Obsolescence Management - Online Course

Course structure

Six modules over six weeks, with a minimum of three hours tuition per module, with a recommended 6 hours per week study and preparation time. The course is delivered through Blackboard, an online learning platform, via narrated lectures and reference material. The narration is available in written form for those without audio access.

What you will learn

• Participants can gain an understanding of the role that obsolescence management governance (e.g. policies and process) can play in winning profitable business and delivering predictable outcomes on long-term contracts.
• Appreciate the importance of getting an Obsolescence Management Plan in-place and the understanding of what it should cover. You will develop a Plan for a current project and receive mentor support.
• Develop awareness of the technical, financial, and business risks that are likely to arise, and how these are aggravated if too reliant on reactive vs. proactive obsolescence management techniques – for example increased vulnerability to counterfeit components.
• Introduces practitioners to a capability maturity model (TOMCAT) that measures the current performance of the Company, function, or project against a benchmark. The model has been developed by Cranfield University in collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence, is readily accessible, and can be used to help identify and scope opportunities for improvement.
• Introduces practitioners to techniques for predicting the cost of managing obsolescence including bottom-up techniques for components on a bill of materials, top-down techniques based on parametrics, and recent research (e.g. experimental tools E³-FORCE and M-FORCE).
• Develops an awareness of other forms of obsolescence besides the traditionally recognised electrical, electronic, and electro-mechanical, e.g. software, materials, people and skills.
• Gives participants a unique opportunity for cross-learning and sharing experience with peers in other organisations.
• Promotes cross-functional thinking.

Core content

Fundamentals of Obsolescence

• Defining obsolescence and the types experiences
• Drivers of obsolescence
• Standards for obsolescence
• Obsolescence monitoring tools

Obsolescence Management Capability

• Capabilities required to manage obsolescence
• Risk management for obsolescence
• Design for obsolescence with life cycle implications

Developing Obsolescence Management Plan (OMP)

• Key components of an OMP with industrial case studies
• Process to conduct an OMP audit with industrial case studies
• Supply chain risk sharing and the role of incentivisation

Costs of Obsolescence

• Obsolescence mitigation and resolution
• Whole life cycle cost estimation techniques for obsolescence
• EEE and materials obsolescence cost estimation
• Software obsolescence cost estimation

Counterfeits

• Drivers of counterfeits and the role of market pressure
• Identification of counterfeits: tools and practices
• Managing the implications of counterfeits

Group project

In the final section your group works together on a realistic project to address key issues of Obsolescence. This provides the opportunity for networking and the interchange of ideas.

Timetable

The online course is delivered over a six week duration covering five themes (one topic for each of the first five weeks plus a group project in group 6) and study time can be scheduled according to your work and personal commitments. Each theme has an assignment and associated online tutorials (1.5-4 hours each per week) with 6-10 hours additional study time per week. Each theme will have mentor-supported tasks and in the final week the a group project is set to apply understanding.

Who should attend

Professionals in business/academia who want to learn about the nature and impact of obsolescence and how to manage it to reduce its impact. This course gives a roadmap on how to manage the obsolescence risk and how to understand the impact of obsolescence on through-life costs.

Speakers

• Professor Rajkumar Roy - Head of Manufacturing & Materials Dept
• Dr John Erkoyuncu
• Mr Philip Wardle
• Dr Essam Shehab - Reader in Product and Service Engineering
• Dr Paul Baguley