Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Announcement of our new website

Bruce Nelson and I have officially released our new Focus and Leverage Consulting website.  We encourage everyone to follow the link below to see what we're all about.  Please feel free to forward this link to any companies you feel might benefit from the services we offer.

http://bsproull-flc.wix.com/flc-consulting

I'm certain that this website probably has errors within it, so please be patient as we further develop it.

Our best to all of our readers....
Bob Sproull and Bruce Nelson

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Focus and Leverage Part 366


In my last posting I continued my discussion on systems thinking.  I told you that Constraints Management is based on four assumptions about how all systems function.  But before presenting more material on systems thinking, I want to start this posting by restating these four assumptions.  I’m doing so because these four assumptions form the basis for an effective systems thinking analysis.  A bit later on in this post, I want to discuss Goldratt’s 5 Focusing Steps in detail because they are an extremely important element of a systems thinking analysis and subsequent improvements to it.  The four assumptions are:

 
-  Every system has a goal and a finite set of necessary conditions that must be satisfied in order to achieve that goal.
 
The sum of a system’s local optima does not equal the global system optimum.
 
Very few variables limit the performance of every system at any one point in time.
 
All systems are subject to logical cause-and-effect relationships.

 
This first assumption is such an important one for everyone simply because that by defining where you are going (the goal) and how you are going to get there (Critical Success Factors (CSF’s) and Necessary Conditions (NC’s)), you have taken the first step in revealing the right pathway to take. The bottom line is, if you haven’t defined your pathway to your goal, then you will be lost along the way and it will be very difficult to reach your destination.  Unfortunately, many organizations don’t take the time to define their goal.
 

The importance of identifying a system’s (organization’s) goal, critical success factors and necessary conditions is that they will become the new standard for both results and decisions.  In addition to the Goal, CSF’s and NC’s, I always recommend complementary performance metrics.  As I have written about many times on this blog, performance metrics like operator efficiency or equipment utilization are simply not effective metrics to measure how well and organization is doing.  If they are measured in the constraint, they are effective metrics, but not in non-constraints.  Trying to optimize a non-constraint’s efficiency, for example, will only serve to pile up inventory and negatively impact on time delivery.   So my advice is to make certain that whatever metrics are chosen that as they move in a positive direction, the system benefits and not disparate parts of the system.
 

Once the Goal, CSF’s and NC’s are in place, it is time to apply Goldratt’s Five Focusing Steps.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with these steps, I’ve listed them below, along with the two prerequisites that must be in place if they are to be successfully applied.
 
-  Prerequisites to Goldratt’s 5 Focusing Steps
          -  Identify the Goal of the system plus the Critical Success Factors and Necessary Conditions
 
          -  Decide on the performance metrics for the system
 
-  Goldratt’s 5 Focusing Steps
 
 
     1.  Identify the current and next system constraint
 
     2.  Decide how to exploit the current system constraint
 
     3.  Subordinate everything else to the system constraint
 
     4.  If necessary, elevate the system constraint
 
     5.  When the current constraint is broken (or no longer is the constraint), return to Step 1, but don’t let inertia create a new constraint.
 

Let’s now take some time to discuss each of these 5 focusing steps in more detail so that the true meaning and intent of each step is better understood.
 
Step 1:  Identify the current and next system constraint: What we’re looking for here is to locate that part of the system that is currently limiting the system’s overall performance.  Remember back to our previous posting when I told you that we must first decide whether the constraint is located internally or externally to the system.  If it’s inside the system, then it’s usually a resource or a policy of some kind.  In other words, we don’t have the capacity to satisfy the current market demand.  On the other hand, if it’s external to the system, then we have more capacity than we have demand and therefore need more orders for our product or service.  Something important that many people seem to ignore when using the focusing steps, is that once the system constraint has been  identified, if you think you know how to break it without too much time, effort or investment, do so immediately and go right back to Step 1 and identify the new constraint.  What I also recommend is, in the process of identifying the current constraint; think to yourself, where the next one would be if you were able to break the current one. If it can be broken without much investment, then immediately do so, and revert to the first step again. By identifying the next constraint, in advance, the improvement process becomes much faster.  But if the current constraint can’t be easily broken, then move on to Step 2.
 
