We all want more innovation, though sometimes we’re not sure why. Turns out, the why important. We want to be more innovative. That’s a good vision statement, but it’s not actionable. There are lots of ways to be innovative, and it’s vitally important to figure out the best flavor. Why......
Engineering is more important than manufacturing – without engineering there is nothing to make, and engineering is more important than marketing – without it there is nothing to market. If I could choose my competitive advantage, it would be an unreasonably strong engineering team. Ideas have no value unless they’re......
What is to what isn’t. What isn’t to what could. What could to what should. What should to what will. What will to what is. Repeat.
......Short term is getting shorter, and long term is a thing of the past. We want it now; no time for new; it’s instant gratification for us, but only if it doesn’t take too long. A short time horizon drives minimization. Minimize waste; reduce labor hours; eliminate features and functions;......
When engineers see a big opportunity, we want desperately to move the company in the direction of our thinking, but find it difficult to change the behavior of others. Our method of choice is usually a full frontal assault, explaining to anyone that will listen the opportunity as we understand......
We’ve been sufficiently polluted by lean and Six Sigma, and it’s time for them to go. Masquerading as maximizers, these minimizers-in-sheep’s-clothing have done deep harm. Though Six Sigma is almost dead (it’s been irrelevant for some time now), it has made a lasting mark. Billed as a profit maximizer, it......
If you don’t feel lonely, you’ve succumbed to group-think. No, it’s worse – you’ve stopped thinking altogether. If you don’t feel lonely you’re doing it wrong. Mainstream follows mainstream – they don’t know why, they just do. In truth, mainstream likes to be lead by the nose because it’s easy,......
Know what’s new in the new design. To do that, ask for a reuse analysis and divvy up newness into three buckets – new to your company, new to your industry, new to world. If the buckets are too big, jettison some newness, and if there’s something in the new-to-world......
There are a lot of complex self-help programs out there to help us reach our potential. These programs are designed to take us to the next level by building on what we have. And they do help. But implicitly the programs assume we’ve got a foundation in place and it’s......
Shipulski On Design
Copyright © 2013 Mike Shipulski. All Rights Reserved.
The Shipulski On Design
