Planning for Success — What to Do Before, During & After the Consensus Review

The Consensus Review is where demand assumptions are discussed and understood and where forecasts are agreed upon. It is the final step before publishing the forecast, making this a critical part of the planning process. In this article I discuss what to do before, during and after the Consensus Review to ensure an effective meeting that results in a reliable demand plan that gains the confidence of all functions that will use it. I discuss the objectives of an effective Consensus Review, how to construct an agenda, which forecasts to include, which data to focus on, how to present data, and how to facilitate constructive dialogue ...