Start Here: A quick snapshot of your operation

• Tell me briefly how many distribution centers you operate and which one you would focus on first Options: 1 site, 2-5 sites, 6-20 sites, More than 20
• Which role will be the primary day-to-day contact for this assessment Options: VP Supply Chain, Director of Distribution, Warehouse General Manager, Operations Manager, Other
• Walk me through a typical weekday shift at the target site from clock-in to end of day
• How many orders does that site ship on an average day Options: Under 1,000, 1,000–5,000, 5,001–20,000, Over 20,000
• Describe the mix of order profiles you handle by rough percentage, for example single-line e-commerce, case-picks, pallet shipments, and returns
• Choose the single site where a successful assessment would make you commit to a wider rollout Options: Primary high-volume DC, Secondary regional DC, Newest site, Site with highest costs, Not sure yet

Where throughput actually breaks

• If you had to point to one place in the picking to shipping flow that chronically underdelivers, where is it and why
• When does that bottleneck show up most often—morning wave, midday surge, end of day, or during specific SKUs or promotions Options: Morning wave, Midday surge, End of day, During promotions or peaks, Consistently throughout day
• Which SKUs or product families make volume spikes disproportionately worse Options: Small fast movers, Large slow movers, Special handling items, High-return SKUs, Seasonal SKUs
• How much additional headcount do you typically add or reallocate to cover peak days Options: None, 1-10% of shift, 11-25% of shift, More than 25% of shift
• What tangible downstream costs occur when that stage slips, for example late shipments, overtime, or customer penalties Options: Overtime cost, Late shipment fees, Customer credits/penalties, Higher returns handling, Other

The numbers that will make this project non-negotiable

• If you could only improve one metric in the next 90 days, which would move your leadership to approve spending — throughput, labor cost per order, or order accuracy Options: Throughput (orders/hour), Labor cost per order, Order accuracy, Other metric
• Estimate your current baseline for orders per labor hour at the target site Options: Under 0.5 orders/LH, 0.5–1.0 orders/LH, 1.0–2.0 orders/LH, Over 2.0 orders/LH
• At what order accuracy rate do you need to operate to avoid customer penalties or returns escalation Options: 98%+, 95–97.9%, 92–94.9%, Under 92%
• Within what window would improvement need to appear to be considered successful, 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days Options: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, Longer than 90 days
• Would your team approve a pilot within the same month if the assessment projected a 15% reduction in labor per order Options: Yes, Maybe with conditions, No

Implementation friction and real-world risks

• Where implementations have failed before, what was the single failure mode — training, WMS limitations, access windows, or supervisor buy-in Options: Training not completed, WMS configuration limits, Access or downtime constraints, Supervisor or associate resistance, Other
• Who on your team would be responsible for integrations and granting API or data access Options: IT/Systems team, WMS vendor contact, Operations manager, Third-party integrator, Not sure
• List the systems that must connect for a successful deployment, for example WMS, ERP, labor management, carrier portal
• Are there recurring maintenance windows, vendor agreements, or union shift rules that limit access to floors or data during normal operations Options: Yes, strict daytime limits, Limited windows available, No restrictions, Not sure
• What single access, compliance, or contractual issue would stop this project before it starts

Who else is competing for this outcome

• Who are the other external options you are actively considering — another consultant, a systems integrator, or an internal build Options: Other consultants, Systems integrator, Internal program, Technology vendor, Not considering alternatives
• Name the single operational threshold that, if met, would justify staying with your current approach rather than changing
• Has anyone on your team proposed solving this internally without outside help, and what was their proposed path Options: Yes, full internal effort, Yes, partial internal with consultant support, No internal proposal
• List any incumbent vendors currently contracted at the site that could influence scope or pricing
• Give the single strongest argument for staying internal rather than engaging an external partner right now

Rollout gating: the facts that will make or break timing

• Identify the single readiness item most uncertain today — API access, clean order history, named site owners, or shift constraints Options: API or integration access, Data cleanliness, No assigned owners, Shift or union constraints, Other
• Name the team that owns the API connections and indicate whether they can provide test credentials within 14 days Options: Yes, within 14 days, Yes, but longer, No dedicated owner, Not sure
• Rate the cleanliness of your historical order and returns data for analysis, including complete SKUs, timestamps, and location codes Options: Clean and ready, Mostly clean with gaps, Significant cleanup required, Insufficient data
• Are there compliance, legal, or procurement reviews that typically add calendar days to a contract or data sharing agreement at your company Options: Yes, lengthy review, Yes, moderate review, Minimal review, Not sure
• Prioritize the sites or SKUs you would pick for a limited pilot if data or integration gaps require scope reduction, and explain why

