Truth on Time: 20 Essential Principles for Operational Excellence - Softcover

Bourdon, Alex; Finlay, David

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798996283507

Publisher: Data Driven Press, 2026

Synopsis

Most companies don't fail because they lack data. They fail because they lack truth, and by the time they realize it, it's too late.

Truth on Time dramatizes 20 essential principles that separate organizations that succeed from those that stall. Each chapter drops the reader into a different company facing a different crisis: a forecast no one trusts, a supplier single-point-of-failure no one flagged, planning issues caused by years of master data neglect, a product launch unraveling because sales, operations, and quality were never truly aligned. From S&OP discipline to New Product Introduction readiness, from data integrity to cross-functional accountability, each principle is unpacked through messy human reality.

In the high-stakes world of medical devices, where a single misstep in manufacturing, supply chain, or regulatory compliance can derail a product launch or harm a patient, operational excellence isn't a buzzword. It's a survival requirement. If operational excellence is critical for your business, this book is for you.

Supplementary PDF content is available at datadrivenassociates.com/tot

The 20 Essential Principles for Operational Excellence per Bourdon & Finlay are:

1. Focus on Serving the Customer
2. Silence Is Acceptance of the Plan
3. Full Disclosure of Relevant Information Is Required
4. If You Lie to MRP, MRP Will Lie to You
5. Without Supply Forecast Accuracy, Demand Forecast Accuracy Is Irrelevant
6. Data Accuracy Is Next to Godliness
7. Wisdom Comes Only from Suffering
8. It's Not a Fight; It's a Dance
9. Use Formal Systems
10. Develop the Team Through the Pursuit of Purpose
11. No Random Local Optima
12. Variability Is the Enemy
13. DWYASTD, WYASTDI, TWYASTDI, WYFLION
14. Discipline Creates Trust
15. Effectiveness First, Then Efficiency
16. Use Precise Terminology and Expect It from Others
17. Rely on Systems, Not Heroes
18. It Doesn’t Count as 'Done’ If Not Recorded in the ERP System
19. Apply Minimum Essential Specifications or Acceptance Criteria
20. Know the Rules of the Game You Are Playing

Edition details

• Publisher: Data Driven Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798996283507
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 283