Value stream map of material and information flow, walked on the floor
    Done when
    Map shows every stock point, delay and order signal
  • 3 to 5

    Activity
    Set up the line-side material (Flow)
    Owner
    Production supervisor
    Deliverable
    Point-of-use locations, fixed quantities, labels
    Done when
    Each part has one place at the line and a fixed quantity
  • 4 to 6

    Activity
    Design the supermarket (Pull)
    Owner
    Logistics lead
    Deliverable
    Supermarket locations, sizes and labels for the model line's parts
    Done when
    Every part for the line has a supermarket location
  • 5 to 7

    Activity
    Size the kanban loops and make the cards (Pull)
    Owner
    Logistics lead
    Deliverable
    Kanban sizing sheet and cards for each loop
    Done when
    Each loop sized from demand, lead time and safety stock
  • 6 to 8

    Activity
    Set the water spider route and timetable (Flow)
    Owner
    Logistics lead
    Deliverable
    Route map and fixed timetable for line deliveries
    Done when
    Deliveries run on the timetable for a full week
  • 7 to 9

    Activity
    FIFO lanes and dock flow (Flow)
    Owner
    Model area team
    Deliverable
    FIFO lanes between steps; inbound and outbound marked
    Done when
    No part skips its FIFO lane at the checks
  • 8 to 10

    Activity
    Shortage calls and escalation (Control)
    Owner
    Production supervisor
    Deliverable
    Andon or call route for shortages, with a log
    Done when
    Every shortage is logged with a cause and an owner
  • 9 to 11

    Activity
    Standard work for material handlers (Standards)
    Owner
    Pillar lead
    Deliverable
    Standard work for routes, kanban handling and replenishment
    Done when
    Handlers follow it without help
  • 10 to 13

    Activity
    Draw the future state and plan the next loops (Map)
    Owner
    Model area team
    Deliverable
    Future-state map and a plan for the next loops
    Done when
    The map shows what changed and what comes next
  • 13

    Activity
    Day-90 review and decision to expand (Gate)
    Owner
    Sponsor
    Deliverable
    Day-90 gate sheet, KPIs against baseline, lessons
    Done when
    Gate signed by the sponsor and the pillar lead

What's on the gates

The day-90 gate and the wave gate for logistics and customer service

The day-90 gate decides whether the model area is ready to be copied; the wave gate is checked for each new area before the next wave starts. Both are on page 3 of the PDF and on the Excel version's Day-90 gate and Expansion sheets.

Day-90 gate

All met before the first expansion wave starts

  1. 1Every part for the model line has a supermarket location and a point-of-use place
  2. 2The kanban loops run to their rules and the water spider route keeps its timetable
  3. 3Every shortage is logged with a cause and an owner
  4. 4Material handlers follow their standard work without help
  5. 5The KPI board has 13 weeks of data against the baseline
  6. 6The maps, loop sizes and lessons are written up so another team can copy them

Wave gate

For each new area, before the next wave starts

  1. 7The area passed the same day-90 gate as the model area
  2. 8Its KPIs are measured against its own baseline, not the model area's
  3. 9The supermarket, kanban rules and routes were copied and adapted, and the copy is recorded
  4. 10Coaches for the next wave are named and have run a session with the pillar lead watching
  5. 11The model area was audited again and still holds its standard

A filled-in example

Illustrative, not a benchmark

An example: a pump assembly plant (illustrative, with made-up numbers; the same as page 4 of the PDF and the Excel example sheets). Not a benchmark.

  • Model value stream choice, loss data, visibility, team willingness and repeatability scored 1 to 3: Small pumps scored 11, Large pumps scored 9 and Spare parts scored 6. Small pumps had the most line stops for missing parts and late orders, ship to the biggest customers, and their parts flow the same way as the large pumps.
  • On-time in-full to the customer: baseline 84%, day-90 target 95%, week 13 actual 93%, 82% of the gap closed.
  • Line stops for missing material: baseline 12 a week, day-90 target 2 a week, week 13 actual 3 a week, 90% of the gap closed.
  • Inventory for the value stream: baseline 18 days, day-90 target 10 days, week 13 actual 12 days, 75% of the gap closed.
  • Picking errors: baseline 9 a week, day-90 target 2 a week, week 13 actual 3 a week, 86% of the gap closed.
  • Kanban loops running: baseline 0%, day-90 target 100%, week 13 actual 100%, 100% of the gap closed.

The team passed the day-90 gate in week 13. Wave 1 (months 4 to 6) went to Large pumps, wave 2 (months 7 to 9) to Motors, controls, and wave 3 (months 10 to 12) to Spare parts, inbound from suppliers, with a model area team member coaching each wave 1 area.

Common mistakes

  • Designing from the office

    Walk the flow and count the stock before drawing the map. A map made from the system shows how material should move, not how it does.

  • Sizing kanban by guesswork

    Size each loop from demand, replenishment lead time and safety stock, and resize it when demand changes.

  • A water spider with no timetable

    A route without fixed times turns back into expediting. Run it on a timetable and check it is kept.

  • Ignoring shortage data

    Log every shortage with a cause and an owner. The pattern shows which loop or supplier to fix next.

  • Spreading before the gate

    Copying racks and cards to other value streams before the model loops run to their rules spreads the same problems. Hold the gate, then expand in waves.

Download the template

Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.

Run this template in LeanSuite

In LeanSuite video of each process step becomes a current-state value stream map with measured cycle times, inventory and lead time, and the inventory counted between steps is converted into days of WIP.

FAQ

Logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area plan: common questions

More free templates

All templates

Can't find the template you need?

Tell us what you're looking for. We'll make it and send it to your inbox, free.

A shift handover sheet, a red tag log, a changeover checklist for one machine: if your team uses it on the floor, ask.

By sending this form you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.