Key Planning Assumptions: The Decisions That Shape Performance Every forecast, schedule and operational decision is built upon assumptions. Yet many organisations rarely review whether those assumptions remain valid.
This session explores the planning assumptions that matter most, drawing on our latest benchmarking research together with examples from leading. We'll examine how high-performing planning teams validate assumptions, respond to changing demand and create decision-making processes that improve confidence across the business.
Through a facilitated discussion with experienced practitioners, we'll explore where organisations are challenging conventional thinking and developing more robust approaches to planning.
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Best-in-Class Planning: From Best Practice to Better Decisions The pace of change in customer operations has never been greater. AI, automation, flexible working and rising customer expectations are changing how organisations plan, allocate resources and make operational decisions.
Drawing on the latest Standards Benchmarking Assessments, this keynote explores what genuinely differentiates best-in-class planning teams from the rest. We'll share emerging trends, practical examples of how organisations are adopting AI within planning, and the capabilities that are becoming increasingly important for long-term success.
Bringing together themes from Customer Strategy & Planning, Reset | Redefining, and a first look at next year's focus on Sustaining Momentum, this session will challenge traditional thinking and provide practical ideas that planning teams can take back into their own organisations.
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Real-Time Beyond the Traffic Lights: Building Adaptive Decision Systems The best Real-Time teams don't simply react to what's happening today—they create the awareness and confidence to make better decisions as situations evolve.
This session explores how leading organisations are redefining Real-Time and on-the-day operational planning through the principles of awareness, systems thinking, and adaptive decision-making. Using The Forum's Clear to Chaos framework, we'll examine why traditional rule-based playbooks often struggle in complex environments, and how organisations can replace static procedures with an adaptive thinking framework that reflects business priorities.
Rather than creating a manual for every possible scenario, we'll demonstrate how the most effective Real-Time teams develop a shared understanding of objectives, trade-offs and decision principles, enabling faster, more consistent responses to changing operational conditions.
Scheduling Beyond the Rota: Designing Work That Works for Everyone Scheduling has evolved far beyond matching people to demand. Today's best scheduling teams balance customer experience, operational performance and employee wellbeing, making thousands of interconnected decisions that shape both organisational outcomes and the everyday experience of work.
This practical session explores how leading organisations are redesigning scheduling through a more strategic lens. We'll revisit The Forum's Scheduling Scorecard and 8-Key Considerations for Workforce Strategy & Culture, demonstrating how they provide a framework for making better scheduling decisions that support flexibility, fairness and long-term organisational performance.
We'll also explore the growing importance of wellbeing, mindfulness and achieving genuine work-life balance. Rather than viewing these as competing priorities, we'll show how the best organisations are creating scheduling approaches that improve employee engagement while delivering stronger operational results.
Designing High-Performing Planning Teams: Structure, Roles and Spans of Control As planning teams continue to evolve, organisations are asking the same questions. How large should a planning team be? What should specialist roles look like? How many direct reports can a manager effectively support? Where should planning sit within the wider organisation?
This interactive panel brings together leaders from across customer operations to explore the practical realities of designing effective planning functions. Using the latest benchmarking research alongside real organisational experience, we'll discuss different operating models, spans of control, specialist versus generalist roles, and the principles that underpin successful team design.
Rather than searching for a single 'right answer', we'll explore the factors that influence effective structures and how organisations are adapting as planning becomes more strategic.
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