Faster, Shorter, Cheaper May Be Simple; It’s Never Easy

This article describes an experimental alternative to months-long systems redesigns. In one meeting, the global furniture retailer, IKEA, applying the principle of “whole system in the room,” created a new structure and process for product design, manufacture, and distribution, decentralizing an agglomeration of “silos” that no longer served. Some 52 stakeholders examined the existing system, developed a new design, created a strategic plan and formed task forces led by key executives to implement it. In 18 hours, the plan was developed and signed off on by the company president and key people from all affected functions, with active support from several customers. Was this idiosyncratic to IKEA or repeatable anywhere? The authors hypothesize that oneway to change a system in real time is for those with critical stakes in it to share what they knowunder conditions that enable action without asking permission from anyone not present.