 ##  [Theory of Constraints](/theory-constraints) 

  ##  [Theory of Constraints](https://engineering.quantumdictionary.io/theory-constraints-0) 

  

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**Engineering &amp; Applied Technologies Dictionary**

 







 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Definition

A managerial and improvement methodology that identifies the system component (the constraint) that most limits system throughput and applies targeted changes—identify, exploit, subordinate, elevate and repeat—to raise overall throughput until the constraint shifts.