 
Step 2:  Decide how to exploit the system constraint. In this step, what we must do is decide how to exploit the current system constraint. Exploiting the constraint simply means to consider ways get more out of it without expending large amounts of time or spending large amounts of money. In other words, how can you change the way the constraint is operating so as to achieve the maximum throughput and financial benefit.  For example, if the system constraint is market demand (external, not enough sales), it simply means that you must make your product or service more attractive to perspective buyers.  You have excess capacity for more orders, so you must make yourself more competitive to attract additional customers.
 
On the other hand, if the constraint is an internal resource or policy, it means deciding what you must change in order to increase the capacity to match or exceed the demand being placed on it.  This might mean improving the quality of your product or service, improving the flow through the constraint to achieve better on-time delivery, or some other competitive edge factor. Exploitation of the constraint means that you must develop ways of ensuring superior system performance to meet or exceed the demand being placed on it.
 
Step 3:  Subordinate everything else to the system constraint. Goldratt’s original Step 3 stated that you must “subordinate everything else to the exploitation decision, but for me it is not the decision, it is the constraint itself.  So once the decision on how to exploit the constraint has been made, subordinate everything else to that constraint. In my opinion, this step is perhaps the most important one to apply, but it is also the most difficult for organizations to apply and accomplish.  Why do I say this? For me, the primary reason this step is so difficult is because of the “death grip” traditional cost accounting has on organizations.  Many companies still use manpower efficiency or equipment utilization as one of their primary metrics.  Both of these metrics view excess capacity as a way of cutting costs, when in reality excess capacity at non-constraints, should be viewed as favorable.  Excess capacity in process steps in front of the constraint is actually a safety net in the event there is downtime in one of these steps.  Subordination requires that everyone within the organization put their local needs behind the constraint for the good of the system.  It requires everyone, from top management on down, to accept the idea that excess capacity in the system at most locations is not just acceptable, it is a desired state.  The important thing to remember is that all non-constraints are there to assure the constraint is never idled/ Often times egos get in the way and managers have trouble accepting the idea that someone else’s process is more important than their own. As a result of these damaged egos, other people working at non-constraints will often struggle to do the things necessary to subordinate the rest of the system to the constraint. As I said, for me subordination is the most important of the five focusing steps and the primary reason why organizations have difficulty implementing the 5 focusing steps.
 
 
Subordinating non-constraints to the system constraint is intended to focus the efforts of the non-constraints so that the constraint can be exploited in the best way possible.  And even though the non-constraints could produce more, every effort should be made to not do so.  If the non-constraints produce to their individual capacity, the net result is an excessive amount of work-in-process inventory (WIP) which typically results in diminishing on time deliveries.  It’s entirely possible that, once subordination is fully in place, the system constraint might be broken and move to a new location. If this happens, then go back to Step 1 and begin the Five Focusing Steps again. But since you’ve already identified the most logical next constraint, you will actually just move to Step 2 and begin the exploitation step.
 
Step 4:  If necessary, elevate the system constraint: It has been my experience that most of the time, after you have completed your subordination step, the current constraint will have been broken, but sometimes this is not the case.  If this is not the case, then in order for the system constraint to be broken, you may have to make an investment.  This is the essence of the concept of elevation.  If you weren’t able to achieve enough of an increase in capacity to support the demand being placed on it, quite simply you may have to spend some money.  What this step requires is an evaluation of alternative ways to raise the capacity of the current constraint.   It could be that if the constraint is equipment related, then you might have to purchase more of it.  Or if it’s resource related, you may have to add more through additional shifts, overtime, adding additional headcount or, as a last resort, outsourcing.
 
If, on the other hand, the constraint is an external one (i.e. lack of sales), elevation might simply involve adding a new product line, additional advertising, or improving the competitive edge factors like reduced prices, better on-time delivery, or other factors needed to entice customers to want more of your product or service.  Unfortunately, many times elevating the constraint typically means spending more money in order to make more money. My advice is to evaluate multiple alternatives because some alternatives may offer intangible advantages.  For example, some alternatives might cost more, but are much easier to manage, so consider the entire package before deciding.
 
One last thought on elevation is that it is entirely possible that the constraint-breaking alternative that you have chosen might actually change the location of the new constraint from the one you predicted in Step 1.  Just be aware that this might happen so you are prepared for it.
 
Step 5:  When the current constraint is broken (or no longer is the constraint), return to Step 1, but don’t let inertia create a new constraint.  Once again, my experience has shown that if, after the exploit and subordinate steps don’t break the system constraint, then the elevation step most likely will. Once this happens, you must return to Step 1 or 2 to begin either identifying the new constraint or begin exploiting it, if you already identified it.
 
