Question

Which of the following is Step 1 of the three-step proven path to employing the Process Improvement Trio?

- Implement lean techniques to reduce waste at the bottleneck
- Drive development of next-generation equipment
- Employ six sigma to reduce process variation at the bottleneck and to control the process moving forward
- Apply The theory of constraints to identify where you will get the biggest bang for your buck
- None of the above

Answer 1

The correct first step in the three-step Process Improvement Trio is applying the Theory of Constraints to identify the biggest impact area. This step precedes employing six sigma, implementing lean techniques, or developing new equipment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first step of the three-step proven path to employing the Process Improvement Trio is to Apply The theory of constraints to identify where you will get the biggest bang for your buck. This approach is focused on determining the most significant limitation (the bottleneck) within a process, and then systematically improving that constraint until it is no longer the limiting factor. This contrasts with applying lean techniques, employing six sigma, or driving the development of next-generation equipment which are subsequent steps that may follow after identifying and addressing the key constraint.

Within the context of production technology, a firm should choose the option with the lowest total cost considering both machine hours and labor to optimize efficiency. This approach aligns with the principle of reducing waste and can lead to the adoption of more automated processes where it makes economic sense.