Engineering Management Program
Course Outline
EM 534 Contemporary Topics in Constraints Management
(Note for this Fall 2011 Offering, the primary focus will be on Understanding, Creating and Implementing your own Viable Vision. And, we will also review the TOCICO Fundamentals and TOC-ICO Applications Exams. Also note, students will have a special offer of all TOC INSIGHTS for $40 for the semester. )
Instructor
James R. Holt, Ph.D., PE
jholt@wsu.edu
429 SE 13th Court
Gresham, OR 97080-9361
Campus Phone (to leave a message): (509)
335-0125
Campus Fax: (509) 335-4725
Home Office Phone: (503) 669-6676
James R. Holt, Ph.D., PE., is an Associate Professor of Engineering Management at Washington State University - Vancouver. He teaches Organizational Behavior, Operations Research, Statistics, Engineering Economics, Simulation, Information Systems, Constraints Management and other special topics. He was a Principal Consultant with Management Advisory Group, Inc. and a Certified Associate of the Avraham Y. Goldratt Institute. Prior to his consulting work, he was Department Head, Engineering and Environmental Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Dr. Holt retired from the Air Force with 20 years experience in engineering, computer and technology management. He has published many articles on supply chain management, project management, maintenance and artificial intelligence. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University, an MS in Facilities Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. specializing in Industrial Engineering / Business Administration from Texas A&M University. Dr. Holt has taught at the graduate level 13 years and has advised 66 engineering student theses and dissertations on a wide variety of topics. He has lived in the Portland area for 8 years and is active with professional and community organizations. Dr. Holt is certified in the TOC Thinking Process, TOC Operations Management, TOC Project Management and TOC Holistic Strategy by the Theory of Constraints International Certification Organization. He is happily married to Suzanne for 30+ years; they have five children and five grandchildren.
Background: The Theory of Constraints continues to grow maturing in theory and robust applications. Eli Goldratt's developed the theory 70s, implemented OPT-the first finite capacity software in the early 80s, published the ever popular text The Goal in the mid 80s, documented the Thinking Processes in the late 80s, delivered Critical Chain as the project management solution in the mid 90s and gave breakthrough solutions for supply chains in 2000. The Theory of Constraints' applications span from industrial settings, sales, marketing, distribution, service industry, education, and medical care to human behavior and research areas. TOC tools have helped many companies make dramatic turn-a-rounds, resolved family troubles, improved educational setting and set records in house building and sailing.
In the past five years, public knowledge of the Theory of Constraints has mushroomed. There are thousands of articles written and presented. There are many texts, and published case studies. The early tools have been refined, improved and polished as TOC applies continuous improvement to itself. These improvements have highlighted how TOC focuses and magnifies the effect other valuable management tools (JIT, Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, Supply Chain, Deming, Covey, Senge, Triz, ). And, how the long term application of TOC needs to aggressively encompass the right parts of these valuable tools for continuous system improvement.
Those who received Theory of Constraints Training prior to 2000 need to revisit the theory and practices to renew their understanding and find out the new, improved techniques. Also, with such a broad range of applications, it is wise to see how these applications overlap and blend to form a Throughout Operating Strategy driven by the Theory of Constraints. The new knowledge of the TOC Holistic Approach and the TOC Strategy and Tactics Tree are important enough for all TOC Experts to renew their understanding.
This course assumes the student is generally familiar with a wide body of knowledge in the Theory of Constraints. And, the student must have satisfactorily completed EM 526 Constraints Management or learned the Goldratt Thinking Process Tools from other recognized sources (contact the Instructor if you have questions). Also, the student should be well familiar with the proven solutions of the Theory of Constraints taught in EM 530 Applications in Constraints Management . Students should have tried implementing some TOC activities previously as well as continuing personal study beyond whatever formal course they have completed.
This course, Contemporary Topics in Constraints Management, provides an opportunity to revisit the Thinking Process tools and find out how to use them quickly. It reviews the proven solutions and brings the student current information on recent improvements. And, it introduces how the proven solutions can be blended with other technologies into an enterprise wide implementation and the full supply chain solution.
Thinking Processes: Students are expected to complete a full Thinking Process analysis based upon their local environment (well within their sphere of responsibility) using the newest TP Tools. This is an opportunity to improve their ability using the thinking processes and the Categories of Legitimate reservation. Students may choose to form groups and tackle a more significant challenge. In either case, their work would be available for scrutiny to the whole class so all may benefit. (Sensitive work can be held private as usual).
Drum-Buffer-Rope: Schragenheim and Dettmer developed a Simplified Drum-Buffer-Rope implementation that works extremely well in market constrained systems (90% of today's world). This technique quickly stabilizes logistics system so organizations can move to the next level.
Critical Chain: While most students have some knowledge of Critical Chain, there are many new software tools and techniques for multi-project environments and creating cultural change in projects. It appears the most valuable and lasting successes of all the Theory of Constraints solutions will be in project management.
Replenishment: The full replenishment / distribution solution is now fully available when you combine Its Not Luck and Necessary But Not Sufficient. We will review this valuable solution for flow processes as it relates to implementing the Enterprise Wide Solution.