So what does the warning about inertia mean for you?  Quite simply, it’s a warning not to become complacent.  There are two distinct reasons for this warning. First and foremost, sometimes the improvement actions we put into place during the exploitation and subordination steps may no longer be relevant to the new constraint. The second reason is that there is often a tendency to relax after the first constraint is broken.  Do not relax! An organization can easily become complacent after the current constraint has been broken and that is simply the wrong thing to do.  I always advise clients to put effective controls in place to guard against complacency.  You must not let the actions or policies that you’ve put in place to fall by the wayside.  Depending upon the actions taken to break the current constraint, maybe something as simple as a process audit or even a control chart will work.
 
In my next posting, we’ll take a look at some of the tools we can use to adequately perform a systems analysis.  In particular, I want to discuss the Intermediate Objectives Map (a.k.a. The Goal Tree) as a way of establishing your Goal, Critical Success Factors and Necessary Conditions.
 
Bob Sproull

 


 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Posting Index Up To Part 365


Post #                    Subject Discussed

Each of the following postings can be reached by searching for the number designation below.  For example:  1 is Focus and Leverage or 2 is Focus and Leverage Part 2 and so forth.  The link to the first blog posting is:  http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4654571158555106378#editor/target=post;postID=4464386559619829406

  

1. Introduction to TOC – Lean – Six Sigma

2. Why Improvement Initiatives Fail

3. The Basic Concepts of TOC

4. Throughput Accounting

5. The Process of On-Going Improvement (POOGI)

6. The 3 Cycles of Improvement

7. Combining TOC, Lean and Six Sigma Graphically

8. Step 1a Performance Metrics

9. Planning Steps 1b and 1c Reducing Waste and Variation

10. Developing a Constraint’s Improvement Plan

11. This number was skipped

12. Steps 1b and 1c Reducing Waste and Variation plus an intro to DBR

13. Drum-Buffer-Rope

14. The Final Steps of UIC

15. How do I start the UIC?

16. The 10 Prerequisite Beliefs

17. Comparing Lean, Six Sigma and TOC

18. Types of Constraints

19. The Logical Thinking Processes

20. Undesirable Effects (UDE’s)

21. Categories of Legitimate Reservation

22. Current Reality Trees

23. Constructing Current Reality Trees

24. Conflict Diagrams Basic Principles

25. Constructing Conflict Diagrams

26. Intro to Future Reality Trees

27. Constructing Future Reality Trees

28. Prerequisite Trees

29. Constructing Prerequisite Trees

30. Transition Trees

31. Constructing Transition Trees

32. Book Announcement

33. Project Management Failures

34. Project Management Negative Behaviors

35. Critical Path Management (CPM)

36. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)

