Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is organized into three major sections, dictated by the three basic questions of the theory of constraints (TOC): what to change, what to change to, and how to cause the change. Within each section, there are practical examples followed by discussion of a specific thinking process (TP) tool used to answer the three basic questions, as it applies to understanding and dealing with simple problems. The tools are used formally to solve complex system problems within the broader context of TOC. The TOC, properly implemented, establishes the communication necessary among the stakeholders in the system. The TOC teaches how to identify and remove a constraint. The TOC/TP tools are generic and work without regard to age, culture, or political differences.