Categorieën: Alle - costs - procurement - methods - procedures

door Arlis Tranmer 2 jaren geleden

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Interview questions

Value analysis is an approach aimed at reducing product costs without compromising quality or customer satisfaction. It involves evaluating production, purchasing, and product design processes to identify areas for cost-saving.

Interview questions

Interview questions

Procurement tools

Describe how you have gained a good knowledge of purchasing methods and procedures including life-cycle costing principles, value analysis, and weighted-value methodology, as used in evaluating bids for a wide range of commodities and services.

weighted point analysis

A weighted scoring model (aka weighted scorecard) is a project management technique used for weighing certain decisions, such as prioritizing project actions, prioritizing the development of product features, purchasing new software, etc.

value analysis

The process is not a wholesale attack on costs. Costs are only reduced when the result will not impact the perceived level of quality experienced by customers, or the level of customer satisfaction.

Altering product packaging to lower its cost while still protecting the product

Introducing automation to strip labor costs out of the production process

Altering production processes to minimize the amount of production cycle time, thereby reducing labor costs

Standardizing parts across product platforms in order to achieve volume discounts

Switching to lower-cost components

Designing products to use lower-tolerance parts that are less expensive

Value analysis is a systematic review of the production, purchasing and product design processes to reduce overall product costs. This can be accomplished through a variety of activities, including the following:

Life cycle costing
How is it used?

Building a TCO Model

Bring costs to present value.

Step 6. Bring costs to present value. Computing the present value allows decisions to be made based on present dollars. This is important because a dollar spent one year from now is not worth the same as a dollar spent now. The value of money spent any time in the future will depend on the organization’s cost of capital. To calculate the present value, therefore, obtain the organization’s cost of capital from its finance department. Then calculate the present value of each total in the cost timeline by using a present value table or a financial calculator. The sum of present values for each time period represents the total cost of ownership.


Develop a cost timeline.

Step 5. Develop a cost timeline. Construct a cost timeline for the length of the life cycle.

Place each cost element quantified in Step 4 in the appropriate time period. Then calculate totals for each time period as shown in the example.


Gather data and quantify costs.

Step 4. Gather data and quantify costs. This is the most difficult and time-consuming

step. In this step, gather data for each of the metrics identified in Step 3 and quantify the respective costs. This requires information from various sources, including interviews, sur-veys, the A/P system, and other internal databases. If information from internal databases is used, make sure to validate the numbers. Input errors can sometimes cause the numbers generated by these databases to be significantly inaccurate.

Determine how each cost element is to be measured.

Step 3. Determine how each cost element is to be measured. This is a critical step. The

metrics must be determined to quantify each of the cost elements identified in Step 2. For example, to quantify the costs of sourcing labor, the hourly rate of the individuals perform-ing the sourcing activity and the amount of time they spend or will spend doing it will need to be known.

Determine cost elements for each category.

Step 2. Determine cost elements for each category. Using the process map as a guide,

identify the subcost elements that make up each TCO category. 

Map the process and develop TCO categories.

Step 1. Map the process and develop TCO categories. Construct a process map from the

time a need for the product, service, or capital equipment is identified all the way through the life cycle. The activities that you identify will help to develop broad TCO categories.


What is it used for?

Life cycle costs:

Total cost of ownership

The total cost of ownership is defined as the present value of all costs associated with a product, service, or capital equipment that are incurred over its expected life.


Disposal costs

End-of-life costs. All costs incurred when a product, service, or capital equipment reaches the end of its usable life, net of amounts received from the sale of remaining product or the equipment (salvage value) as the case may be. Examples of end-of-life costs are obsolescence, disposal, clean-up, and project termination costs.


Operating and Maintenance costs

Usage costs. In the case of a product, usage costs are all costs associated with converting the purchased part or material into the finished product and supporting it through its usable life. In the case of a service, all costs associated with the performance of the service that are not included in the purchase price are usage costs. In the case of capital equipment, all costs associated with operating the equipment through its life are usage costs. Examples of usage costs are inventory, conversion, scrap, warranty, installation, training, downtime, and opportunity costs

Acquisition costs

 Acquisition costs: All costs associated with bringing the product, service, or capital equipment to the customer’s location. Examples of acquisition costs are sourcing, administration, freight, and taxes.


Purchase price

Purchase price: The amount paid to the supplier for the product, service, or capital equipment

Why is it used?

Asset Management- How, where, and when to spend your limited money.

Maintaining a desired level of service at the lowest appropriate life cycle cost.