H1315-00 Front Matter:H1315 7/31/07 2:20 PM Page 1 “Proving that continuing to apply logic to the thinking process (yes, the principles dating back to Aristotle that were adapted and advanced by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in our modern age) can improve it substantially, H. William Dettmer’s new edition of his landmark book, Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints, reflects the evolution of the thinking process to its current level: the Logical Thinking Process. Make no mistake: the majority of heavy lifting to elevate the thinking process has been done by Dettmer himself. Goldratt once told me that he did not write anything of depth about the thinking process (TP). Instead, he left it to the few brave and uniquely qualified educators, of whom Dettmer has risen to the forefront. This new edition teaches how leaders can face down real-life issues by employing the rigorous deductive logic he’s honed to perfection by repeated application: how a better quality Current Reality Tree (CRT) can be created in less time. New material includes a chapter on changing the status quo. If there’s one Dettmer book to own ahead of all others, it is The Logical Thinking Process.” Jeff “SKI” Kinsey, Jonah Throughput Press Hilton Head Island, SC “Where would the logical approach to problem solving espoused by TOC proponents be without Bill Dettmer? Is logical thinking so simple that a cave man might be able to do it? Is it common sense, that we need not overthink it? I would argue neither. The Logical Thinking Process clearly demonstrates that a thorough, logical approach can be used not only to identify complex problems and find potential solutions, but also to generate buy-in among those individuals who must bring about improvement in the organization as well as provide support for the process of planning and implementing effective solutions. Bill’s dedication, experience, and motivation to develop the necessary tools for this problem- solving approach have been invaluable to both practitioners and academicians. He goes about it in such a thoughtful, unrelenting, and disciplined way that his work has effectively defined the field of study.” J. Wayne Patterson, Ph.D. Professor of Operations Management Clemson University “After years of thinking, applying, re-thinking, and modifying, we have now Bill Dettmer’s most recent update, documenting those years of experience with verbalizing intuition into clear logic and applying it to business. This process facilitates clarification of thoughts, the challenge of hidden assumptions, identification of real root causes, and rational prediction of what could happen in the future. This is all based on logic and common sense; there is no ‘believe me— it works.’ All managers who use this book will find themselves better prepared to think logically, without losing any of their own intuition. Is there anything more important for managers to be doing? Read this book carefully— it could be very important to you.” Eli Schragenheim Elyakim Management Systems, Ltd. “Don’t buy this book if you believe that ‘gut feel’ is the perfect tool for leaders to use in deciding what they should do and what their people should do. However, if you are looking for a box of logical decision-making tools to use in setting goals, deciding how they should be achieved, and leading the execution of your plan, then this book must be on the top of your desk daily. It is the reference for the tools of constraint management—the leadership discipline that focuses on finding and resolving system constraints.” Dieter Legat, Ph.D. Managing Director Delta Institute Geneva, Switzerland “Dettmer has made an important contribution to competitive strategy by writing what is, as far as I know, the first book to unify and demonstrate the power of both the Logical Thinking Process developed by Goldratt and the OODA loop (observe-orient-decide-act). Operating together, they will be very, very hard to beat.” Chet Richards, Ph.D. Author of Certain to Win and an international expert on the philosophy of John Boyd “When I started reading The Logical Thinking Process, I couldn’t easily put it aside. There are a lot of new insights in this book, even for those who are already familiar with previous books on the Theory of Constraints. Bill does not simply tell the story of the logical thinking tools (as invented by someone else). He creates his own story of the thinking tools. He introduces a new tool, the Intermediate H1315-00 Front Matter:H1315 7/31/07 2:20 PM Page 2 Objectives Map, which brilliantly dissolves many difficulties that people might have had with the other tools. He merges the Prerequisite Tree and Transition Tree into a more useful Prerequisite Tree, and he dissects the 3-UDE Cloud. He is at his best with this book, and you will feel the experience of decades of consulting and teaching. Working through the book is the next best thing to attending one of his thinking process classes in