Ops 571 - Bottlenecks in a Process

Bottlenecks in a Process

John Miller

OPS/571

January 30, 2012

Robert Morris

In week one a Flowchart was designed to help improve waking up for work in the morning. This is a process that has been used for a number of years, but recently I have started monitoring this process to see improvements. The objective of this paper is to discuss the main bottleneck in my process of waking up and to apply Goldratt's Theory of Constraints to identify and overcome the process's bottleneck.

Process Bottleneck

The term bottleneck is defined as a series task that has the slowest throughput rate or longest cycle time ("Netmba", 2010). It is basically the task causing the problem. Identifying the bottleneck is a critical aspect of process analysis. When time is saved in the bottleneck activity it saves time for the whole process. As I was analyzing my flowchart, I found that my main bottleneck task was that I constantly hit the snooze button. This bottleneck task resulted in me waking up at least 30 minutes after my original alarm goes off.

Goldratt's Theory of Constraints (TOC)

Marlene (2009) "The TOC is based on the idea of using scientific principles and logic to guide human-based organizations in their decision-making processes." (para.2). The TOC provides a process for eliminating the constraints. The following are the five steps of the TOC:

1. Identify the Constraint

2. Decide how to exploit the constraint

3. Subordinate all other processes to above decision

4. Elevate the constraint

5. If, as a result of these steps, the constraint has moved, return to step one

When analyzing my process and applying this theory to my process step-by-step, it looks like the following:

1. Hitting the snooze button

2. To exploit the constraint every morning I remember not to touch the snooze button, as I have realized this is the constraint.

3. To align all processes with the decision in step 2, I started to go to bed earlier, which allowed me to get good sleep, which then allowed me to complete step 2.

4. To elevate the constraint I decided to set one alarm, which allowed me to wake up 30 minutes prior to the previous time because I was setting two alarms that had 15 minutes of snooze set on both.

5. If, as a result of these steps, the constraint has moved, return