theory-of-constraints

Installation
SKILL.md

Theory of Constraints (TOC)

Core principle: Every system has exactly one constraint limiting its throughput at any moment. Improving anything that is not the constraint is waste. Find the constraint, exploit it, then repeat.


The 5 Focusing Steps

Step 1: Identify the Constraint

Find the single bottleneck — the resource, process, or step with the least capacity relative to demand.

How to find it:

  • Where does work pile up? (queue buildup = upstream of the constraint)
  • Where is there idle time? (downstream of the constraint — starved for input)
  • What does everyone wait on? (the constraint is often "that one person" or "that one step")
  • What's the longest step in the value stream?

Signal: The constraint is where WIP accumulates and where delays originate.

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