> [!abstract] > Overall system speed is governed by the slowest component (Wikipedia, 2024). This resonates with what I have learned about manufacturing and supply chains. It reminds me of "The Race" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, who uses the metaphor of a Boy Scouts troop marching to describe a manufacturing cadence. The key insight is that the slowest element of the troop should be placed at the front, not the back, to avoid the laggard falling behind and getting lost. But it also means that the troop's marching speed is set by the slowest element. >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): — >- **West** (similar): [[Liebig's law of the minimum]] >- **East** (different): — >- **South** (downstream): —