Welcome to the BUSINESS DISTRICT Main Squeeze A constraint is anything that stops a system from operating at its maximum. This is bad, you say. Not necessarily, it is a tool to be used to control the system. You respond, “But a constraint is bad. It slows us down and makes life difficult. We could make more X if we fixed it.” That could be true. It is also true that the constraint will move to somewhere else. No! Are you telling me that it moves? Oh, yeah. Seldom, if ever, is a process perfectly balanced. That being the case, you use the constraints to manage your process. Let’s say you have a kink in a hose. The amount of water available for your plants is what is able to get past the kink. You could increase the pressure, get rid of the kink, or use plants that need less water. Increasing the pressure may take new pumps. Removing the kink opens the hose to its maximum volumetric size. Plants needing less water may take time, money, or a combination of the above. And will any of those options create economic, policy, and personnel issues? Constraints are not just animal, mineral, or vegetable. They can be people, policy, or equipment. If people are not able to process the task, they are a constraint. If the equipment has reached its limitations, it is a constraint. If a policy hinders people from carrying out their job, it is a constraint. The Theory of Constraints is a well-known manufacturing concept. The book that brought this concept to popularity was “The Goal” by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox. This book is in its third revision and was originality printed in 1984. It is a business novel and well worth reading for factory rats or anyone dealing with a process. And don’t we all? Thank you for reading this note. Forward to a friend. Or a factory rat. Rusty Van Der Veer Join the Email Distribution: To add a name or remove a name to the blog email list, send an e-mail to add1remove1@gmail clearly stating the name and e-mail address. E-mail addresses will not be shared, sold, or otherwise distributed. You may view the Business District blog at bizdistrict.blogspot/ If you wish to make a comment on a blog note, go to the blog and click on “No comments.” Enter your comment and select Anonymous or log in, then Publish. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, e-mail me at rvande05@gmail
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 11:08:14 +0000