Who signs, when, and how much will they approve

• Provide the names, titles, and decision criteria for the stakeholders who must sign off to move from assessment to paid implementation
• When do you need improvements delivered to align with peak seasons, contract renewals, or budget cycles Options: Immediately, 30–60 days, 61–120 days, Next fiscal year
• Identify the budget line that will pay for a pilot and the implementation phases, for example operations CAPEX, operations OPEX, or IT budget Options: Operations OPEX, Operations CAPEX, IT budget, Shared funding, Not yet identified
• Describe the procurement steps that remain after a successful pilot and the typical time each takes
• Provide the single internal action that would accelerate approval to scale if a pilot validated a 20% throughput improvement, for example budget release, executive sign-off, or vendor selection Options: Budget release, Executive sign-off, Procurement completion, Vendor selection, Other

How we'll prove this works — quick wins and measurable tests

• Highlight the quick-win changes you think are possible in the first 30 days to deliver measurable throughput gains Options: Slotting changes, Wave timing adjustments, Pick path tweaks, Temporary layout changes, Focused training
• Specify the KPIs or dashboards you will use to measure success for each quick win
• Assign the roles who will own day-to-day tracking during the sustain period and who handles escalation if targets slip
• State the contractual or acceptance condition that would allow you to halt the rollout if a quick-win fails to deliver the promised improvement Options: Fail to meet KPI for X days, Material increase in costs, Safety or compliance issue, Executive decision, Other

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (Assessment SOW)
• Project Schedule & Site Access Plan
• Data Access Authorization
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Payment & Invoicing Terms
• Change Order Agreement
• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

• Fieldwork kickoff and measurement plan
• On-floor observation and time-study execution
• Order-profile and system data review
• Stakeholder interviews and qualitative synthesis
• Preliminary findings and opportunity prioritization

• Compile a list of follow-up clarification questions for any disputed or unclear interview points.
• At least three hypotheses that link order-profile characteristics to observed bottlenecks.
• Deliver the cleaned order-profile file and a short data dictionary to the shared workspace.
• Request additional system extracts needed to resolve identified data gaps, specifying fields and date ranges.
• Tag candidate SKUs for follow-up validation or pilot slotting tests.
• Conduct supervisor and lead interviews
• Documented interview summary that links qualitative observations to measured evidence.
• List of procedural or cultural constraints that must be addressed for recommended changes to stick.
• Produce and upload the interview summary with redacted direct quotes where necessary.
• Confirm scope and success metrics
• Identify training and communication topics that will be needed to enable proposed changes.
• Recap data evidence and key observations
• Agreed prioritized list of improvement opportunities to be modeled in the assessment report.
• Validation plan and data requests defined for each top opportunity, with owners assigned for follow-up.
• Publish the prioritized opportunity list with preliminary impact estimates to the shared workspace.
• Schedule follow-up modeling sessions and request the targeted data needed for validation.
• Document any immediate quick-win actions that the buyer can implement before the assessment report is delivered.
• Signed fieldwork plan including measurement templates, sampling schedule, and access windows.
• List of required system extracts and data owners to supply them, with agreed delivery times.
• Distribute the finalized fieldwork plan and measurement templates to participants.
• Collect and provide required system access credentials and data extract instructions.
• Confirm PPE and safety briefing schedule for the observation team.
• Review observation checklist and recording method
• Complete raw timing sheets and annotated travel path maps covering agreed workflows and shifts.
• Exception log with photos or videos and contextual notes for each recorded deviation.
• Upload raw timing sheets, travel path maps, and exception logs to the shared workspace.
• Flag any safety or operational issues observed that require immediate mitigation.
• List any gaps in coverage or additional observation slots required to meet sampling goals.
• Confirm data extracts and cleaning rules
• Cleaned and validated order-profile dataset aligned to physical locations and pick events.
• Conduct frontline associate interviews
• Present initial order-profile metrics
• Review safety, access, and logistics
• Present candidate improvement opportunities
• Conduct timed observations across selected workflows
• Finalize measurement templates and sampling plan
• Facilitated prioritization and decision
• Map qualitative findings to observed data
• Map travel paths and measure distances
• Correlate order-profile to observed workflows
• List operational and cultural constraints for implementation
• Schedule observation blocks and staff interviews
• Define validation plan for top opportunities
• Identify data gaps and next data requests
• Capture exceptions and front-line workarounds
• End-of-shift quick validation with floor supervisors

