Quick Summary: Supply Chain Analytics is a diploma-level course in the IIT Madras BS in Management & Data Science that uses data to move goods efficiently — forecasting demand, optimising inventory, and designing logistics networks. It is one of the most operationally valuable analytics skills. This guide maps the syllabus and how to study it.
📋 Table of Contents
Where this course fits
Supply Chain Analytics applies forecasting and optimisation to operations — how much to stock, where to store it, and how to move it. It builds on your statistics and Python skills and complements Operations Management in the diploma level.
Syllabus — topic by topic
- Supply chain fundamentals — the flow from supplier to customer
- Demand forecasting — time-series and statistical methods
- Inventory management — EOQ, safety stock, reorder points
- Logistics & transportation — routing and distribution
- Network design — where to locate facilities
- Optimisation basics — making the best decision under constraints
Exact week-wise content is on the official student portal; the above is the reliable topic map.
What to focus on
Demand forecasting and inventory models (EOQ, safety stock) are the high-return core. Optimisation and network design are conceptually rich — understand the trade-offs (cost vs service level) rather than just the formulas.
Common mistakes
❌ Memorising EOQ without understanding its assumptions.
❌ Ignoring the cost-vs-service-level trade-off.
❌ Treating optimisation as a black box.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need an operations background?
No. The course introduces the supply-chain concepts and focuses on analysing them with data and simple models.
Is this a good career skill?
Yes. Supply chain and operations analytics are in strong demand across manufacturing, retail and e-commerce.
Reach the diploma level — the first step is the qualifier.
Related diploma guides: Marketing Analytics · HR Analytics · Financial Analytics · diploma overview. See the full program guide and all IITM BS guides.
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