26
Systems as Chains
Optimizing individual processes does nothing to reduce or remove the constraint. No matter how optimized a process, the whole system will not perform any better.
INPUTS
Step
A
Step
B
Step
C
Step
D
Step
E
OUTPUTS
Market
Demand =
15
10
Units/Day
20
Units/Day
6
Units/Day
8
Units/Day
9
Units/Day
•What is the maximum system output per day?
•Where is the weakest link? Why?
H.W. Dettmer
Goldratt contends that there’s only one constraint in a system at any given time.