• success_criteria
• gaps
• stakeholders
• decision_readiness
• current_state
• desired_state
• decision_readiness
• success_criteria
• desired_state
• stakeholders
• current_state
• gaps
• stakeholders
• decision_readiness
• current_state
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness

• Execute slotting optimization and relocate SKUs
• Reconfigure pick aisles and workstation layouts
• Implement pick path and batch optimization
• Deploy voice or light-directed picking systems
• Configure WMS picking and replenishment rules
• Cleanse and migrate inventory master data
• Deploy labor management and task interleaving rules
• Train supervisors and associates on new workflows
• Standardize pack-station layouts and packing methods
• Rebalance workloads and shift assignments
• Integrate material handling equipment with workflows
• Deploy performance dashboard tracking throughput and accuracy
• Provide post-implementation coaching and sustainment

Execute slotting optimization and relocate SKUs

• Provide the number of SKUs you plan to target for slotting changes and list their current WMS pick location IDs.
• List the top 50 high-velocity SKUs by units-per-week and include current storage cube (cubic feet) for each SKU.
• Identify any SKUs subject to temperature control or hazardous-material handling rules that would restrict relocation and name the applicable handling code. Options: Temperature-controlled, Hazardous material, No special handling
• Confirm who in your operations team will own physical SKU relocations (role or name) and the nightly or weekend windows available for moves.
• Do you require WMS location renaming or barcode relabeling as part of each relocation activity? Options: Yes - WMS updates and new labels, Yes - labels only, No

Reconfigure pick aisles and workstation layouts

• Which pick aisles or zone names are candidates for reconfiguration and what is the primary reason (congestion, travel distance, blocked sight lines)?
• Who are the site contacts authorized to approve physical layout changes and coordinate facilities work (title and contact)?
• When are acceptable access windows for aisle reconfiguration to minimize shipping disruption (select all that apply)? Options: Night shifts, Weekends, Planned downtime window, Rolling small blocks
• Specify the number and dimensions of affected workstations and any fixed utilities or conveyors that will limit layout changes.
• List the safety checks you require recorded before moving racks (lighting, emergency egress, lockout/tagout), and identify who signs off on each check. Options: We will provide a safety checklist, You require seller-supplied checklist, Other

Implement pick path and batch optimization

• Indicate average orders per hour and average lines per order by shift so pick-path modeling uses your live volumes.
• Select the batching method you prefer for high-SKU-count orders. Options: Wave-based batching, Zone batching, Dynamic cluster batching, No batching
• Assign constraints on sorter or carton size that should influence batch sizes (maximum carton length, weight or dimension limits).
• Estimate current average travel distance per pick (feet) or indicate if you can upload recent picker GPS/tracer data for modeling. Options: Less than 100 ft, 100-300 ft, More than 300 ft, We will upload tracer data
• Confirm whether your WMS currently supports pick sequencing rules (pick-to-cart, pick-to-light) and provide the WMS module name or version if known. Options: Supports sequencing - provide module name, Does not support - needs configuration, Unknown - require assessment

Deploy voice or light-directed picking systems

• Name the picking zones where voice or light-directed picking is being considered and state the expected peak concurrent pickers in each zone.
• Do you currently have headsets, RF scanners, or pick-to-light towers that must integrate with the new system? Options: Headsets only, Pick-to-light only, Both, None
• Identify the integration endpoint type for real-time pick instructions (WMS API, middleware, SFTP file drop) and note any known API rate limits. Options: WMS API, Middleware connector, File drop (SFTP), Other
• Provide the acceptance threshold you require for a voice or light pilot (for example pick error rate <= 0.5% and pick speed improvement >= X%).
• When would you prefer a pilot for up to five pickers to run relative to other quick wins? Options: Within 30 days, Within 60 days, Later than 60 days

Configure WMS picking and replenishment rules

• List the WMS picking rule types you want configured (for example FIFO, FEFO, zone sequencing) and include current rule names if available.
• Specify replenishment min and max thresholds for affected locations and state the target on-hand accuracy percentage you require after changes.
• Is there a WMS sandbox or test tenant available we can use for configuration validation? Options: Yes - test tenant available, No - work will use production with safeguards
• Which WMS version and any custom modules are installed that directly affect picking or replenishment logic?
• State the maximum allowable WMS downtime for configuration cutover (minutes or hours) and the preferred cutover window.

