Demand-Driven Planning Implementation

Become Driven by Real Demand, Not Forecast Guesswork

Traditional MRP‑style planning was created for a world that hardly exists anymore—stable demand, modest portfolios, and predictable lead times. Today’s volatile markets punish that rigidity with stock‑outs, ballooning inventories and endless firefighting.

What exactly is DDMRP?

Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning is a modern planning and execution method that positions smart inventory buffers at strategic points in your supply chain. Those buffers absorb variability and are replenished by actual consumption signals, so you plan to real demand—not fragile forecasts. The payoff is fewer shortages, leaner inventories and planners who can focus on improvement instead of expediting.

Demand Driven Material Requirements Planning (DDMRP) replaces forecast hysteria with clear, real‑time signals that tell you what to make, buy or move—only when it’s genuinely needed.

At ABA Partners, we blend two decades of hands-on supply chain experience with Patrick Rigoni’s world-class DDMRP expertise to turn that promise into measurable profit, quickly.

Why DDMRP Matters to Your Business

• Declining service levels — OTIF slips, premium freight soars
• Excess working capital — inventory you can’t convert into cash
• Forecast frustration — planners stuck in spreadsheets, not improvement
• Slow response — your supply chain reacts in weeks while the market changes in days

DDMRP inserts strategic stock buffers at key decoupling points so variation is absorbed inside your network instead of being amplified downstream. The result is a calmer, more reliable system that ships what customers want, without getting bogged down in work-in-progress (WIP).

“Through thousands of back‑orders customers kept asking, ‘How does Shell still score a 9/10 CSI?’ – DDMRP made the difference.”

Richard Wilkinson, Production & Logistics Scheduling Manager Europe, Shell

Our Pragmatic Approach and the Benefits You’ll Bank

Typical outcomes:

• 15–40 % inventory reduction—freeing millions in working capital
• 5–20 pt service-level improvement—without added cost
• 50%+ drop in planner workaround effort—focus pivots to value-add analysis

Expertise You Can Trust

Patrick Rigoni, PhD – Certified DDI® Master Instructor, over 600 planners trained, global roll‑outs across 30+ plants & 150 DCs.

ABA’s cross‑functional bench – supply‑chain strategists, SAP enterprise architects and data scientists who translate DDMRP logic into your existing systems and metrics.

Turn Insight into Action

You’ve seen what a Demand‑Driven Operating Model can do—double‑digit service gains, leaner inventories and planners who steer the business instead of firefighting.

The next step is choosing how to start. Whether you need a one‑hour reality‑check with Patrick Rigoni or a full pilot that’s live in 90 days, our modular work‑packages let you pick the right entry point and move at the speed your organisation can absorb.

Explore the options below and find the fit that matches your urgency, budget and ambition.

What Your Journey Looks Like

1. Capability Review – 2‑week diagnostic of planning maturity & data readiness
2. Discovery Workshops – interactive DDBrix® simulation + pilot scoping
3. Pilot Implementation & Validation – live buffers, live orders, real cash savings
4. Full‑Scale Roll‑out – phased expansion, digital integration, KPI dashboards
5. Sustain & Evolve – coaching, DDS&OP alignment, continuous buffer tuning

Insights and Resources

Strengthen your business case with our thought leadership articles:

• What is the ROI of a DDMRP Implementation?
• The Difference Between DDMRP and MRP
• The 10 Commandments of DDMRP Implementation
• Risk Aversion Bias in Supply‑Chain Transformation

Ready to See Your Inventory Shrink?

Discover Your Inventory‑Reduction Potential

Book a complimentary assessment and receive a rapid simulation of savings hiding in your SKU base.

OR

Connect with Patrick Rigoni

Schedule a 30‑minute call to test your ideas with one of Europe’s leading DDMRP experts.

Talk to Patrick

ABA Partners – bridging strategy and execution with solutions that work in the real world.

How to Engage

Below you’ll find a set of focused, stand‑alone engagements—each one a practical entry point into the Demand Driven journey. Pick the option that matches your current level of curiosity, data‑readiness or urgency; every package is designed to deliver tangible insight (and often hard savings) without locking you into a long programmeme.

