About this Presentation
Rules of Flow in the Real World is a candid fireside discussion about moving Theory of Constraints from an initial idea to sustained practice inside a large, complex enterprise. Sue Simmonite and Andy Watt use the BAE Systems journey to explore the practical path from establishing credibility and leadership buy-in through diagnostics, piloting, scaling, and the continuing challenge of sustainment. The discussion highlights the role of a curiosity-led approach, a diagnostic process built around workshops and data analysis, and phased implementations designed to create early results and credibility. It also examines how new teams are engaged, why visible leadership sponsorship matters, and why building internal capability through training and implementation together is essential if the approach is to last beyond the initial implementation. Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag adds an organisational psychology and global TOC perspective, focusing on the behavioural and cultural patterns that create the conditions for lasting change. The conversation closes by looking at what senior leaders can do when they face a real delivery challenge and how a successful programme can grow in both breadth across new sites and projects and depth into additional functions within existing sites.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
How a large organisation can create initial TOC buy-in through curiosity, a rigorous diagnostic process, leadership alignment, and a clear connection to a real delivery need.
Why phased implementation, early results, peer stories, and visible sponsorship can help Rules of Flow scale from pilot work into wider enterprise adoption.
Why sustainment requires more than an initial implementation: organisations need internal capability, repeated training, implementation experience, and attention to behavioural and cultural conditions.
How leaders can expand a successful TOC programme in both breadth and depth while keeping the focus on system goals, practical results, and the needs of each team.
Instructor(s)
Sue Simmonite
Sue Simmonite is the Global Project Management & Control Director for BAE Systems. She has been with BAE Systems for 29 years, gaining experience across a range of complex projects in different sectors and business units. She has led initiatives in project control, project management, contract closure, and business integration, having initially joined as a Business Modern Apprentice.
Operating within the Chief Technology Information Office based in the UK, Sue works across various cultures and geographies to provide the enabling project management & control capabilities necessary to achieve operational excellence in projects, programs, and portfolios.
Sue is actively engaged in operational support for global portfolios, programs, and projects by chairing key independent reviews, such as Integrated Baseline Reviews and Phase Reviews. She is also the corporate sponsor for all senior project management leadership programs, collaborating closely with thought leaders in academia.
Sue represents BAE Systems in the Association for Project Management (APM), the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the UK Major Projects Association (MPA). She has been recognized as an APM Fellow and was one of the inaugural BAE Systems PM Fellows. In 2024, she was successfully re-elected to the APM Board of Trustees and continues to serve as Deputy Chair.
Andy Watt
Andy Watt: Transformational Leader with 35+ Years of Expertise Industry Expertise: Production, Distribution, MRO, Supply Chain, Project Management. Track Record: 15 years in senior roles within the defence industry; over 30 years implementing Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM). Career Highlights: Joined The Goldratt Institute in 2000, delivering TOC training, coaching, and consulting. Worked directly with Dr. Eli Goldratt, applying TOC principles to solve critical business challenges. Took over Goldratt UK in 2007 to extend TOC consultancy across the UK. Led the team at Goldratt UK in the implementation of TOC and CCPM across hundreds of organisations worldwide.
Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag
Dr. Efrat Goldratt-Ashlag is the author of Goldratt's Rules of Flow and co-author, with her father Dr. Eli Goldratt, of The Choice. She holds a PhD in Organizational Psychology and specializes in developing training materials that enable personal and organizational growth. She is also CEO of Goldratt1 Ltd., managing the copyrights, publication, and distribution of Goldratt's books worldwide.