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Chris Caplice
ESD.260/15.770/1.260 Logistics Systems
Sept 2006
Agenda “Predictions are usually difficult
– especially for the future”
Yogi Berra
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 2 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Demand Processes
Demand Forecasting
Predict what will happen in the future
Typically involves statistical, causal or other model
Conducted on a routine basis (monthly, weekly, etc.)
Demand Planning
Develop plans for creating or affecting future demand
Results in marketing & sales plans – builds unconstrained
forecast
Conducted on a routine basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.)
Demand Management
Make decisions in order to balance supply and demand within
the forecasting/planning cycle
Includes forecasting and planning processes
Conducted on an on-going basis as supply and demand changes
Includes yield management, real-time demand shifting, forecast
consumption tracking, etc.
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 3 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Four Fundamental Approaches
Subjective Objective
Judgmental Time Series
Sales force surveys “Black Box” Approach
Delphi techniques
Uses past to predict the
Jury of experts future
Experimental Causal / Relational
Customer surveys
Econometric Models
Focus group sessions
Leading Indicators
Test Marketing
Simulation Input-Output Models
Total Cost
Cost
Forecast Accuracy
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 5 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series
The typical problem:
Generate the large number of short-term, SKU level, locally
disaggregated demand forecasts required for production, logistics,
and sales to operate successfully.
Predominant use is for:
Forecasting product demand of . . .
Mature products over a . . .
Short time horizon (weeks, months, quarters, year) . . .
Using models to assist in the forecast where . . .
Demand of items is independent
Special situations are treated differently
New product introduction
Old product retirement
Short life-cycle products
Erratic and sparse demand
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 6 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series
Method of using past occurrences to model the future
Assumes some regular & recurring basis over time
Basic Components
Demand rate
Level (a) a
Value where demand hovers around
Trend (b)
time
Persistent movement in one direction
Typically linear but can be exponential, quadratic, etc.
Demand rate
Seasonal Variations (F)
Movement that is periodic to the calendar
b
Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.
Cyclical Movements (C)
Periodic movement not tied to calendar time
Random Fluctuations (e or ε)
Irregular and unpredictable variations, noise S
Demand rate
Combine components to model demand in period t
Multiplicative: xt = (b)(F)(C)(e) time
Additive: xt = a + b(t) + Ft + Ct + et
Mixed: Combination xt = a + b(Ft)t + et
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 7 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series
Simple Procedure
1. Select an appropriate underlying model of
the demand pattern over time
2. Estimate and calibrate values for the model
parameters
3. Forecast future demand with the models
and parameters selected
4. Review model performance and adjust
parameters and model accordingly
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 8 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Example
What is the forecast for period t+τ
made at the end of period t, ̂xt,t+τ?
116
115
114
Demand
113
112
111 140
110 120
109 100
108 80
Volume
1
10
19
28
37
46
55
64
73
82
91
10
60
40
Week 20
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Week
where: where:
e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e]) e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e])
Forecasting Model: Forecasting Model:
∑
t
x t ,t +1 =
x
i =1 i x t ,t +1 = xt
t
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 10 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series
Moving Average
Only include the last M observations
Compromise between cumulative and naïve
Cumulative model (M=n)
Naïve model (M=1)
Assumes that some step (S) occurred
Underlying Model:
So, some questions
x t = a + e t How do we find M?
where: What trade-offs are
e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e]) involved?
How responsive are the
Forecasting Model: three models?
∑
t
xi
x t ,t +1 = i =t +1− M
M
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 11 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Moving Average Forecasts
116.00
115.00
114.00
113.00
112.00
111.00
110.00
109.00
108.00
0
73
82
91
10
19
28
37
46
55
64
1
10
ActDemand Naïve MA3
MA10 MA20 Cumulative
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 12 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Exponential Smoothing
Why should past observations all be weighted the same?
Value of observation degrades over time
Introduce smoothing constant (α)
Underlying Model:
x t = a + e t
where:
e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e])
Recall that
Forecasting Model: et = xt - ̂xt-1,t
̂xt,t+1 = ̂xt-1,t + αet (0<α<1)
or
̂xt,t+1=αxt + (1-α)̂xt-1,t
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 13 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Exponential Smoothing
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 14 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Exponential Smoothing
1
Effective Weight
0.8
alpha=.1
0.6
alpha=.5
0.4
alpha=.9
0.2
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Age of Data Point
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 15 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Non-Stationary Models
MA with Trend Data
30
25
20
Demand
15
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Period
Note that MA and standard Exp Smoothing will just lag a trend
They only look at history to find the stationary level
Need to capture the ‘trend’ or ‘seasonality’ factors
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 16 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Level & Trended Data
Similar to exponential smoothing
Holt’s Method - smoothing constants for level (a) and
trend (b) terms
Underlying Model:
x t = a + bt + e t
Demand rate
where: e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e])
a
time
Forecasting Model:
Demand rate
̂xt,t+τ = ̂at + τ ̂bt b
time
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 17 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Level & Trended Data
This is a linear
Forecast follows weighted combination
on this line
of level at A and B
Forecast
at t+1
aˆt +1
aˆt = α HW xt + (1 − α HW )(aˆt −1 + bˆt −1 )
xt A
A B
Demand or Forecast
t-1 t t+1
Time
Source: Atul Agarwal MLOG’05 Objective is to forecast t+1 & beyond
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 18 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Time Series: Level & Seasonal Data
Underlying Model:
Demand rate
x t = aFt + e t a
Forecasting Model: S
Demand rate
̂xt,t+τ = ̂at ̂Ft+τ-P
̂Ft = γ(xt/ a
̂ t) + (1- γ) ̂Ft-P
Underlying Model:
x t = (a+bt) Ft + e t
Demand rate
where: e t ~ iid (μ=0 , σ2=V[e]) a
Demand rate
b
Demand rate
time
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 20 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Comments on Time Series Models
Most of the work is bookkeeping
Initialization procedures can be arbitrary
Adding seasonality greatly complicates calculations
Most of the value comes from sharing with users
Provide insights into explaining abnormalities
Assist in initial formulations and models
Picking appropriate smoothing factors
Level (α)
Stationary: ranges from 0.01 to 0.30 (0.1 reasonable)
Trend/Season: ranges from 0.02 to 0.51 (0.19 reasonable)
Trend (β)
Ranges from 0.005 to 0.176 (0.053 reasonable)
Seasonality (γ)
Ranges from 0.05 to 0.50 (0.10 reasonable)
MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics – ESD.260 21 © Chris Caplice, MIT
Questions, Comments,
Suggestions?