DEMAND DRIVEN Q&A

Have you heard of DDMRP but are unsure of what it entails, how it operates, and whether it could enhance your supply chain performance? We can help you understand it better and explore if a Demand Driven Operating Model (DDOM) and DDMRP would be advantageous for you.​

Schedule a free video call with Patrick Rigoni, who will answer all your questions about the methodology and more.​

DURATION: 1 hour​

PRICE: Free​

POTENTIAL FOR INVENTORY REDUCTION

How many days of inventory can you save by implementing best practice inventory management techniques like DDMRP?​

Our simulation tool can estimate the potential inventory reduction achievable by applying DDMRP buffers instead of traditional safety stocks. It also identifies suboptimal inventory policies and provides insights on better product segmentation.​

DURATION: 5-10 Days​

PRICE: Fixed​

DEMAND DRIVEN DISCOVERY SESSION

Join us for a workshop with your multifunctional team to explore the benefits of DDMRP. Choose between 1 or 2 days to learn the fundamentals of the Demand Driven methodology with the DDBrix Factory Workshop and take the opportunity to understand its application to your manufacturing and distribution network.​

Day 1: DDBrix Factory Workshop (8-16 participants)​

Engage in the DDBrix* game workshop, the most popular simulation game, to understand how DDMRP works through interactive play.

Day 2 (optional): Practical Application in Your Organization​

Choose the 2-day option to explore how a Demand Driven Operating Model (DDOM) can be applied in your manufacturing and distribution network, using one of your product lines as a case study. We will cover operational planning & execution, tactical planning, S&OP, metrics and KPIs, DDMRP software, and change management requirements. By the end of day 2, you will have a template to start a DDMRP pilot.​

The DDBrix Workshop is a creation and property of our partner b2wise. Patrick Rigoni is one of the very few professionals outside of b2wise who is qualified to moderate the DDBrix Factory workshop in English, German, French, and Italian.

DURATION: 1-2 Days​

PRICE: Day 1: Determined by Number of Participants; Day 2: Fixed​

CERTIFICATION COURSES

Earn your certificate as a Demand Driven Planner, Operations, Distribution, and Leader. These courses are offered by Patrick Rigoni LLC, an affiliate of the Demand Driven Institute. Patrick Rigoni, an accredited Master Instructor of the Demand Driven Institute, has trained over 600 professionals in Demand Driven methodology.​

DDP: Demand Driven Planner (2 days)​

Ideal for those who want to understand DDMRP in detail, planners seeking DDPP certification, and teams aiming to implement DDMRP in their organisations.

DDO: Demand Driven Operations (1 day)​

Designed for operational teams to understand their role in a Demand Driven environment.​

DDD: Demand Driven Distribution (1 day)​

Focuses on distribution networks and how to apply Demand Driven principles.​

DDL: Demand Driven Leader (2 days)​

Aimed at executives and managers to lead and sustain a Demand Driven transformation.​

Find out more information about the courses on the Demand Driven Institute website.

DURATION: Varies by course​

PRICE: Contact us for details

DDOM DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION

As your Demand Driven Operational Model (DDOM) implementation partner we assist from DDMRP Pilot to Full DDOM Deployment. Using our proven methodology, we help you design the model, select the appropriate software, and ensure successful change management. We focus acutely on four critical success factors:

• Effectiveness: The transformation delivers significant benefits, aligning with business case projections and project objectives.
• Efficiency: ​The transformation is completed on time and within budget.
• Zero Risk: The transformation occurs without risk or disruption to daily operations.
• Sustainability: The transformation is robust, ensuring long-term, sustainable benefits.

DURATION: Variable

PRICING OPTIONS: Fixed, Time & Material, Benefit Sharing

DDOM INTEGRATION TO BUSINESS STRATEGY

​The final step in your Demand Driven journey is to connect your DDOM with the IBP process. Only so you will align Strategy, Tactics and Operations to create a highly performing machine that will deliver consistent and increasing returns on investment (ROI).

Committed to delivering a practical and effective DDOM, we assist in the alignment of your model to your business strategy. We ensure that your model does not silo performance and enables high service levels and customer satisfaction.

DURATION: Variable

PRICING OPTIONS: Fixed, Time & Materials.

EVALUATION OF CURRENT DDOM

Sometimes knowledge gets lost, the DDOM has not evolved, or initial design mistakes have not been corrected. Are you getting the full potential out of your DDOM?

Reflexivity and tailored solutions are core to the approach of our offerings; our consultants will meet you where you are in your DDOM implementation and offer their expertise to find pragmatic solutions. Align your model to your S&OP and straighten the kinks in your current processes to enhance your business. ​

DURATION: Variable

PRICING OPTIONS: Fixed, Time & Material

ABA Work Packages

Structured Services That Deliver Real Results

Consulting projects often lack clear boundaries—vague scope, open-ended timelines, and costs that grow unpredictably. ABA works differently.

Our Work Packages are predefined, focused engagements designed to tackle specific challenges with clarity and impact. Each one is built around:

• A clear scope and defined problem area

• Tangible deliverables tailored to business needs

• Transparent, upfront pricing

Whether you’re addressing supplier performance, cost reduction, inventory alignment, or planning maturity, ABA’s Work Packages allow you to engage quickly, pragmatically, and with confidence.

Explore all available Work Packages →