person. Get the book, take your time to read through it, be patient, and reap the benefits from your increased understanding and the streamlined method.” Christoph Steindl, Ph.D. Managing Director, Catalysts GmbH Linz, Austria “The Logical Thinking Process is the most comprehensive, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to finding real solutions to problems I face in business every day. Dettmer has created the definitive guide for applying the Logical Thinking Process that Goldratt created. If you really want to find the key leverage points to fundamentally improve your business, The Logical Thinking Process will give you the tools to achieve your goal.” Christopher M. Zephro Director, Supply Chain Seagate Technology “I find Bill to be the world’s most articulate exponent of the thinking process tools of the Theory of Constraints and very much enjoy the experience and knowledge he brings to his writing style. This book manages to be precise without being pedantic, and entertaining without losing sight of the seriousness of the topic. The book works both as a grand overview of a systems approach to complex problem solving and as a practical chapter-by-chapter guide to the tools and techniques of rational thinking. If you’re wondering how best to structure, test, and communicate your reasoning, then read Bill’s book.” David V. Hodes, Managing Director TOC Center of Australia (TOCCA) Sydney, Australia “This is a complete guide for the Logical Thinking Process (TP). It embodies the latest thinking about logical thinking. It covers all modes of TP application, from personal problem solving to strategic development, and from corporate problem solving to legal applications of the thinking process. In teaching this thinking process in Japan, I have personally witnessed phenomenal development of students’ capabilities to solve problems and visualize the interactions of whole systems. This book is Bill Dettmer’s gift for humanity.” Haruyuki Uchiyama, President MoreThroughput.com Japan “The topics that are a must-read are the Intermediate Objectives Map and Current Reality Tree. There is a basic research in these areas that can be invaluable to the reader. The chapter on the Intermediate Objectives Map provides an excellent guide for understanding undesirable effects and selecting them effectively. This improves the quality of the Current Reality Tree significantly.” Sadashiv S Pandit Executive Chairman Fleetguard Filters Private Limited India “The Logical Thinking Process is a practical guide to improving any system’s performance, from one of the clearest authors in the field of the Theory of Constraints. It quickly gets to the heart of major concepts and techniques, and updates prior readers of the literature with the latest developments. Many standard tools for continuous improvement fail to achieve noteworthy results at a macro level. Why? Because too often, the problems to which the tools are applied are local in nature. The tools, and the problems to which they are applied, do not address the greatest constraints holding back the system as a whole. In The Logical Thinking Process, leaders and improvement teams are given a concrete method for creating the kind of major turnaround that today’s crises so often demand. The Logical Thinking Process is a must-have tool in the arsenal of any continuous improveme nt effort.” Paul H. Selden, Ph. D. Founder and President, Performance Management, Inc. H1315-00 Front Matter:H1315 7/31/07 2:20 PM Page 3 The Logical Thinking Process A Systems Approach to Complex Problem Solving H1315-00 Front Matter:H1315 7/31/07 2:20 PM Page 4 Also available from ASQ Quality Press: Breaking the Constraints to World-Class Performance H. William Dettmer Strategic Navigation: A Systems Approach to Business Strategy H. William Dettmer Enterprise Process Mapping: Integrating Systems for Compliance and Business Excellence Charles G. Cobb Root Cause Analysis: Simplified Tools and Techniques, Second Edition Bjørn Andersen and Tom Fagerhaug The Certified Quality Process Analyst Handbook Eldon H. Christensen, Kathleen M. Coombes-Betz, and Marilyn S. Stein Making Change Work: Practical Tools for Overcoming Human Resistance to Change Brien Palmer Business Process Improvement Toolbox, Second Edition Bjørn Andersen Business Performance through Lean Six Sigma: Linking the Knowledge Worker, the Twelve Pillars, and Baldrige James T. Schutta The Process-Focused Organization: A Transition Strategy for Success Robert A. Gardner Inside Knowledge: Rediscovering the Source of Performance Improvement David Fearon & Steven A. Cavaleri Decision Process Quality Management William D. Mawby Defining and Analyzing a Business Process: A Six Sigma Pocket Guide Jeffrey N. Lowenthal Avoiding the Corporate Death Spiral: Recognizing and Eliminating the Signs of Decline Gregg Stocker To request a complimentary catalog of ASQ Quality Press publications, call 800-248- 1946, or visit our Web site at http://qualitypress.asq.org.