Earlier in my career, I read a book by Eli Goldratt called "The Goal". It was storybook style. It worked through the main character, Alex Rogo's, struggle to turn around an inefficient,money losing manufacturing plant. He did it with the help of an ominous mentor and the Theory of Constraints. I include a synopsis that I cut and pasted off a web site. I've also added a link to his website in My links.

The Goal - CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Increased productivity...ongoing improvement...faster methods of decision making. These are vital to every organization, but rarely exist except in the minds of managers.

When you read a book like this, your mind easily wanders from the specific examples of the main character thinkling through this theory and working things out and making things better to applying the same way of thinking in your own work. My understanding is that there will always pop up constraints or bottlenecks that keep you from being efficient (this word can have many meanings). You need to address these bottlenecks as they come. Addressing one bottleneck can move the bottleneck to another area. It's all very interesting and more practical than other business books I've read.

Somehow, I should incorporate this theory of constraints into the advice I would give to young computer scientists coming into the business. Maybe like an intern training guide. That is, if anyone would ever give me interns to train instead of leaving a huge burden of work squarely on my shoulders.