37. Tracking Projects In CCPM

38. Final Posting on CCPM

39. Intro to the TOC Parts Replenishment Model versus the Min/Max System

40. The TOC Parts Replenishment Model

41. Interview with Joe Dager from Business901

42. Deming, Ohno and Goldratt Commonality

43. Dedication to Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt

44. How processing time, cycle time, throughput and WIP are interrelated

45. Little’s Law

46. Batch and queue production system and the fallacy of a balanced line

47. Why an unbalanced line is better.

48. What prevents me from making more money now and more money in the future?

49. More on the 10 Prerequisite Beliefs

50. Motivating a work force to actively participate in improvement initiatives

51. Re-Introducing the Intermediate Objectives Map

52. Introducing Be Fast or Be Gone: Racing the Clock with CCPM

53. Parkinson’s Law, The Student Syndrome, Cherry Picking and Multi-Tasking

54. Overcoming the four negative behaviors in Project Management

55. Intro to combining the Interference Diagram (ID) and the IO Map

56. The Simplified Strategy

57. The Interference Diagram

58. Interference Diagram for Strategy

59. The ID/IO Simplified Strategy

60. Preface Part 1 for Epiphanized©

61. Preface Part 2 for Epiphanized©

62. CHAPTER 1 Part 1 for Epiphanized©

63. CHAPTER 1 Parts 2 and 3 for Epiphanized©

64. CHAPTER 1 Part 4 for Epiphanized©

65. CHAPTER 1 Part 5 for Epiphanized©

66. Focused Operations Management For Health Service Organizations by Boaz Ronen, Joseph Pliskin and Shimeon Pass

67. Marketplace Constraints

68. A Discussion on Variability

69. More Discussion on Variability

70. Still More Discussion on Variability

71. Paper from the International Journal of Integrated Care

72. Value Stream Mapping

73. Paths of Variation

74. Step 3, Subordination

75. The Key to Profitability: Making Money Versus Saving Money

76. My First Experience With TOC

77. TOC in Non-Manufacturing Environments

78. Deborah Smith’s Excellent Chapter in the TOC Handbook (i.e. Chapter 14)

79. More on Performance Metrics

80. Efficiency, Productivity, and Utilization (EPU) ©

81. Productivity as a Performance Metric

82. Utilization as a Performance Metric

83. What the Dog Saw –Malcolm Gladwell

84. Speaking at the CPI Symposium – Cal State, Northridge

85. NOVACES– A Great Young Company

86. NOVACES’SystemCPI©

87. Problems With My Publisher

88. The Why? – Why? Diagram

89. Experience With the Integrated Methodology

90. A New Piping Diagram

91. The Healthcare Industry

92. More Bad News From the Publisher

93. A Message from the CPI Symposium

94. Multiple Drum-Buffer-Rope

95. Problem Solving Roadmap

96. Problem Prevention Roadmap

97. Improving Profitability

98. More on Throughput Accounting

99. More on Parts Replenishment

100. TLS

101. Engaging the "Money Makers" in Your Company

102. A Conversation on the Theory of Constraints

103. The Key to Successful Consulting Engagements

104. The Three Basic Questions to Answer

105. A Problem With the Airlines

106. A Better Way to Improve Processes and Systems

107. The Problem With Project Management

108. Critical Path Project Management Revisited

109. Critical Chain Project Management Revisited

110. The Fever Chart

111. Comparing CPM and CCPM

112. Performance Improvement for Healthcare – Leading Change with Lean, Six Sigma and Constraints Management

113. More on Performance Improvement for Healthcare

114. Even more on Performance Improvement for Healthcare

115. Still One More on Performance Improvement for Healthcare

116. The Final One on Performance Improvement for Healthcare

117. The Real Final One on Performance Improvement for Healthcare

118. Focused Operation's Management for Health Services Organizations.

119. Focused Management Methodology

120. The Clogged Drain

121. The “Soft” Tools of Improvement

122. More on TOC’s Distribution/Replenishment solution

123. Still More on TOC’s Distribution/Replenishment solution

124. Amir Schragenheim’s Chapter 11 entry in the TOC Handbook

125. Comparison of Lean, Six Sigma and TOC

126. A Simple Lesson on Applying TLS to Your Processes

127. A Historical Index of Blog Postings

128. Mafia Offer Part 1

129. Mafia Offer Part 2

130. Mafia Offer Part 3

131. Airline Problems

132. A YouTube Interview with Bob Sproull and Mike Hannan

133. Active Listening

134. Viable Vision

135. Throughput Accounting

136.  Performance Metrics

137.  On-the-Line Charting

138.  Comment on Epiphanized from a reader in the US Marines

139.  Active Listening

140.  Healthcare Case Study

141.  Change

142.  Getting buy-in for Change

143.  Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Client Part 1

144.  Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Client Part 2

145.  Continuous Improvement in Healthcare

146.  Using Your Senses in Continuous Improvement

147.  A Video by Phillip Marris on CI

148.  An article about a Construction Company Using the TOC Thinking Processes

149.  Using TOC in Healthcare Part 1

150.  Using TOC in Healthcare Part 2

151.  Using TOC in Healthcare Part 3 Supply Replenishment

152.  Using TOC in Healthcare Part 4 Supply Replenishment (con’t)

153.  Using TOC in Healthcare Part 5 Supply Replenishment (final)

154.  The Sock Maker

155.  The Negative Effects of Using Efficiency

156.  Cost Accounting Part 1

157.  A Political Voting Story

158.  Cost Accounting Part 2

159.  Cost Accounting Part 3

160.  Using TLS for the Affordable Care Act

