---
title: "Challenge: map flow, find the bottleneck, fix it"
course: "OPMT 130 · Run operations that work"
unit: "Seeing flow and constraints"
lesson: 16 of 37
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/challenge-map-flow-find-the-bottleneck-fix-it
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Challenge: map flow, find the bottleneck, fix it

Lesson 16 of 37 in **Run operations that work** (OPMT 130), unit "Seeing flow and constraints". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Produce a labeled process map of a real small-business workflow in a free diagramming tool, identify the bottleneck, estimate capacity at that step, and recommend a specific change (at the bottleneck, in the schedule, or in the layout/service design) that would improve throughput.
- Predict the effect of the change, name what it trades off, and name one KPI that would show whether it worked.
- Reflect on one specific moment from a small business you know where this unit's tools would have changed the outcome.

## Teaching notes
Use the Bite scenario, but apply the toolkit to a Bite workflow the unit lessons did NOT map — e.g., the order cancellation/refund flow, restaurant onboarding, or the customer-complaint/support flow — so this is fresh end-to-end application, not a reassembly of the delivery map built across the unit. Map the chosen workflow in Mermaid, identify the biggest bottleneck, estimate capacity at that step, propose a capacity, schedule, or layout fix, predict its throughput effect, and name a relevant KPI.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 16 complete: Challenge: map flow, find the bottleneck, fix it."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Framing the operational problem" (lesson 17 of 37), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/framing-the-operational-problem.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: AI-supported process analysis
Next lesson: Framing the operational problem