Comments on _The Choice_ by Goldratt, chapter 13

I read and took notes on chapter 13 of _The Choice (Revised Edition)_ by Goldratt.

CHAPTER 13: The Sky is Not the Limit

"You taught me that the most precious opportunities to deepen our knowledge are whenever reality is significantly different than our expectation. Most people will just accept results that are better than expectations with delight and move on. But I suspect that you didn't just rush forward; I expect that you took the time to investigate the reasons for the discrepancy. If so, did you find anything significant?"

Interesting. The more the difference is between reality and expectation, the more effort one should put in to learn why expectation was so far from reality (all other variables kept constant). Doing this work helps reduce the difference between reality and expectation in the future. And prioritizing based on amount of difference between reality and expectation is a way to optimize results per unit effort.

That's easy. "Since leftovers don't create damage for the company, they just have to institute a procedure that when their driver sees that there are no leftovers from yesterday, he gives the shop a higher amount than he gave yesterday. If there are lots of leftovers he gives a little less. I'm sure that with some experience the practice can be rapidly established."

I think there should be a system that tracks those numbers and makes it easy for the person to make decisions to increase or decrease reorder levels. And by having those things tracked in a computer system, other people can review those decisions, thereby helping the first-line decision-maker make better decisions in the future.

His original solution, switching to replenishing twice a day, was a daring one. The test verified that it works excellently, beyond even the rosiest expectations. And now, without blinking an eye, he dumped it. Doesn't he have any inertia? And what about the fact that an inventor is supposed to fall in love with his inventions?

Emotional attachment to ideas one originates? Bad idea.