Prototyping a web-enabled decision support system to improve capacity management of aviation training

Abstract

For organizations with training pipelines, this study offers insight to help identify and minimize undesirable effects which may result from often unavoidable demand variations within a resource and time constrained environment. The highly complex Naval aviation training process is used as a case study. However, any organization with a training pipeline may find this study to be useful. Within a training pipeline, like any resource constrained production line, variability may cause undesirable results to occur. Variability includes any change in the number of students to train, time-to-train, instructor availability, material availability, and other supporting factors. Undesirable effects may include: delayed time-to-train, wasted valuable resources, reduced morale, reduced quality of training, or an increase in undesirable behaviors as a result of perceived production pressures. "Wasted valuable resources" includes human capital, money, material, and time. Although other sources of variability will be discussed, this study will primarily examine the cause and effect relationships resulting from variations in the number of students to train. Potential solutions are explored.