Theory of Constraints

Developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt (The Goal, with Jeff Cox, 1984).

Raises a system's output by finding its one binding bottleneck, keeping it busy, pacing everything else to it, expanding it, and then finding the next.

When to reach for it

Output capped by one stage of a process, with efforts to improve everything failing to move the total.

How it runs

1. Map the flow of work from input to output.
2. Find the constraint: where work piles up under load.
3. Keep the constraint working without idle time or losses.
4. Pace every other step to the constraint.
5. Invest to expand the constraint, then find the next one.

Where it sits in SOLVE eX

• 3.3 Mapping the System Around the Problem
• 4.1 Root Causes and the Case for Going Back

Go to the source

• The Goal, with Jeff Cox, North River Press, 1984