Through Clouds to Solutions

(2013)

Jelena Fedurko

It is the sequel to “Behind the Cloud.” It continues the subject of Thinking Processes and presents Jelena’s developments in the area of working with UDEs and UDE Clouds – the major TOC tools for system analysis, and the basis for solution development.

The book presents concepts, outlines rules, looks into examples, and offers exercises.

Through Clouds to Solutions is about HOW. It is a detailed guide, textbook, and workbook that gives answers to frequently asked questions to help TP users avoid typical mistakes and gain confidence, as well as a solid grounding and self-reliance in their work with major logical tools.

Table of Contents

  • From Oded
  • From the author  

Part 1 – Thinking Skills 

  • Chapter 1: Thinking Processes tools – what are they used for
  • Chapter 2: Developing a solution

Part 2 – Cloud Types, Triggers, and Building Sequence 

  • Chapter 3: A quick recap on the structure of the Cloud
  • Chapter 4: Different triggers for different cloud types
  • Chapter 5: Sequence of building the Dilemma Cloud
  • Chapter 6: Sequence of building the Two-Sided Interest Conflict Cloud
  • Chapter 7: A brief recap on the Dilemma Cloud and the Two-Sided Interest Conflict Cloud
  • Chapter 8: Sequence of building the Fire-fighting Cloud
  • Chapter 9: Sequence of building the UDE Cloud
  • Chapter 10: A brief recap on the Fire-fighting Cloud and the UDE Cloud

Part 3 – UDE Clouds – How to Get Them Right?

  • Chapter 11: System analysis with UDE Clouds
  • Chapter 12: What qualifies as an UDE – 10 UDE rules and techniques how to use them
  • Chapter 13: A brief recap on 10 UDE rules and techniques how to use them
  • Chapter 14: “Standard” UDEs and “good enough” UDEs
  • Chapter 15: Will you accept these UDEs? – An exercise
  • Chapter 16: Will you accept these UDEs? – Answers
  • Chapter 17: Three areas of typical mistakes in UDE Clouds
  • Chapter 18: Typical mirror reflection mistake between an UDE and boxes B or D
  • Chapter 19: What to put in B?
  • Chapter 20: Needs – “Toward” or “Away from”
  • Chapter 21: Challenges in wording C as a Need
  • Chapter 22: About needs and actions
  • Chapter 23: Why it is not good to put an UDE into D or D’
  • Chapter 24: How can the same Cloud be correct and incorrect at the same time?
  • Chapter 25: Sequence of Checking UDE Clouds
  • Chapter 26: Are these UDE Clouds OK? – Exercise
  • Chapter 27: Are these UDE Clouds OK? – Answers

Part 4  – Assumptions 

  • Foreword to Part 4
  • Chapter 28: The role of assumptions
  • Chapter 29: Do we need to have assumptions for individual UDE clouds?
  • Chapter 30: What is a “wrong” assumption?
  • Chapter 31: Typical mistake 1 – Reverse repetition
  • Chapter 32: Typical mistake 2 – “It is the only way”
  • Chapter 33: Typical mistake 3 – Explaining only one entity of the connection instead of explaining the arrow
  • Chapter 34: Typical mistake 4 – “To achieve what?”
  • Chapter 35: Typical mistake 5 – Irrelevant assumption
  • Chapter 36: Typical mistake 6 – Wording “[D] is in conflict with [D’]”
  • Chapter 37: Typical mistake 7 – “because D and D’ cannot be done at the same time”
  • Chapter 38: A brief recap on seven typical mistakes in surfacing assumptions
  • Chapter 39: A brief recap on 4+2 rules for developing assumptions  

Part 5 – Challenges of the Consolidation Process 

  • Chapter 40: Moving from individual UDE Clouds to the consolidation process
  • Chapter 41: Finding a common aspect for consolidating
  • Chapter 42: Continuing Consolidation – Consolidated Cloud +1
  • Chapter 43: A brief on challenging assumptions and developing injections
  • Afterword

Through Clouds to Solutions is 283 pages, soft covers.

