Where lean product development experts and practitioners share their stories

We will talk about one of the most common mistakes in implementing Lean is that we take the copy paste approach where the methodology is taken out of its context and applied in a different one. When what we should be doing is making sure we understand the problem we are trying to fix, the principles behind the method that can help us to solve the problem and then adapt the method so that it fits into the environment where we are trying to apply it.

Leadership is complex. It involves a variety of skills and qualities. But there are some principles that cut across all styles of leadership, and one of them is Extreme Ownership. Extreme Ownership is the idea that every leader should take full responsibility for their actions.

Disruptions are happening every time a new technology, a new service, or a new business model provides a ten-time improvement of the present solution. According to Tony Seba (author and co-founder of RethinkX) this is valid all since Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century. Providing the new solution at ten-times lower cost or being ten-times faster. Digitalization is adding to that trend.

The pandemic dramatically redefined our ideas about community and what being part of a community meant. Some communities were strengthened, new ones were created and some atrophied or ceased to exist. Professional organizations, religious organizations, schools, and businesses were forced to rethink how their community would connect and stay a community often without being able to meet face-to-face. Being part of a community that prospered during this time had a significant impact on how, and how well, people coped with the overall pandemic. That said, some aspects were lost without even recognizing them.

In the article “Unlearning What Toyota Taught Us,”1 author John McElroy lauds Tesla’s success with electric vehicles and wonders where Toyota has been. He specifically quotes the book The Toyota Product Development System2 when describing the Toyota product development standard, which he contrasts with the process used by Tesla: much more rapid improvements, no spec freeze, changes after the launch, etc. McElroy also remarks how forgiving Tesla customers are with small quality problems.

3D solid modeling. Integrated product simulation. Digital twins. Multi-disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO). Computerized tools for product design and development are proliferating and advancing in capabilities at an ever-increasing pace. The capabilities of today’s software tools are far advanced from what they were just a couple of years ago becoming more and more realistic, accurate, and speedy with better UX, connectivity, and integration.