Computers Quote by James P. Womack
““It also seems like common sense that good production management involves keeping every employee busy and every machine fully utilized, to justify the capital invested in the expensive machines. What traditional managers fail to grasp is the cost of maintaining and coordinating a complicated network of high-speed machines making batches. This is the muda of complexity.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Machine That Changed the World, 1990
Keeping workers and machines fully occupied seems efficient, but complexity adds hidden costs and coordination challenges.
In simple terms: Full utilization hides complexity costs.
Key Takeaway
Simplify processes to reduce waste.
Themes
efficiency
complexity
lean manufacturing
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
business
technical
When to use this quote
- production planning
- workflow design
Key Concepts
systems thinking
process optimization
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you identify hidden coordination costs?
- What lean tools address complexity?
A Different Perspective
Complexity may be unavoidable in high‑speed environments.
