TOC (Theory of Constraints)

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a problem-solving management method. It is focused on limiting factors or constraints, also referred as bottlenecks, slowing down the process of a system. The overall goal is to eliminate these constraints in order to enhance performance. This theory was introduced in 1984 by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt in his bestselling novel « The Goal » [1]. It has been developed continuously since then by Dr. Goldratt as well as other contributors and has become a notable method in the world of management. It has been developed for manufacturing but is applicable for any type of project management. The TOC is based on an iterative method for improvement. It considers every system as a chain of activities that operates one after another and hypothesizes that this chain is not stronger than its weakest link. Indeed, among these activities, one acts as a constraint upon the entire system, i.e. the weakest link. TOC then provide a wide range of tools in order to get rid of it and optimize the process. The first one