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Constraint-first Work System assessment

Find the work that is limiting the flow.

Start with where work waits, piles up, gets returned, or depends on one overloaded person. Then compare up to three Work Systems and choose the first build.

A frustration is evidence. It may point to the constraint, work that feeds it, or a local problem that will not change company output.

This assessment connects what the team sees to the Work Systems that could relieve the constraint, protect its time, or make the flow visible.

Use the names your team uses. “Chasing late supplier commitments” is clearer than “purchasing optimization.”
Method note: The sequence is informed by Theory of Constraints and value-stream thinking. This is an independent Cheryl Thompson Advisory tool.

Step one

Find where work is getting stuck.

Start with the part of the business where work waits, piles up, gets returned, or depends on one overloaded person.

Where is the constraint showing up?

Choose one or more areas. You will only see the problem signals connected to those parts of the business.

Step two

Score the work.

Start with one workflow. Add another when comparison will help you choose.

WORKFLOW 01
0 of 7 questions answered
How often does this work happen?
Repetition is what makes a system worth building. One-off work is a project.
How much of the effort is preparation rather than judgment?
Think about gathering, reformatting, looking things up, and rebuilding context someone already had.
Is there a clear owner for this work?
A job title is enough. Choose the strongest answer when one person is ready to maintain what gets built.
Can a person check the work before anything leaves the building?
There must be a point where a human decides whether the output is ready for release.
Does the source material exist, even imperfectly?
Procedures, past examples, templates, and rules can be messy. They still need to exist somewhere.
Would the user and an executive both notice the difference?
A strong first build produces a result that can be seen without a long explanation.
How much does this work affect the bottleneck?
Choose the strongest answer if this work causes waiting, missed commitments, or less work getting through.

Check for added risk

These conditions make a workflow harder or riskier as a first Work System. If one applies, the first version needs a narrower scope, a named approval point, and stronger governance.

Cheryl Thompson Advisory
Manufacturing Work System AssessmentAugust 12, 2026

Step three

Your results

Name the workflows and answer all seven questions to see the results.