Session Brief: ABC Analysis

Goal

Artifact: ABC Classification

Working Question

Which items belong in A, B, and C, and which treatment rule follows from each class?

Context

Classification objective (inventory management, procurement, customer prioritization); standard thresholds in the company (for example 80/15/5); special groups that must never be reduced.

Setup

• Format: Async work run
• Duration: 24 to 72 h
• Mode: asynchronous
• Participants: One analyst who prepares the data; one domain owner per affected class (procurement, sales, or operations); one decision maker who approves the class consequences.
• Owner: One analyst who prepares the data
• Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
• Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward ABC Classification. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Spreadsheet with columns Item, Value, cumulative value, share, class; short policy for threshold definitions; diagram template for Lorenz curve or bar-line plot.

Preparation

Load the data into the spreadsheet, sort descending by value, and calculate the cumulative share. Store threshold values as constants at the top so reclassification remains traceable later.

Agenda

1. Prepare brief (15-30 min) Owner: Owner Action: Prepare the working question, input, target artifact, and review deadline for ABC Analysis. Link relevant data, sources, and existing artifacts. Output: Session brief

2. Work asynchronously (24 to 72 h) Owner: Participants Action: Participants work through the method along the template. Focus: add contributions directly to the artifact, mark assumptions, and link evidence. Output: ABC Classification

3. Consolidate review (20-30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Cluster comments, contradictions, and open questions. Sort unclear points into decisions, risks, or follow-ups. Output: Review notes

4. Finalize artifact (15-30 min) Owner: Owner Action: Create the integrated version, set status, and schedule the next review or decision point. Output: Focus Rules

5. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: ABC Classification

Closeout

• Update result artifact: ABC Classification
• Define location, version, and review recipients.
• Define owner, next step, and review date.

ABC Classification: ABC Analysis

Working Question

Which items belong in A, B, and C, and which treatment rule follows from each class?

Context

Classification objective (inventory management, procurement, customer prioritization); standard thresholds in the company (for example 80/15/5); special groups that must never be reduced.

Participants

• Owner: One analyst who prepares the data
• Participants: One analyst who prepares the data; one domain owner per affected class (procurement, sales, or operations); one decision maker who approves the class consequences.

Input

Spreadsheet with columns Item, Value, cumulative value, share, class; short policy for threshold definitions; diagram template for Lorenz curve or bar-line plot.

Template

ABC Analysis Working Template

Goal

Classifies items by importance or value into A, B, and C classes.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

• ABC Classification:
• Focus Rules:
• Control List:

Assumptions and open questions

• ...

Decision / Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

• ABC Classification is complete enough for review:
• Location:
• Version / status:
• Review by:
• Next step:

Next Step

• Review result
• Mark open questions
• Schedule review or decision