The Bottlenecking Factor in a process, the step that slows the rest down
In chemistry there is a thing called the “rate determining step” which is the slowest aspect of a chemical transformation. In a manufacturing context, this would be called your bottlenecking or pace-setting factor. This can also be considered when learning a new topic - what is the aspect of the topic that’s slowing your progress overall?
Rate Determining Steps have the property that increasing their efficacy similarly increases the effectiveness of the whole endeavor. They are the 20% of the problem that makes 80% of the difference. They are what Pareto Analysis would say you should work on. This is what you should have Drilling Cycles on for Deliberate Practice.
Examples
- The slowest hiker in the group
- Your vocabulary in a language you’re learning
- Your arithmetic when learning higher math concepts
- The one toaster that is used for all the sandwiches