Discover DDBrix: The Powerhouse Lego Game for Better Team Building

When was the last time you played with Legos? Perhaps it’s been a couple of decades – but make no mistake – those colorful toy bricks are more than just child’s play. Hands-on learning with Legos delivers mind blowing insights about planning and building resilient supply chains. Test out DDMRP principles while problem-solving in a small group. Experience the impact of each decision in a low-stakes, convivial setting: that’s what DDBrix is all about. 

DDBrix was designed to teach the foundations of supply chain management and Demand Driven planning in a collaborative environment. Using Legos, team members can discover how to optimize the flow of materials and information by leveraging DDMRP buffers. The result is a gamified experience that brings together team members for a fun-filled day of learning. 

As an expert-level Demand Driven educator, Patrick Rigoni leads groups of ambitious supply chain professionals as they engage in the game of DDBrix. To better understand the large-scale impact of the experience (+ why you need to try it), we’re breaking down the basics for you here. 

What is DDMRP?

First, let’s get clear about some definitions. DDBrix is an educational game that teaches critical skills about DDMRP buffers. DDMRP stands for Demand Driven Materials Requirement Planning. In order to wrap your head around the benefits of playing DDBrix, it’s helpful to understand what DDMRP is and the results it delivers. 

For the uninitiated, DDMRP can be viewed as a sequence of five components:

1. Strategic Inventory Positioning
2. Buffer Profiles and Levels
3. Dynamic Adjustments
4. Demand Driven Planning
5. Visible and Collaborative Execution 

Three key terms to keep in mind: Position, Protect, and Pull. 

These core concepts will come into play as team members experience DDBrix, engaging hands-on with DDMRP buffers to create dynamite impact. When supply chain managers utilize DDMRP, the result is improved customer service, reductions in lead times, inventory reductions, and cost optimization. After an organization takes part in a DDBrix game, individuals can expect to walk away with the tools needed to deploy these strategies effectively and achieve a wide range of objectives.  

The DDBRIX WORKSHOP Experience

So what exactly happens when a group of supply chain professionals bond over Legos and learning? 

Participants who sign up for a DDBRIX WORKSHOP with Patrick Rigoni can expect a deep dive into supply chain planning and DDMRP as they literally play with the building blocks of the system. DDBrix is an interactive simulation that’s designed to unite team members as they learn how to deploy powerful supply chain planning tools. 

Over the course of the workshop, participants split into teams. Each takes on a specific role along the supply chain for the sake of simulation, for example: scheduler, supplier, or operator. Team members will then create and visualize an ideal supply chain using Legos, assembling batches of  “products” that travel through each node of the network. 

Workshop attendees learn how to improve their product and their process as the interactive game progresses. They experience firsthand the stabilization of material and information flow as a result of DDMRP buffers. What’s more, the DDBrix builds empathy and awareness. Throughout the journey, participants have the chance to change roles and experience the supply chain through different lenses. 

Key performance indicators are tracked, so it’s easy to determine progress and make modifications along the way. Under the guidance of a Demand Driven expert like Patrick Rigoni, DDBrix attendees solidify critical supply chain planning concepts while having a blast with colleagues. 

Who can benefit from DDBrix? 

A DDBRIX WORKSHOP is designed to bring together a diverse cast of key players. Just about anyone can benefit from joining this educational adventure. Especially well-suited team members come from departments such as:

• Marketing
• Finance & Accounting
• Production
• Quality
• Planning
• Sales
• IT
• Human Resources
• Operations.

As they construct their supply chains using colorful building blocks, members of disparate teams put their heads together to unlock the power of DDMRP. Say goodbye to silos and usher in a new era of collaborative action. It’s a win across the board.

What are the advantages of taking part in a DDBRIX WORKSHOP? 

It’s hard to overstate the impact of a DDBRIX WORKSHOP. Each interactive learning experience is designed to foster team-building skills and create superstar supply chain planners.

DDBrix is the ideal format for supply chain learning because it offers the power of visualizations. Participants can create an entire supply chain with their own hands, and witness how DDMRP buffers optimize and stabilize the flow of information and materials. We simply can’t think of a more enjoyable way to build the skills necessary to become a Demand Driven supply chain planner.

Consider DDBrix a testing ground for your company’s most creative minds. Ignite ideas and reveal optimal solutions to long-standing challenges by collaborating across divisions. DDBrix develops effective communication skills and stronger ties across the organization. Sharpen Demand Driven planning skills and walk away with the tools you need to reduce stress, increase order fulfillment, stabilize production, and trim costs. 

For team members with a solid Demand Driven knowledge base, DDBrix offers an opportunity to refresh and update skills. With a focus on prioritizing and planning production orders, companies can expect workshop attendees to hit the ground running after leaving a DDBRIX WORKSHOP. 

And did we mention how much fun it is? 

Registering for a DDBRIX WORKSHOP

Count on Patrick Rigoni to lead your team in the gold standard of Demand Driven learning experiences. Patrick is accredited by the Demand Driven Institute as a DDP and DDL master instructor, and he brings decades of supply chain planning experience. Come ready to collaborate, engage, and learn from the best of the best…

Contact Patrick Rigoni today to register your team for a high impact DDBRIX WORKSHOP!