Bottlenecks

University of Phoenix Bottlenecks in a Process OPS 571   Introduction In week one I designed a flow chart to help me develop a better process of me getting up in the morning. In my analysis of my metric system which was time, I realized that I made slight improvements improvement. In this paper I will explain the bottleneck process and how I can apply the Goldratt’s theory of constraints to identify and overcome process bottlenecks. Process Bottleneck “A bottleneck is defined as any resource whose capacity is less than the demand placed upon it. A bottleneck is a constraint within the system that limits throughput. It is that point in the manufacturing process where flow thins to a narrow stream. A bottleneck may be a machine, scarce or highly skilled labor, or a specialized tool. Observations in industry have shown that most plants have very few bottleneck operations” (Chase, 2006). Identifying the bottleneck is a critical aspect of analyzing the process; it determines the process capacity and provides a chance to enhance it. As I review my flowchart, I have determined that my main bottleneck point is consistently hitting the snooze button on my alarm. It is causing me to lose twenty minutes in the morning to get prepared for work. When I overcome this obstacle, getting prepared for my day will become more fluent and I will be allotted the time to complete my morning tasks, such as drinking a cup of coffee. My next task will be achievable as my bottleneck point will have limited impact on the process capacity. Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints Goldratt’s theory of constraints can help identify and eliminate bottlenecks by measuring data to determine goals. It is a thinking process that helps a person to think about what can be done to improve your process. With the theory he or she is able to find the bottleneck that is the most restrictive in the process. The Goldratt’s Theory provides a process in eliminating the constraints. Five steps one should follow in order to identify the constraints: 1. Identify the constraint 2. Decide how to exploit the constraint 3. Subordinate all other process to above decision 4. Elevate the constraint 5. If the constraint has moved, return to first step I used this theory to eliminate my constraint, which is hitting the snooze bottom several time during my getting prepared for work. Once this constraint was removed, I was able to proceed with my daily activities without many other obstacles. Time became a non-issue, as I was getting up in the morning, driving to work in a timely fashion and ultimately arriving to my job on time. References: Chase, R. B., Jacobs, R. F., & Aquilano, N. J. (2005). Operations Management for Competitive Advantage (11th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.