About this Presentation
This presentation explores how an engineer-to-order company transformed project execution by combining Critical Chain with the Rules of Flow to reduce harmful multitasking, strengthen Full Kit discipline, improve synchronization, and create better control over work in process. Using a real implementation case, it shows how changing the underlying rules of how work is released, prioritized, and assembled can dramatically improve delivery performance, cut lead times, and reduce chronic lateness in a complex ETO environment.See how an engineer-to-order company combined Critical Chain and the Rules of Flow to cut project lead times nearly in half, reduce lateness, and create a more reliable ETO execution system.
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.
This session shows how an engineer-to-order company can look busy everywhere yet still suffer from long lead times, chronic lateness, and rework because its day-to-day rules are actually rules of anti-flow.
A major insight is that Critical Chain alone was not the full answer. The transformation came from combining CCPM with the Rules of Flow — especially WIP control, Full Kit, buffer management, segregation, standardization, and clearer task priorities.
The presentation makes the operational shift very concrete: instead of pushing more work into design and assembly to keep people busy, the company introduced explicit WIP control points, better release logic, stronger Full Kit criteria, and a new way to manage interruptions and rework.
What makes the case compelling is the measurable turnaround: across 85 completed projects, average lateness dropped from 85 days to 22 days and average lead time fell from 250 days to 134 days — nearly a 50% reduction.
Instructor(s)
Duncan Patrick
Duncan Patrick is Executive Vice President of Montera Inc. Montera specializes in software and consulting that helps clients solve problems in Operations and the Supply Chain. Duncan’s business consulting career is focused on working with clients to assist them solve problems in operations and the supply chain related to lead times, the forecast, inventory, capacity, on time delivery, product development speed and market focus. Duncan holds an MBA degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from The University of Calgary. Duncan is certified by the Theory of Constraints International Certification Organization in all aspects of TOC. In addition, Duncan is a Certified Management Consultant.
Jack Warchalowski
Jack Warchalowski is the CEO of Montera. Montera is a global software and consulting company that helps manufacturers solve persistent operations and supply chain problems to accelerate productivity, revenue and profitability.. Jack helps organizations enhance their profitability and competitive position through the implementation of strategic improvement initiatives driven by Roadrunner software. Jack is a Certified Management Consultant and a Professional Engineer registered in Ontario. He holds an MBA degree from the Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. In addition, Jack is certified by the TOCICO in all aspects of TOC.