The future of planning: more impact, less complexity
Imagine an optimal planning process that considers all relevant factors and stakeholders, achievable with just a few clicks. While at ORTEC, we get excited by complex mathematical problems, many planners seek the most user-friendly software solutions to support their daily work. Today, we’ve come a long way with intelligent software – helping planners with minimal effort. But do you, as a planner, want to get the most out of it? That still requires a good deal of analytical knowledge and expertise. What if we could make our software so intuitive and user-friendly that it reduces the direct burden of complex calculations? The mathematics would run 24/7, but purely in the background. And it would be more efficient than ever, offering proactive suggestions to the planner: "Would you prefer [Y] or [Z]? And have you considered [X]?"
Five questions to...
In this article, we're asking five questions to Patrick Hennen, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at ORTEC, and Emma de Wit, Vice President (VP) of Digital Transformation at ORTEC, to explore the future of planning and the role of technology in shaping it.
Interviewer: Linda Janssen
The complexity of planning
1. Complex planning… How do you keep everyone satisfied?
Emma: “Planning involves bringing together various stakeholders and interests. A key challenge is balancing these divergent interests. Customers expect their deliveries on time, drivers want an attractive schedule, and planners aim for optimal schedules that combine sustainability, customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. Traditionally, the 'planner' creates these operational plans, but there’s also an ecosystem around it with factors that keep the operation running. Think, for example, of the team lead for drivers or someone analyzing data and reporting smart conclusions to management. We want to keep the entire planning ecosystem happy too."
Patrick Hennen, CTO at ORTEC
"“Thanks to proactive features, our software can even propose, suggest, and implement scenarios: ‘Would you prefer [X] or [Y]? And have you thought about [Z]?’""
Patrick: “In our vision of planning, mathematics is on all the time. The goal is to support planners with smart technology without burdening them with its complexity. The math behind the scenes makes the planning possible, but for the planner, it remains simple. With just a few clicks, the most optimal plan emerges, considering all factors and stakeholders. Thanks to proactive features, the software can even suggest and implement scenarios: ‘Would you prefer [X] or [Y]? And have you thought about [Z]?’ This makes planning not only more efficient but also makes its consequences more intuitive and transparent.”
Emma: “Exactly, and what's crucial here is that the technology complements human expertise rather than replacing it. It remains important that the planner understands the context and can think strategically. Meanwhile, the planner can learn to trust the software solution for making day-to-day, repetitive decisions."
1. Enablement
2. Relevance
3. Proactivity
4. Engagement
2. What does this 'Future of Planning' look like?
Emma: “Our vision is a seamless ORTEC experience for our users, supporting users in their daily tasks and continuously adding value to our customers. In the coming years, we aim to develop this further by securely and proactively connecting our apps, products, services, and clients' data. We always adhere to four design principles:
- Enabling: our customers set the direction, while we support their decision-making.
- Relevant: users receive the information most relevant to them.
- Proactive: we use mathematics and AI to offer proactive suggestions that connect to the four dimensions again: to be more efficient, more sustainable, and to keep both employees and customers happy.
- Engaging: solutions that our users are excited about and feel engaged with.”
Patrick: "Indeed, and this is our vision for the coming years. In the long term, I foresee a future where organizations no longer need to spend time on operational planning. If we succeed in leveraging data to its fullest potential, the software will ultimately handle the entire planning process autonomously. The planner's role would then focus more on making tactical and strategic decisions and stepping in during unforeseen events. To me, this scenario is comparable to self-driving cars. It's been discussed for years but hasn’t yet been fully realized. Still, most believe it will eventually become a reality. Just as with self-driving cars, we are working towards a future where organizations will plan autonomously.”
Emma: “To achieve that, trust is essential. Many of our customers already entrust a large part of their planning to our software, but in certain areas, they still prefer to maintain control. As a result, they take on tasks themselves that the software could handle. However, as trust in the technology grows and the results continue to be reliable, the need for these manual actions will gradually decrease.”
Emma de Wit, VP of Digital Transformation at ORTEC
""Many of of our software users already entrust a large part of their planning to our software, but in certain areas, they still prefer to maintain control. As a result, they take on tasks themselves that the software could handle. However, as trust in the technology grows and the results continue to be reliable, the need for these manual actions will gradually decrease.”"
Proactivity in future planning: A valuable feature
3. You both mention proactivity as a new software component. How does this benefit planners in their work?
Patrick: “Proactivity is one of the key components of our vision for the future of planning. By integrating proactive features into our solutions, we can further relieve our customers' workloads. A great example is our ongoing project with BlueTriton, an American beverage company, where we use proactive functionalities to identify trends and anticipate necessary updates in schedules before problems arise."
Emma: “This type of proactivity ensures that our customers are not just reacting to issues but can also think ahead and be prepared for future challenges. It reduces the need for manual intervention and increases the overall efficiency of planning.”
Patrick: “What’s great about this is that we can go beyond simply solving problems. We can add real value by providing our customers with insights they might not have considered otherwise.”
Human expertise and technology
4. What is the role of human expertise combined with technology?
Emma: “The combination of technology and human expertise will become increasingly important in the future. As technology becomes more advanced, it will enhance the capabilities of our data analysts and enable them to deliver even more value to our customers. Merging software with human expertise is essential for providing the best experience. Today, generative AI and ChatGPT are already playing this role for some job types, such as AI chatbots powered by ChatGPT in customer service, and generative AI in marketing. Similarly, we will pair with planners. Our goal is to allow those planners to focus on strategic insights while technology handles routine tasks with growing efficiency and precision.”
Patrick: “Exactly. Our future planning solutions will complement and enhance the role of human experts, creating a smoother and more efficient experience for our customers.”
What customers can expect
5. What can customers expect in the future?
Patrick: “Looking ahead, we envision proactive, accessible, and intelligent solutions that not only streamline the planning process but also enhance the role of human expertise. We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation in both our technology and personal approach to better meet the needs of our customers. This is supported by our ‘Learning Loop’: a framework through which we identify and solve customer challenges, helping us find new ways to increase our shared impact using our decision-supporting software and data science expertise.”
Emma: “Through our ‘continuous improvement’ program and this new model, we strengthen our collaboration with our customers even further. I’m excited to see how technology and humans will increasingly complement each other. Our customers are loyal and valuable, and with our focus on continuous improvement, we ensure that this strong relationship continues to grow. Together, we are building a future where technology and human expertise work seamlessly together, delivering every-increasing positive impact for our customers.”
About Patrick
He embarked on his first challenge when he was fresh out of University and hasn’t looked back since: Patrick Hennen has held a variety of positions at ORTEC, ranging from Data Scientist to Program Manager and from Architect to Executive. One of his career highlights to date has been his role in positioning ORTEC as a key player in the domains of AI, Data Science, and Optimization technology. In his current position as Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTO), Hennen is responsible for driving technology and innovation – which he believes are key factors in expanding and intensifying the impact of applied mathematics.
About Emma
Since joining ORTEC in 2016, Emma de Wit has advanced to the role of Vice President of Digital Transformation. With a strong academic background, she holds a Master of Science in Transport, Infrastructure, and Logistics, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, both from Delft University of Technology. Emma's expertise in leveraging technology to drive business innovation has positioned her as a key leader in transforming organizational operations and digital strategies at ORTEC.
