The theory of constraints

The theory of constraints is a philosophy introduced by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in his 1984 book, The Goal. It's a method for identifying and removing bottlenecks.

According to the theory of constraints, a system is always limited in achieving its goal by at least one constraint. Removing that constraint is often the fastest and most effective path to improvement. Like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a process is only as productive as its biggest constraint.

Consider an hourglass that consists of two glass bulbs connected by a narrow glass neck. No matter how much sand each bulb holds, the sand will not move from one bulb to the other faster than the neck allows.

The theory of constraints is a method for continuous improvement. It is the ongoing practice of improving your weakest links. By identifying and removing constraints, you make a process more effective by removing friction.

With the theory of constraints, you improve by subtraction. Instead of focusing on what you need to add, you focus on what you need to remove. This can be challenging. It is much more natural to think of execution in terms of addition.

The theory of constraints is often talked about in the context of business, but you can apply it anywhere. Think of it as a mental model for deciding what to focus on. The broad idea is to concentrate on what is holding you back the most and improve in that one area. In this way, you can apply it to any system, process, or project.

Have thoughts on this topic? I'd love to hear from you! I'm @RickLindquist on Twitter.