161.  The System Constraint in Hospitals Part 1

162.  Wait Times in Hospitals

163.  The Oncology Clinic Case Study Part 1

164.  The Oncology Clinic Case Study Part 2

165.  Article: Emergency Department Throughput, Crowding, and Financial Outcomes for Hospitals

166.  Goldratt’s 5 Focusing Steps in Healthcare

167.  My First Experience With TOC Part 1

168.  My First Experience With TOC Part 2

169.  My First Experience With TOC Part 3

170.  My First Experience With TOC Part 4

171.  My First Experience With TOC Part 5

172.  My First Experience With TOC Part 6

173.  Healthcare Case Study Part 1

174.  Healthcare Case Study Part 2

175.  Healthcare Case Study Part 3

176.  TOC in Healthcare

177.  Healthcare Case Study Part 4

178.  My Transition From Aviation Maintenance to Healthcare

179.  Door to Doc Time Case Study Part 1

180.  Door to Doc Time Case Study Part 2

181.  Door to Doc Time Case Study Part 3

182.  Door to Doc Time Case Study Part 4

183.  My White Paper in Quality Forum Part 1

184.  My White Paper in Quality Forum Part 2

185.  My White Paper in Quality Forum Part 3

186.  A Meeting on Epiphanized at the Pittsburgh Airport

187.  Billing for Immunizations Case Study Part 1

188.  Some Thoughts on Performance Improvement Part 1

189.  Some Thoughts on Performance Improvement Part 2

190.  Case Study on Using TOC in Healthcare

191.  IO Map

192.  TOC Thinking Process Tools Part 1

192B.  TOC Thinking Process Tools Part 2

193.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 1

194.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 2

195.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 3

196.  Synchronized and Non-synchronized Production

197.  Competitive Edge Factors

198.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 4

199.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 5

200.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 6

201.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 7

202.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 8

203.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 9

204.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 10

205.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 11

206.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 12

207.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 13

208.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 14

209.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 15

210.  Case Study on How to Use TOC’s Thinking Processes Part 16

211.  The IO Map Revisited Part 1

212.  The IO Map Revisited Part 2

213.  The IO Map Revisited Part 3

214.  The IO Map Revisited Part 4

215.  An Interview About The Ultimate Improvement Cycle by Joe Dager

216.  Healthcare Case Study:  Door to Balloon Time Part 1

217.  More On My First Experience With TOC Part 1

218.  More On My First Experience With TOC Part 2

219.  More On My First Experience With TOC Part 3

220.  More On My First Experience With TOC Part 3

221.  More On My First Experience With TOC Part 4

222.  A Discussion on Constraints Management Part 1

223.  A Discussion on Constraints Management Part 2

224.  A Discussion on Constraints Management Part 3

225.  A Discussion on Constraints Management Part 4

226.  A Discussion on Constraints Management Part 6

227.  How I Present TOC Basics to Students & Teams Part 1 (Most viewed of all posts)

228.  How I Present TOC Basics to Students & Teams Part 2

229.  YouTube Video on Improving Flow Through a Bottleneck

230.  YouTube Video on Throughput Accounting

231.  YouTube Video on What to Change

232.  YouTube Video on What to Change To

233.  YouTube Video on How to Cause the Change to Happen

234.  A Meeting With an Executive of a Larger Corporation

235.  The Missing Link

236.  You Tube Video by Goldratt on Henry Ford and Taichi Ohno

237.  Prevention Versus Detection – The Bug Guy

238.  An Article by Anna Gorman of the LA Times

239.  TOC’s Solution to Supply Chain Problems

240.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 1

241.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 2

242.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 3

243.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 4

244.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 5

245.  The Nun and the Bureaucrat Part 6

246.  A Healthcare Clinic Case Study Part 1

246B.  An Update to Focus and Leverage Part 246

247,  Drum Buffer Rope in Manufacturing

248.  The Sock Maker Revisited Part 1

249.  The Sock Maker Revisited Part 2

250.  Throughput Accounting Part 1

251.  Throughput Accounting Part 2

252.  Throughput Accounting Part 3

253.  How to Use and Integrated TOC, Lean & Six Sigma Methodology Part 1

254.  How to Use and Integrated TOC, Lean & Six Sigma Methodology Part 2

255.  How to Use and Integrated TOC, Lean & Six Sigma Methodology Part 3

256.  How to Use and Integrated TOC, Lean & Six Sigma Methodology Part 4

257.  How to Use and Integrated TOC, Lean & Six Sigma Methodology Part 5

258.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 1

259.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 2

260.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 3

261.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 4

262.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 5

263.  Critical Path Project Management Versus Critical Chain PM Part 6

264.  The Cabinet Maker – A TOC Case Study Part 1

