Thought processes are a series of cause-and-effect mapping techniques used to achieve business goals, part of Goldratt’s theory of constraints. They involve identifying unwanted effects, underlying assumptions and conflicts, and obstacles to change. The prerequisite and transition trees show how to make changes. Goldratt’s theory assumes that identifying constraints can overcome obstacles and achieve goals.
Thought processes are a series of cause-and-effect mapping techniques designed to help managers and staff think through the steps required to achieve a goal. They are part of a larger business management philosophy known as Goldratt’s theory of constraints. To decide what needs to change, businessmen create a current reality tree. The evaporating cloud tree and future reality techniques are used to decide what to change, while the concept of negative branches helps business people recognize the unintended negative side effects of change. Finally, a prerequisite tree and a transition tree are used to show the step-by-step changes that need to be made to achieve the goal.
If a company finds it is not meeting all of its goals, managers try to decide what they can change to overcome the problem. The actual tree of reality is a graph made up of boxes and arrows that show how one part of the system affects another. It is used to identify what Goldratt called unwanted effects (UDE), parts of the system that are not working. Once identified, handlers can find the root constraint or underlying problem causing these UDEs.
The next step in the thought processes involves identifying the underlying assumptions and conflicts causing the UDE. This is done using the evaporating cloud technique, a graph that starts with the goal and maps the requirements and prerequisites needed to achieve that goal. Then the future reality tree is used to map how changing one element will affect the whole system. This can result in negative branches. If the negative branches can be overcome, the managers have found out what they will change. If not, they have to look for another solution.
The last two thought processes are used to show staff how to make change. The prerequisite tree traces the actions to be taken and the obstacles that will result. It is basically a set of goals and the problems of achieving each one. The transition tree shows a detailed explanation of each action and explains why it is needed.
Dr. Eliyahu M. Goldratt first introduced thought processes in his book The Goal, published in 1984. They were part of his theory of constraints. This theory assumes that any system is limited by a small number of constraints that prevent it from achieving its goals. If these constraints are correctly identified using thought processes, they can be overcome and the goals of the system can be achieved.
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