Manufacturing capacity planning system
A multi-site capacity planning system for a global medical device manufacturer, replacing a 350MB, 143-sheet spreadsheet with a live Power Platform model across two sites and six departments.
The Context
Following a major acquisition, manufacturing teams at a global medical device company were planning capacity across two sites in a 350MB Excel file with 143 worksheets, so large that it could barely be opened and every calculation took 5 minutes. Six departments each kept their own tabs with no shared data model, and every planner was losing 15-20 hours per week just keeping the spreadsheet alive. The team needed to model 20+ medical device products across a five-year planning horizon and account for yield ramps and operator learning curves, none of which the Excel model could scale to handle.
The Solution
Before any software, every screen was wireframed by hand and reviewed with the people who'd actually use it, agreeing exactly what each one had to answer before a line was built. The planners signed off once, and the finished system matched the sketch without a single layout debate.
Designed before building
Hand-drawn wireframes validated with end users ensured the final system matched stakeholder expectations exactly.
Built in three weeks
From sketch to live dashboard with an automated model pulling every team's inputs, calculating instantly, and syncing with the company's fiscal calendar.
Runs on tools they owned
Built on Microsoft Power Platform so there was nothing new to license or learn from scratch.
The Results
Measurable outcomes from the engagement.