To get information about the book and to purchase a hard copy – please contact jelena@tocexpert.com or jelenafedurko.gs@gmail.com

The book can also be bought as an eBook at

https://www.toc-goldratt.com/en/product/through-clouds-to-solutions

Jelena is a TOC Expert in tocExpert, International Director of TOC Strategic Solutions, and a co-founder and co-president of TOCPA – the Theory of Constraints Practitioners Alliance.  She has worked with companies in the areas of production, project management, supply chain, distribution, and retail in more than 15 countries helping with TOC implementations.

Other books by Jelena Fedurko:

Behind the Cloud – Enhancing logical thinking (2011)

Through Clouds to Solutions – Working with UDEs and UDE Clouds (2013)

Mistakes and Difficulties in Working with TOC Logical Tools (2014)

A Good Strategy and Tactic Tree – Rules, Examples, Typical mistakes, Exercises with Answers (2016)

RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE OF WORKING WITH JELENA’S BOOKS:

This combination of material will enable you to build good enough clouds and equip you with good understanding and practical tips how to work with assumptions and develop injections.

If you want to have further understanding of different types of Clouds and build solid knowledge on how to develop UDEs and how to work with UDE Clouds:

To get solid understanding of how to work with the Strategy and Tactic Tree:

What readers say about Jelena’s books:

Every so often a book comes along that fills a gap, that makes us say, “That’s just what I was looking for.” Many of us in the TOC community consider the cloud to be our most powerful and most frequently used TP tool. We users will appreciate the careful attention Jelena Fedurko has given to our favorite construct, the cloud. Her knowledge of this tool, and her understanding of the logic behind it, are clearly expressed in these pages. The ample examples and detailed explanations make this unquestionably the most powerful book on clouds yet written. She has upgraded all of our knowledge, and provided a permanent addition to the TOC body of knowledge. We are all in her debt. If you are serious about TOC, you must own this book. – Forward to Behind the Cloud by Dr. Alan Leader

Your book [Behind the Cloud] has been a perfect support for me to dig further into the Cloud’s mechanisms, and its relationship with the other TP tools.

I’m quite a TOC newcomer, but already a big fan. I’m getting into Clouds and I heard very good feebdacks about your book.

I have read your book Behind The Cloud and enjoyed it very much. I learned many new ideas.  Thank you.

We recently acquired the book “Behind the Cloud” by Jelena Fedurko. An excellent guide to raising assumptions in a cloud!

I am one of the guys that I watched your presentation back in Germany about the UDE clouds and I also bought your new book [Through Clouds to Solutions]. I just wanted you to know that I found your book to be just great !!! you did an excellent job setting it up for all the rest of us. I found it extremely useful – I have read it 10 times and I advise it all the time. It is really excellent !!

I just wanted to thank you for your well written book [Mistakes and Difficulties in Working with TOC Logical Tools]. This is a great read for anyone wanting to REALLY understand clouds and CRTs.

Your previous books have been so good, I look forward to receiving your S&T Book.

All of your books are excellent.  Clean, clear, quick, no-nonsense teaching material.

I have begun using “Through Clouds To Solutions” to properly frame UDEs (reference 10 Rules) – & intend using it extensively to make the UDE clouds and then onwards to the core conflict & CRT, using the Three Cloud Method. This is to acknowledge that your work has been a ‘big big help’ – difficult to imagine how I would have managed it without your explanations,  error examples & workbook exercises… I feel sorry for the many TOC practitioners who are wanting to master the use of  cloud technique but are either unaware or not fully connected to your work, for whatever reasons – pity that they are not benefiting from your immense contribution in this area…..!!

Your book [Mistakes and Difficulties in Working with TOC Logical Tools] arrived last night it is fantastic!!! I have not stopped reading it.