Cleanse and migrate inventory master data

• Give the current item master size (SKU count) and the split between active and inactive SKUs. Options: Less than 5,000, 5,000-25,000, 25,000-100,000, 100,000+
• Outline the item master fields that must be migrated and any required transformations (for example UOM conversions, barcode formatting).
• Indicate your cycle-count cadence today and state the minimum acceptable inventory record accuracy percentage you require after migration.
• Who in your organization owns master-data sign-off and will be the authorized approver for migration completeness?
• Describe external systems that write to the item master (ERP module, procurement portal, vendor systems) and whether a freeze window for writes is possible during migration.

Deploy labor management and task interleaving rules

• State the labor standards you currently use (for example seconds per pick or picks per hour) so we can align task interleaving targets.
• Select target KPIs you want the labor management system to track (for example average picks per hour, labor cost per 1,000 lines) and provide baseline values.
• Assign who in operations will administer daily adherence tracking and handle task reassignments when interleaving rules trigger (role or name).
• Choose when interleaving should be enabled for pickers (only during low-volume windows, across all shifts, or pilot-only). Options: Only during low-volume windows, Across all shifts, Pilot first
• Outline the estimated training minutes per picker required to adopt task interleaving rules and indicate who on your team will deliver or co-deliver the training.

Train supervisors and associates on new workflows

• How many supervisors and frontline associates need training per site and per shift?
• Explain any existing training materials or standard operating procedures you want incorporated into the new curriculum.
• Name the on-site training lead for each shift and provide their title or contact details.
• Choose preferred training windows (day shift, night shift, split sessions, weekend) and note allowable interruption limits for live floor training. Options: Day shifts, Night shifts, Split sessions, Weekend sessions
• Detail the measurable training acceptance criteria you require (audit sampling method, target pass rate, and timeframe for re-training).

Standardize pack-station layouts and packing methods

• Give an inventory of current pack-station layout types and list packing equipment at each station (scales, tape machines, automated void fill).
• Set the target pack-station throughput (orders per hour) and maximum acceptable package-damage rate after standardization.
• Are there specific packaging materials or brand-required packaging types that must be retained for compliance or customer requirements? Options: Yes - list materials, No
• Designate who will manage packaging materials replenishment and carton-size standardization during deployment (role or title).
• Note whether pack stations feed into a conveyor sorter or are manually staged and specify any sorter capacity limits we must consider.

Rebalance workloads and shift assignments

• Share your current shift schedules, headcount by shift, and any cross-trained role availability that we should use for rebalancing modeling.
• Highlight the bottleneck operations by hour of day that drive peak staffing needs (for example packing surge 14:00-17:00).
• Designate who approves overtime and shift swaps and state the approval SLA.
• Set the acceptable headcount variance by shift that will trigger an automated rebalancing action. Options: ±0, ±1-2, ±3-5, Custom
• Detail any union rules or labor agreements that limit reassignment of roles or require advance notice periods.

Integrate material handling equipment with workflows

• Enumerate conveyors, sorters, pick-to-light frames and ASRS units by model and list their control interface type (PLC, API, vendor middleware).
• Explain which integration endpoints require credentials or certificate exchange and indicate who will supply them and the delivery method.
• Schedule the preferred equipment shutdown windows for physical changes and state applicable lockout/tagout procedures. Options: Night shift windows, Weekend windows, Planned downtime date(s)
• Are vendor service contracts required to have vendor technicians onsite during deployment for conveyors or sorters? Options: Yes - vendor to be on-site, No - internal team will handle
• Map the test steps you require to validate equipment-workflow integration (for example an end-to-end pick-to-sort test scenario, test volumes, and pass/fail criteria).

