Elegant Solutions: Breakthrough Thinking the Toyota Way

by Hal on December 4, 2006

in books, innovation, lean

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Innovation can seem like such a big idea…just out of the reach of every person on your team. Matthew May wrote a book and a ChangeThis manifesto of the same name where he shares another of "Toyota's (lean) secrets." Everyday innovation is not only available to every team, it is the skill and practice that will separate you from your competitors. Read Elegant Solutions manifesto; share it with your team; and begin your own practice of innovation on your project.

… or read the book.

Leave a Comment

Previous post: What Project Planning Approach Improves Construction Safety?

Next post: What Auto Company Gets No Satisfaction?

Feature Content

Ten New Rules for Project Managers
By Hal, Project Reformer

These ten ideas will dramatically improve your projects. Are these ten rules the top ten? You decide. But don't take too long. Share these rules with your team. Your team members are sure to help you carry them out!
Search this site
On the side...
- Social Media for Supporting Projects
  06/01/2009
  I did an interview with Bas de Baar via Skype video. We discussed how my company is using collaborative tools in support of our clients' projects. Enjoy!
- Pursuing an Elegant Foreword
  05/28/2009
  Did you catch the Foreword to In Pursuit of Elegance? Guy Kawasaki wrote, "Less is the new more." Easy to learn: symmetry, seduction, subtraction, and sustainability. Very valuable to do. Step 1: Read Matt's book!! just 140 keystrokes.
- Lean Project Blog 50 Posts and Growing
  04/25/2009
  The Lean Project Coaches hit the 50 posts mark on Friday. Quite a milestone for just 6 weeks blogging at Coaches Corner. They are writing on all aspects of lean projects. Tap into that for your projects.
- Beginner's Mind Leads to Mastery
  04/23/2009
  Chris Slivon shares a bit of her journey in being a lean coach in the post
  Knowing and Not Knowing where she and others write for Lean Project Consulting's Coaches Corner.
- Do You Kaizen?
  04/16/2009
  
  Image via Wikipedia
  
  Daily improvement to make our jobs safer, easier and more interesting is a corner-stone for Toyota. My colleague Rebecca Bettler describes how Quick 'n'Easy Kaizen is even more powerful when it's team sport. Read A Hidden Beauty...
- Learn about TWI the Basis of Lean
  04/15/2009
  Learn about the TWI approach from the only Senior Master Trainer in the US. Patrick Graupp will introduce you to this landmark program: Webinar.
- Do You Have an OASiS for Planning on Your Project?
  04/14/2009
  Adopt this mnemonic for your project environment. Thanks Matt for writing about it.
- Start using Project Management Hash Tags on Twitter
  04/06/2009
  Raven is consolidating project management hash tags for use on Twitter. Thank you Raven!
- All Ya Gotta Do Is Ask
  03/25/2009
  Read the latest story of how green meets lean, or should I say kaizen? It's a Wall St Journal article that you don't want to miss.
- Let's Speak so We Can Be Understood
  03/25/2009
  It irks me when people play games with their writing. It wastes the readers' time, turns them off to what one has to say, and creates idealogical warfares. Write clearly...for the readers. Sorry for this outburst. Let's speak (and write) so we can be understood. Our projects will benefit from that.

My Twitter Updates
- @shmula 2nd in series on #TOC http://is.gd/cSWem Read a series of co-blogging posts on TOC for projects http://is.gd/cSWah #leanproject 17 hrs ago
- @toyotagal nice post Common Mistakes when We Are Problem-Solving http://is.gd/cSIz1 Looking forward to more of your posts #lean #leanproject 21 hrs ago
- Leaning on Efficient Project Delivery in Constructech, bit of a fluff piece on #leanconstruction http://is.gd/cRq7Y #leanproject 1 day ago
- @jchyip concise reminder of variation sure to be useful for those serious about #PDCA http://is.gd/cFOiq #leanproject #leanconstruction #yam 1 week ago
- Let's not be cynical about changing management behavior. New MBAs are taking an oath + encouraging others to do so http://is.gd/c8GkF #yam 2010-05-14
- Your pace of learning is determined by your ability to manage ideas. Dean Schroeder #TWISummit #leanproject 2010-05-12
- Go after small ideas. Use a simple system. Make it everyone's job. Have idea meetings + idea boards. Dean Schroeder #TWISummit #leanproject 2010-05-12
- Oops :( my earlier references to Dave Maister should have been Dave Meier coauthor of Toyota Talent + Toyota Culture #TWISummit #leanproject 2010-05-11
- Don't set goals based on what's possible. We don't know what's possible. Set goals on what you need. Dave Maister #TWISummit #leanproject 2010-05-11
- Most people stop kaizen at first workable solution. Use a Good 5-Why as a countermeasure to keep focus on learning. #TWISummit #leanproject 2010-05-11
- More updates...
Posting tweet...
Powered by Twitter Tools
Readers Are Saying…
- GZeller on Look-Ahead Planning
- Hal on Look-Ahead Planning
- GZeller on Look-Ahead Planning
- Robert on Ten New Rules for Project Managers
- Bruno Ciano on Ten New Rules for Project Managers
Now Reading
Planned books:
- The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations by Dietrich Dorner
- Essentials of Cost Management by Catherine Stenzel
Current books:

None

Recent books:
- On Bullshit by Harry G. Frankfurt
- Rethink: A Business Manifesto for Cutting Costs and Boosting Innovation by Ric Merrifield
- Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words by Stephen Young
- In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing by Matthew E. May
- The Elegant Solution: Toyota’s Formula for Mastering Innovation by Matthew E. May
View full Library
Tag Cloud
Akio Toyoda books collaboration Elegance Engineering News-Record kaizen Last Planner leadership lean Lean Project Norman Bodek Project and Program Management Project management Root cause Shigeo Shingo Taiichi Ohno teams Team sport Toyota Twitter Yammer