There must be a monthly cost review covering not only what has been spent and committed but also projected costs to the conclusion of the program. There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly.Ħ. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided.ĥ. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25% compared to the so-called normal systems).Ĥ. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry.ģ. He should report to a division president or higher.Ģ. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program in all aspects. The 14 Rules of Skunk Works according to Lockheed Martinġ. The latter was a group of about 50 people who worked behind the Good Earth Restaurant in Cupertino, Calif.
Some famous recent examples of SkunkWorks projects include the semisecret Google X lab, founded in 2010 by the search giant, and the lab Steve Jobs formed to develop the Macintosh computer. They also often operate with limited resources and on shoestring budgets, similar in some ways to today's startup companies. Johnson encapsulated the strategic management approach he used on the secret project in his 14 rules (see below).įrom there, Johnson's management philosophy infiltrated other industries and the Lockheed Martin term Skunk Works evolved to the more generic version (usually lowercased) that today is applied to innovative projects that are done in secrecy, semisecrecy or, at least, outside the usual departments tasked with development within an organization.Īs such, SkunkWorks projects focus on disruptive innovation versus incremental improvements to an organization's existing product line or processes.Īnd staying true to its roots at Lockheed Aircraft, modern Skunk Works projects are often undertaken without official contracts and with handpicked teams featuring top specialists within an organization. It is now a registered trademark of Lockheed Martin. Team engineer Irv Culver jokingly compared the smelly digs to "Skonk Works," depicted in the newspaper comic strip "Li'L Abner" as a remote locale where characters brewed a concoction of dead skunks and old shoes in a still.Ĭulver's use of "Skonk Works" caught on with his colleagues on the team and eventually morphed into Skunk Works.
war effort, Johnson's team had to work in a rented circus tent next to a manufacturing plant that emitted strong odors. The term Skunk Works arose during Johnson's leadership of the jet fighter project.īecause there was no space available at Lockheed Aircraft at the time, as its facilities were fully occupied with its existing commitments to the U.S. Johnson's pragmatic approach is credited with the speed and success of the project. Johnson and his team delivered the first XP-80 in 143 days, seven days ahead of schedule, an astonishingly quick turnaround for a project of that scope. (as the global aerospace, defense and security company is now known). Military officials quickly greenlighted the project based on the proposal, sending a formal contract for the work four months later, according to Lockheed Martin Corp. Just a month later, the team delivered the XP-80 Shooting Star jet fighter proposal to military officials.
Lockheed Aircraft assigned a team of engineers, led by Clarence L. Army's Air Tactical Service Command approached Lockheed Aircraft in 1943 to discuss the military's need for jet fighters to counter Nazi Germany's airpower. that was tasked with quickly developing a jet fighter for the United States during World War II. Skunk Works is the name given to a secret R&D team at Lockheed Aircraft Corp. They develop processes that will maximize stewardship, safety, quality and productivity.A SkunkWorks project (also known as Skunk Works) is an innovative undertaking, involving a small group of people, that is outside the normal research and development channels within an organization. The Plant Manager will oversee all daily operations of the plant from production and manufacturing to ensuring policies and procedures are followed. We are looking for a Plant Manager to drive continuous improvement and optimization of all processes.
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