Truth on Time: 20 Essential Principles for Operational Excellence

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

Alex T. Bourdon is an expert in manufacturing operational excellence and regulatory compliance in the in vitro diagnostics and broader medical device industries. Over more than 25 years of executive leadership, including a decade at Dade Behring where he served as Global Vice President, he has led major turnarounds, supported successful IPOs and mentored many current operations leaders. A Distinguished Career Award recipient and Wall of Fame inductee from the University of Delaware, Alex currently leads Medical Manufacturer Consulting, Inc., where he helps companies navigate complex operational challenges while developing operations leaders to drive the industry forward.
 
David Finlay is an independent consultant specializing in supply chain, ERP, master data, and regulatory change for medical devices. He has lived in the US, Germany, Ireland, and Mexico and has worked with companies such as Siemens Healthineers, Thermo Fisher, Merck (MSD) and Cleveland Diagnostics, leading business process improvements, ERP implementations, and data quality programs. He holds an MBA from Dublin City University and a BA in Business with German from the University of Reutlingen. David leads Data Driven Associates LLC, where he helps companies solve problems that stand between strategy and execution.