AWWA JAW63322

In this article, the first in a two-part series, the theory of constraints (TOC) was applied to problems plaguing the maintenance system of the Albuquerque (N.M.) Water Utility Division. Using TOC premises and thinking-process logic tools, the management team worked to pinpoint the primary constraint(s) limiting system performance. By creating a logic diagram (a current-reality tree), team members were able to capture the cause-and-effect relationships responsible for the undesirable conditions and underlying core conflicts. TOC is a relatively new theory for identifying and understanding core problems within organizations. By demonstrating how the theory can be applied to a real-world water provider, this article offers utility managers a solid, logic-based approach to solving some of their more intractable and continually recurring problems. Includes 23 references, tables, figures.