The Ramp Construct: Modeling Growth Toward Steady State
The Ramp Construct: Modeling Growth Toward Steady State
Every business experiences some form of ramp — the period between starting something new and reaching full performance.
It’s one of the most common planning algorithms found across industries and functions.
Sales: New reps take time to reach quota productivity.
SaaS: Customer usage ramps post-onboarding.
Manufacturing: Production lines stabilize after launch.
Retail: Store traffic builds following an opening.
Media: Audiences grow as new properties gain traction.
Different context, same logic:
a start date, a ramp period, and a steady-state target.
What the Ramp Construct Represents
The Ramp Construct defines how quickly performance reaches a defined steady state.
It applies a mathematical curve to simulate growth over time — linear, exponential, or step-based — depending on the use case.
A new hire’s productivity curve may ramp linearly over 90 days.
A new customer cohort’s usage may ramp exponentially during the first few months.
A facility start-up might show a stepped ramp as capacity milestones are achieved.
Why It Matters
Ramp is one of the few constructs that sits at the intersection of time, rate, and behavior — making it critical for forecasting accuracy.
Forecast realism: Prevents over-optimistic assumptions by modeling adoption lag.
Cross-model reusability: The same function can power workforce, revenue, and operations planning.
Scenario flexibility: You can simulate “faster ramp” or “slower ramp” outcomes to test elasticity.
Governance: Replacing ad hoc formulas with standardized ramp logic creates auditability.
When implemented properly, the Ramp Construct becomes a template for any process that starts below steady state and grows into it.
Implementing Ramp Logic in Pigment
Pigment makes this construct particularly efficient.
You can parameterize it with three inputs:
Start Date — when the ramp begins
Ramp Duration — number of periods to reach full capacity
Ramp Curve — the pattern of acceleration (linear, step, or custom curve)
From there, a simple formula can apply the chosen curve across any time dimension.
Because Pigment supports dynamic date logic, the ramp can easily adjust to changes in hiring dates, go-live schedules, or product launches — all without rewriting formulas.
The Broader Framework
The Ramp Construct is one of 11 algorithms that form the foundation of Bright Point’s Planning Constructs — a reusable library of logic patterns that power scalable FP&A models.
Each Construct captures a universal business behavior and expresses it through a transparent, standardized formula structure.
