Extending the Production Dice Game

Abstract

The production dice game is a powerful learning exercise focusing on the impact of variability and dependency on throughput and work-in-process inventory of flow lines. In this paper we will extend the basic dice game along the following lines. First, we allow that the operations take place concurrently as opposed to the more traditional way of playing the game sequentially. Second, we allow both starvation and blocking of the line. Third, we consider balanced lines with work stations characterized by different degrees of variability. Fourth, we use different sets of dice in order to represent a wide range of coefficients of variation of the production line. The game can be played manually in a classroom setting, but it is also modeled as an easy-to-use simulation tool.