A hierarchical decision support system for production planning (with case study)

We propose a Hierarchical Decision Support System (HDSS) for production planning which enables production planners to utilize complex and structured planning algorithms interactively with no difficulty. The suggested system represents a higher level planning tool than MRP: namely, it encompasses aggregate planning, family and end item planning levels. The HDSS is integrated with MRP through the Master Production Schedule (at the end item level) which is transferred to MRP. The feasibility at all planning levels is preserved through database manipulations which enable communication among different planning hierarchies. The key features of the proposed system are the ease of data manipulation and the highly interactive nature of the system provided by the user-interface. The dialogue management system hides the theoretical background of the model base consisting of multi-optional aggregate planning models and disaggregation algorithms used at the family and end item planning levels.