Göran
8/21/2012 4:08:58 AM
User Rank Expert
Göran
6/25/2012 9:50:49 AM
User Rank Expert
svenand
6/21/2012 3:46:49 PM
User Rank Blogger
Re: Skunk Works
Talking about skunk works. During my time at Ericsson I developed a number of CAD programs called the Zoo Design Platform. It was a big skunk work from start to end.
EdV
6/21/2012 2:35:03 PM
User Rank Guru
Re: Skunk Works
@ab6vu: "Obviously, these are my own opinions, and may or may not be those of any employer I have ever worked for ...."
Ah, the "Weasel Words" (grin). As the old saying goes, "Eagles may soar, but weasels rarely get sucked into jet engines" :-)
Re: Bending The Rules
@EdV: 'There are few admonitions more inviting to ignore than "don't use those tools over there."'
How about "Don not press this button!"
ab6vu
6/21/2012 1:37:54 PM
User Rank Guru
Re: Skunk Works
One could say that in the early days of Silicon Valley, the most successful companies all followed the procedures called out for 'skunk works.'
One important aspect of a skunk, is that it is not pleasant, but it definitely gets the job done. Having had a nest of skunks sneek into my house 2 years ago, and set up residence next to the furnace led to a frightful evening where the house was uninhabitable for more than a month, and required serious (chemical enzyme) de-skunking ....
Successful companies today often have internal groups that operate with similar procedures. If the secret project fails, the investors don't hear about it (the smell eventually goes away but it makes a statement, internally). if it succeeds, then everyone is happy (and perhaps lives to work another day).
To make great discoveries implies an environment where mistakes can, an will, be made, and they are not punished.
The 'rule' should be: never make the same mistake, ever. But if you fire everyone on the first mistake, your result is a totally incompetent organization, that lives in fear.
Obviously, these are my own opinions, and may or may not be those of any employer I have ever worked for ....
EdV
6/21/2012 1:21:58 PM
User Rank Guru
Bending The Rules
There are few admonitions more inviting to ignore than "don't use those tools over there." Surely if I use the tools during my lunch break that isn't the same thing as "really" using them. I'm just making sure I am staying current with the trending paradigm(s). I think Thomas Edison may have had a similar experience inventing the stock ticker. I will have to revisit that story.
Skunk Works
@Sven -- this is very interesting -- I had no idea about any of this. On point, it might be a good idea to explain the term "Skunk Works" for our readers from around the world. A quick search on the web reveals the following:
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A skunkworks (also known as Skunk Works) is a small group of people who work on a project in an unconventional way. The group's purpose is to develop something quickly with minimal management constraints. Skunkworks are often used to initially roll out a product or service that thereafter will be developed according to usual business processes.
The term skunkworks was first introduced during World War II by engineers at Lockheed Corporation (which, in 1995, merged with Martin Marietta to become the Lockheed Martin Corporation). The engineers, who were tasked with building a fighter jet for the United States Government, operated under an unconventional organizational approach developed by Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson. His directives for how the skunkworks should operate are called The 14 Practices and Rules.
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You can find out more here http://bit.ly/LEYYQF
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