265.  The Cabinet Maker – A TOC Case Study Part 2

266.  The Cabinet Maker – A TOC Case Study Part 3

267.  The Cabinet Maker – A TOC Case Study Part 4

268.  How I Run Improvement Events

269.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 1

270.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 2

271.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 3

272.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 4

273.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 5

274.  Using The Goal Tree vs. the Full Thinking Process Analysis Part 6

275.  An Analysis of Focus and Leverage’s Top Page View Postings

276.  An Index of All Focus and Leverage Blog Posts

277.  Using the Thinking Processes in Healthcare Part 1

278.  Using the Thinking Processes in Healthcare Part 2

279.  Using the Thinking Processes in Healthcare Part 3

280.  The Four Disciplines of Execution Part 1

281.  The Four Disciplines of Execution Part 2

282.  The Four Disciplines of Execution Part 3

283.  The Four Disciplines of Execution Part 4

284.  The Four Disciplines of Execution Part 5

285.  The Goal Tree – A New Way to Make it and Use It Part 1

286.  The Goal Tree – A New Way to Make it and Use It Part 2

287.  The Goal Tree – A New Way to Make it and Use It Part 3

288.  Operation Excellence by Jim Covington

289.  The Saw Mill Assessment

290.  How I present the Theory of Constraints to People Not Familiar With it

291.  David and Goliath – Malcolm Gladwell’s Latest Book

292.  The Basics of TOC

293.  TOC’s Replenishment Model Part 1

294.  TOC’s Replenishment Model Part 2

295.  Blog Posting Index

296.  Overcoming Natural Resistance to Change

297.  Integrating TOC, Lean and Six Sigma Part 1

298.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 1

299.  The Winter Storm in Atlanta

300.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 2

301.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 3

302.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 4 Final

303.  Bill Dettmer videos on TOC’s Thinking Processes

304.  Queuing Theory Part 1

305.  Queuing Theory Part 2

306.  Delta Airlines Lack of Customer Focus

307.  Bill Dettmer’s Book Strategic Navigation

308.  Excerpts from The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – My second book Part 1

309.  Excerpts from The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – My second book Part 2

310.  Excerpts from The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – My second book Part 3

311.  Excerpts from The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – My second book Part 4

312.  Excerpts from The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – My second book Part 5

313.  The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – Step 1:  Identify - My second book Part 6

314.  The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – Step 2:  Define, Measure and Analyze - My second book Part 7

315.  The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – Step 3:  Improve - My second book Part 8

316.  The Ultimate Improvement Cycle – Step 3:  Control - My second book Part 9

317.  Throughput Accounting Part 1

318.  Throughput Accounting Part 2

319.  Throughput Accounting Part 3

320.  Throughput Accounting Part 4

321.  Throughput Accounting Part 5

322.  Throughput Accounting Part 6

323.  Throughput Accounting Part 7 Final

324.  Optimium Health’s Amazing New Software for Healthcare

325.  Personal experiences using Throughput Accounting

326.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 1

327.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 2

328.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 3

329.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 4

330.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 5

331.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 6

332.  MRO Project Management Case Study Part 7 (Finale)

333.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 1

334.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 2

335.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 3

336.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 4

337.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 5

338.  Part’s Replenishment Systems Part 6 (Finale)

339.  My Most Rewarding Experience

340.  Operation Excellence by Jim Covington

341.  Epiphanized sequel update

342.  The intent of Focus and Leverage Part 1

343.  The intent of Focus and Leverage Part 2

344.  The intent of Focus and Leverage Part 3

345.  The intent of Focus and Leverage Part 4

346.  The intent of Focus and Leverage Part 5

347.  My Most Profound Learning

348.  An update to our sequel to Epiphanized

349.  TOC and the VA Problem

350.  Reasons for Failing Improvement Initiatives

351.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 1

352.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 2

353.  Appendix 1 from Epiphanized Part 3

354.  Link to a presentation on TLS

355.  Article on 91 Hospitals laying-off Employees

356.  How Cost Accounting is Hurting Hospitals

357.  Improvement Approach for Healthcare

358.  Being a Satisficer Versus an Optimizer

359.  Healthcare Case Study – Door to Doc Time

360.  Presentation by Henry Camp

361.  Healthcare Case Study – Waiting Time to be Admitted

362.  Using the True Subject Matter Experts for Improvement

363.  Problems at WaterSaver

364.  Systems Thinking Part 1

365.  Systems Thinking Part 2