Supply Chain: 'Supply chain' is one of the hottest management topics. It appears anyone who can spell it or have a computer program that shares information can publish articles and sell supply chain software. When so many ideas (and contradictions) abound, its good to learn the Theory of Constraints Supply Chain Solution. The TOC approach brings together the correct principles and approaches and focuses the energy and talents of many other techniques. Knowledge of the correct way to do supply chain cuts through the fog of confusion.
Strategy: As a firm integrates across independent business units, it is wise to develop a Throughput Operating Strategy that will benefit every member of the organization and the chain. In the past, such a strategy was left to chance or encouraged with barbed jabs at senior management. But, with a full understanding and the correct exposure, whole management teams can implement correct TOC base strategy quickly. Tools are available to assist the TOC expert.
TOC Holistic Approach: Implementing the Theory of Constraints creates a paradigm shift in organizations. This paradigm shift to the better creates many new challenges for the firm. The result is the firm has changed. No longer can old paradigms be used to make quick decisions. This often leads to confusion, insecurity and conflict. A much better solutions is to implement a holistic solution from the top down. The holistic solution includes all of the TOC applications: Critical Chain, DBR, Measurements, Replenishment and Human Behavior. Implementing in this fashion creates paradigm shifts in several areas allowing massive improvements that cannot be duplicated by competition for many years.
TOC Expert: There is now a Theory of Constraints International Certification Organization (TOC-ICO). While the TOC-ICO is developing its structure, students can each prepare to become certified TOC experts. We will discuss the criteria and preparation necessary for certification.
This is a graduate course. It follows graduate course standards. Each individual student progresses by personal academic effort. Students enroll in this course because they want to learn (not be fed). The amount of knowledge a student gains depends much upon hes own effort, time and energy. Each class period, material is presented to assist the student work and to give direction and focus.
There will be many brilliant students enrolled in class. It is in the student's best interest to interact with each other through discussion groups, peer scrutiny and private discussion. Course material and tools are available to facilitate this discussion. While, there will be no formal grading or measurement of individual interaction, 5% of the course evaluation will be based on participation on class discussion pages.
Students will participate by sharing their TOC work and posting it for class members to review (sensitive private work exempted). Each student will give a class presentation (live or by recorded VHS tape that will be played during class time or available in the class archives).
Thinking Process Project: Each student will complete a full Thinking Process analysis of undesirable effects from within their own span of responsibility. While this will probably be a small project (not a 'system wide analysis'), it will allow the student to quickly relearn, refresh, renew, remember their Thinking Process Tools and to learn the newest techniques. And, it gives the students opportunity for a clear implementation success in an area they can control. Students will post their analysis for peer review.
Categories of Legitimate Reservation: Most people espousing TOC knowledge suffer from ineffective application of the Categories of Legitimate Reservation. As a primer, each student will create a set of teaching examples for each of the categories: Clarity, Entity Existence, Causality Existence, Cause Insufficiency, Additional Cause, Predicted Effect, Cause Reversal and Tautology. Their work will be posted for other students to review.
Physical Processes: Students will be introduced to the Simplified Drum-Buffer Rope as outlined in Manufacturing at Warp Speed. And, they w ill learn the advanced features of the windows based GSIM Production simulator. The main emphasis will be upon buffer management techniques. Students will submit their results of an A-plant, V-plant and T-plant simulation.
Critical Chain: Students will review the basics of Critical Chain Project Management and discuss the best methods of scheduling multi-projects. They also have a chance to review student Critical Chain software. Students will schedule assigned homework projects.
Replenishment: Nearly 70% of all TOC implementations require the Replenishment Solutions to make things work well. We will discuss Replenishment as it pertains to the internal and external supplier-customer relationship.
Supply Chain Management: The fundamental principles of TOC Supply Chain Management will be introduced. Students will review recent three supply chain publications of their choosing and compare and contrast the suggested supply chain methods with the TOC approach. Students will submit a three-to-five page paper report.
Strategy-Tactic Tree: One of the most powerful TOC tools is the Strategy - Tactic Tree that allows a complete plan, both necessary and sufficient, to achieve lofty goals. Students may choose to prepare a Strategy -Tactic Tree as their class project.
Class Project and Presentation: Each student will write a five to eight page class paper and make a fifteen-minute class presentation. The paper and presentation will be on anyone of the following topics:
The topic will be approved with the instructor in advance. When possible and appropriate, the presentation will be made during class time. In most cases, there will not be time or ability for the student to deliver the presentation at a connected video studio. In these cases, the student will submit a VHS video tape recording which will be video archived on the class website. (International students may submit in PAL format and conversion will be performed by WSU.) Preparing YOUR Class Presentation
Thinking Process Analysis: |
40% |
Categories of Legitimate Reservation Examples: |
5% |
Drum Buffer Rope Simulation: |
10% |
Critical Chain Assignments: |
10% |
Supply Chain Paper: |
10% |
Written Class Paper: |
10% |
Class Presentation: |
10% |
Class Participation: |
5% |
This course is taught over the Internet using Angel and Elluminate. You can test your hardward and Internet Connection at: http://www.engrmgt.wsu.edu/technical_help.html. You should have a high-speed connection to the Internet to meet the minimum requirements.
