2009 North American Regional Conference

Anatomy of a Viable Vision S & T tree

The Viable Vision (VV) strategy and tactic (S&T) trees seem to diverge from established TOC processes (thinking processes and the five focusing steps). This presentation bridges the gap and explains the inner structure and execution of the VV S&Ts.

Creating perfect harmony - How to solve the discords of TOCLSS

Course

Understand key differences between TOC and lean/six sigma in continuous improvement to achieve sustained bottom line improvements. Recognizing misalignments is crucial for a seamless, mistake-proof approach.

Tube Forgings of America: A case study of TOC

Course

Tube Forgings of America, Inc. (TFA) has produced steel pipe fittings for various industries since 1955. Learn about TFA's 11-year use of constraints management to navigate market volatility.

Implementation of lean+ and theory of constraints - Boeing Fleet Support Engineering - airframe

Course

Facing a 2007 crisis, Boeing successfully used Critical Chain (CC) in fleet support engineering. The presentation covers the initial, subsequent project use, challenges, and positive results of CC implementation.

How powerful is TOC replenishment? Protection against today's economy?

Course

TOC consultants have difficulty securing work due to unclear offers, and business owners are overwhelmed by failing projects. The TOC replenishment solution offers a broad remedy to these challenges.

Managing (improving) back-office healthcare operations

Course

A hospital's back-office billing faced backlog and errors, risking fraud and lost revenue. Using the five focusing steps (5 FS), a Florida hospital aligned efforts to improve throughput and reimbursement.

Integrating lean, TOC, six sigma and ERP: Tying them together

Course

This session explores the strategic and tactical relationships between lean manufacturing, six sigma, theory of constraints (TOC), and ERP, including the impact of absorption costing on lean results.

Some thoughts on using the theory of constraints for very large complex projects

Course

Complex, large-scale projects, such as infrastructure development and defense systems, challenge traditional planning and management by requiring the coordination of numerous interdependent agents and tasks.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Course

The presentation details industry evolution ("standing on the shoulders" of Whitney, Ford, Ohno) and explains the four flow concepts that form the basis of Ford's assembly line and Ohno's Toyota Production System.

Dealing with the nursing shortage: An overview of how the Rio Grande Valley successfully employed the concepts of TOC to increase the throughput of locally trained nurses and allied health professionals

Course

In 2001, RGV hospitals, higher education institutions, and NGOs collaborated to outline training for nursing and allied health in the Rio Grande Valley. This led to the RGV Allied Health Training Alliance and a centralized clinical scheduling system.

Strategy and tactics for selling a TOC robust solution

Course

Covers business profiles, buying influences, the universal buying cycle, launching the offer, winning the sale (trust-building), and the proposal. Key points: choose easy accounts, call on all buying influences, and selling is learning.

Productive change at MTU Detroit Diesel: Using IO map and transition tree

Course

A case study details how the intermediate objectives (IO) map and transition tree (TrT) helped MTU Detroit Diesel achieve its most ambitious goal, providing a roadmap for others.

THE fastest way to improve cash flow: The theory of constraints approach to increasing cash velocity

Course

Dr. Lisa discusses how companies can quickly increase cash flow amount and velocity in a downturn economy. She shares a process for assessing the biggest impact on cash flow and making decisions that maximize it.

Techniques when task safeties are underestimated

Course

CCPM consolidates task safety estimates (cushions). The text questions how to make CCPM work if task time estimates are much less than needed, rather than having excessive cushion.

Challenges and opportunities: Applying the TOC thinking processes (TP) in public sector organizations

Course

The Thinking Processes (TP) framework aids in understanding managerial dilemmas, strategy, and improvements. Insights from a US city water department, African solid waste, and Philippine municipal services are included, along with TP pitfalls.

Critical chain: Short-duration tasks

Course

Robert Richards of Stottier Henke discussed modifying project management software with critical chain features, used by NASA. Hilbert noted the presentation's goal was feedback from TOC experts, not a description of their work.

Reaching the goal: How managers improve a services business using Goldratt’s theory of constraints

Course

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) has been adapted for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (PSTS). This shows that TOC can be applied across the entire service sector, even in highly customized fields that differ from manufacturing.

Synchronization, communication & alignment: Why no major initiative should be without a strategy & tactics tree

Course

The S&T tree presentation explains the strategy and tactics tree, its importance for all organizational levels, and the five key questions it answers: responsibilities, organizational needs, necessary actions, action effectiveness, and risks.

The soft stuff is the hard stuff

Course

A leader manages to lean principles, creating flexible, cross-functional groups of empowered employees. This presentation addresses group and individual behaviors, showing how a leader can enhance engagement and culture.

Beyond MRP

Course

Actively Synchronized Replenishment (ASR) is a no-compromise solution for material synchronization, regardless of manufacturing methods. It links material availability to actual consumption, resolving issues associated with MRP.

A vertically integrated supply chain case

Course

Follow-up on LaTourneau Technologies presentation, detailing differences, supply chain overview, Jonah course education, and lessons learned (control points, bottleneck capacity). Discussed critical chain, DBR, replenishment, and ASR.

TOC and A3—Facilitating a path through the layers of resistance

Course

The A3 framework, a Toyota tool for developing managers, is a flexible, powerful, and dynamic system that can help TOC practitioners spread TOC thinking and consultants enter lean markets. When used Socratically, A3 can transform leadership.

Managing and improving Coca-Cola Bottling in Brazil with TOC value flow management STLS

Course

A personal narrative on improving competitiveness in the dynamic Brazilian beverage business as a CEO (SPAIPA Bottling Group 1993-2001) and consultant, detailing TOC-focused turnarounds at Coke Brazil (2002-2003) and Maranhão (2004-2006).

Viable Vision for Healthcare

Course

A 10-step process for implementing a Viable Vision (VV) in healthcare. Steps include: delimiting system boundaries, agreeing on goals/measurements, developing the VV using RRR, identifying gaps (UDEs), resolving conflicts, and continuous improvement.

Projects in less time

Course

CCPM tackles project failures (schedule, budget, scope) for faster delivery and better team quality of life. This presentation details CCPM's core concepts in execution, planning, and portfolio management.

The PECo journey: The fusion of theory of constraints, lean and six sigma-Velocity

Course

Facing fierce global competition, US manufacturer PECo adopted AGI's focused system improvement (FSI) process—an integrated TOC, lean, and six sigma (TLS) approach—to grow market share and sustain profitable growth through economic downturns.