Does the bottleneck need more people, or less work?

The chapter's question

Which work done at the bottleneck could be done elsewhere?

Big idea

Before buying more capacity, take unnecessary work out of the bottleneck.

In this chapter

1. Part 3.1

   Moving Prep Work Out

   Which part could be done earlier at another leg?

2. Part 3.2

   Work That Can Bypass

   Which kind of work does not have to pass through here at all?

3. Part 3.3

   Reducing Rework

   How much bottleneck capacity is being spent on rework?

4. Part 3.4

   Declining Low-Value Work

   Is there work occupying the bottleneck that returns the least?

Chapters of The Bottleneck

1. 1.Whose desk is the work piling up on?
2. 2.What's the harm in letting the bottleneck take lunch?
3. 3.Does the bottleneck need more people, or less work?
4. 4.Isn't every upgrade a good upgrade?
5. 5.Fixed one bottleneck, got another: did I fail?