You should have normal office software for this course. The preferred method of presenting graphical material is PowerPoint. While it is not the best, PowerPoint is common software that facilitates interchange and discussion. And, PowerPoint allows flexibility, creativity and originality. The best feature is "what you see is what prints" feature that works on all printers. If you choose to work in other media, post your material in PowerPoint.
Students may also review the draft Thru-Put Project Management the TOC Way Simulator which was released "For review purposes only".
Other software will be available for review and use during the course only. Some of these programs run as independent programs and other are 'installed' under a Windows environment.
Treatment of Sensitive Material: The students of this class come from many companies. While you will be amazed how often different companies suffer from the same types of problems, some companies are reluctant to make public their concerns and breakthrough solutions. In addition, some students may be dealing with sensitive or propietary materials within their company. We have academic freedom within the classroom, we do not mean to embarass any student. And academic freedom does not mean we have a secure environment even with password protection. If you have sensitive material that should not be shared publicly, please do not discuss it in class or other class communications channels.
If you indicate you have sensitive material in your homework submissions, I will not share that information with any other people. Some firms desire a non-disclosure agreement in this cases. Such agreements are easily possible for sensitive work. However, most of the time, a simple "sensitve material" statement is all you need.
New Grading Policy: Occationally, events beyond the students control prevent the student from completing all the required course material. It is Engineering & Technology Management policy that students must complete at least 50% of the course in order to request an "I" (Incomplete) grade. For EM 534, the 50% of the course must include the Thinking Process Project. E&TM expects students to complete the requirements to resolve the "I" (Incomplete) grade within one standard semester.
It is Washington State University policy that the student and the faculty must both agree with an "I" (Incomplete) grade to be given. The student must complete and sign an "Instructor's Incomplete Grade Agreement" form (found at: https://www.ronet.wsu.edu/ROPubs/Forms/IncompleteGradeAgreement/IncompleteGradeAgreement.pdf). The signed form must be sent to the professor by scanning or fax or US mail. The professor will then sign it and return it to the department. "I" grades may not be assigned unless this form is received. If than half the course work has been given, a grade of "F" will be given. Students receiving an "I" (incomplete) grade must complete the coursework within one calendar year or the grade is automatically to an "F" (Failing) grade.
Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and may need accommodations to fully participate in this class, please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC). All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Washington Building, Room 217). Please stop by or call 509-335-3417 to make an appointment with a disability specialist.
If you are taking a Distance Degree course, please use the statement available online at http://drc.wsu.edu/default.asp?PageID=1799 .
Contact: Melynda Huskey melyndah@wsu.edu
Plagerism: Cases of academic dishonesty shall be processed in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy, as printed in the Student Handbook and the Faculty Manual and as available from the Office of Student Affairs.http://www.studentaffairs.wsu.edu/hb_standards.asp.
Live Class |
Discussion Topic |
Homework Assignment |
Elluminate Video Archive Links |
|
1. |
Contact Information Thinking Process Project Assignment CLR Assignment Your Class Presentation Plan |
Video Archive |
||
2. |
Three Cloud Approach
The New Transition Tree |
Student Presentation Topic and Date Due |
Video Archive |
|
3. |
The PreRequisite Tree for PERT Holistic TOC: The Basis for the Viable Vision |
Analysis of Your Company-Looking for all elements of TOC Locally |
Video Archive |
|
4. |
Understanding the Types/Templates for Logistical Viable Vision |
. |
Video Archive |
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5. |
Simplified Drum-Buffer-Rope for A, V and T plants. TOC Insights for Operations Student Presentation |
DBR- Simulation Assignment |
Video Archive |
|
6. |
TOC Replenishment-The Hidden Jewel TOC Insights for Distribution |
Distribution Assignment |
Video Archive |
|
7. |
Critical Chain Project Management TOC Insights for Project Management Critical Chain Implementation Report |
Critical Chain Assignment |
Video Archive |
|
8. |
TOC Finance and Measurements: The consolidated Approacth TOC Insights for Finance and Measures Strategy and Tactic Trees |
TOC Measurements Assignment |
Video Archive |
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9. |
Creating Your Own Viable Vision The 'How to' Sample Viable Visions |
Thinking Process Project Due |
Video Archive |
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10. |
Guest Lecturer: Projects Discussion of The Choice Student Cases Student Presentation |
. |
Video Archive |
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11. |
Discussion of The Choice |
. |
Video Archive |
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12. |
Prepareation for the TOC-ICO Certification Fundamentals Exam Overview |
. |
Video Archive |
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13. |
Preparing for TOC Expert Certification Advanced Exam Overviews |
. |
Video Archive |
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14. |
Student Presenations |
Video Archive |
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15. |
Student Presentations |
Last date for Written Class Project Paper |
Video Archive |
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Page created by James R. Holt
URL: http://www.wsu.edu/~engrmgmt/holt/em534/EM534Syl.html