Corporate renewal through lean design

Abstract

Chrysler and Renault have successfully implemented dedicated multifunctional platform design teams, with impressive results. Ford and Nissan found it difficult to do so with strong functional departments. All activities that do not add value need to be eliminated and a new form of leadership introduced, accompanied by new planning and costing systems. Slimmed down functions have a new role and engineers need new horizontal career paths, alternating between functions and teams. Toyota′s recent progress warns of the need to cut costs dramatically – led by design and engineering.