The bottleneck you fixed is now in a different department

Capacity was added where the pressure was loudest, lead times barely moved, and the constraint quietly relocated to the function least equipped to notice it.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The bottleneck you fixed is now in a different department

A pattern that repeats across service firms, workshops, agencies and clinics: the team everyone agrees is drowning finally gets help. Two more installers, a second technician, an extra project manager. Six months later, revenue is up modestly, the wage bill is up more, and customers are waiting roughly as long as they were before. The obvious conclusion, that the hire was a mistake, is usually wrong. The constraint was real. It simply stopped being the constraint the moment it was relieved, and the plan carried on as though it hadn’t.…

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Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

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