Theory of Constraints and Specification by Example Part II
June 1, 2011
Following up on my previous post about Specification by Example and Theory of Constraints, I’ve received insightful feedback from colleagues, particularly Håkan Forss, whom I greatly respect.
The Five Focusing Steps
Håkan pointed out some valuable perspectives on the Theory of Constraints’ five focusing steps:
- Identify the Constraint
- Decide How to Exploit the Constraint
- Subordinate All Other Processes to the Above Decision
- Elevate the Constraint
- If the Constraint Moves, Return to Step 1
Assuming the Goal of the Organization
The first step is to articulate the goal. In system development, this might be phrased as:
Develop a system that meets the needs of the users
Understanding the goal of your project can help direct the focus of improvement efforts and influence how trade-offs are managed throughout the process.
Identify the Constraint
In physical systems, identifying constraints is often straightforward—like observing...