Deploy performance dashboard tracking throughput and accuracy

• Include the KPIs that must appear on the dashboard and provide baseline values for each (orders/hour, lines/hour, pick accuracy, labor hours per 1,000 lines).
• Can you provide real-time feeds from your WMS and handheld scanners for dashboard refresh rates under one minute? Options: Yes - streams available, No - batch only, Partial
• Supply the named approver or approver title who must validate dashboard metrics before production rollout.
• Define the security roles and data access restrictions for dashboard viewers and editors (for example view-only, operations lead, site manager).
• Summarize the desired refresh cadence and historical window (for example 30-day trend) required for performance analysis.

• Implementation Walkthrough

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm the phased plan maps to your operational zones and busiest SKUs and that the quick wins target the highest-impact bottlenecks.
• Deliver a one-page Implementation Checklist with phased timelines, quick-win tasks, and expected KPI deltas within five business days.
• You agree the projected KPI improvements for throughput, accuracy, and labor are sufficient to proceed to pilot and commit to the proposed acceptance metrics.
• Walk through the phased plan in your operational zones
• Provide current shift schedules, peak windows, and the top 50 SKUs by pick volume to tailor the pilot quick-win scenarios.
• Proof: Quick-win executions and projected KPI impact
• You confirm the training and supervisory coaching approach will address on-floor resistance and sustain process changes during the 60–90 day sustain period.
• Confirm the pilot area and a two-week access window for the quick-win execution and training pilot.
• Training and supervisory coaching plan
• Share the list of named decision makers and the budget owner responsible for phase approvals and sign-offs.
• You identify any remaining evidence or data points needed before final approval of the implementation scope and timeline.
• Validate fit and acceptance criteria

• Implementation Walkthrough (Solution Experience)
• Implementation Walkthrough Deck
• Implementation Walkthrough Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Go-Live Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Measurement Review (weeks 4-10)
• 90-Day Realization Review and Sustain Decision
• Quarterly Sustain and Performance Review

• Publish the next-quarter supervisor coaching schedule and the measurable behavior targets to track
• Publish the root-cause analysis and corrective-action plan with resolution dates
• Create and schedule focused supervisor coaching sessions addressing the top two error types
• Restate targets and percent realization
• Document percent realization for throughput versus pre-project baseline and labor hours per 1,000 orders against the Go-Live Acceptance targets.
• Close or create remediation tasks for all critical open issues with resolution dates.
• Confirm the incumbent system wind-down plan or its retained read-only posture to prevent dual-system workarounds.
• Publish the 90-day realization report comparing each metric to the targets recorded in Go-Live Acceptance
• Create remediation tasks for any unmet targets with resolution dates within 30 days for critical items and within 90 days for non-critical items
• Archive pre-project baseline data and document the incumbent system's decommission or read-only schedule
• Quarterly performance dashboard
• Confirm that order accuracy rate and orders shipped per labor hour are maintained or improving toward targets recorded in Go-Live Acceptance.
• Close or reassign top backlog items and set expected rollout windows for prioritized enhancements.
• Refresh the supervisor coaching plan for the next quarter and document expected behavioral KPIs.
• Update and circulate the performance dashboard ahead of the next quarterly review
• Close or reassign the top three backlog items with planned completion dates
• Reconfirm success criteria and ownership
• Deployment validation completed and critical defects listed with remediation tasks and target dates.
• Short-term measurement plan and date for the First Measurement Review confirmed.
• Training and supervisor coaching gaps identified and immediate coaching sessions scheduled.
• Collect and circulate deployment logs and integration error summaries for the measurement window
• Publish the short-term measurement plan with data sources and reporting cadence
• Document immediate remediation tasks for critical blockers with target completion dates
• Present first-window performance vs targets
• Determine whether orders shipped per labor hour and order accuracy rate are trending toward the Go-Live Acceptance targets.
• Document root causes for any gaps and a prioritized corrective action plan with deadlines.
• Confirm supervisor coaching actions and interim data checkpoints prior to the 90-day review.
• Deliver a week-by-week dashboard of orders shipped per labor hour and order accuracy rate for the next four weeks
• Detailed metric review
• Persistent issues and backlog status
• Deployment and integration validation
• Root-cause diagnosis for gaps
• Open issues status and remediation progress
• Early adoption signals and training gaps
• Supervisor coaching and training effectiveness
• Agree corrective actions and deadlines
• Enhancement prioritization and rollout windows
• Incumbent system wind-down status
• Open issues and immediate blockers
• Training and supervisory coaching plan
• Confirm timeline to next realization checkpoint
• Agree extended sustain or closure actions
• Short check if no changes
• Agree short-term measurement plan