The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process, and Technology

This book is based on lean product development in the automotive world and has some shortcomings when it comes to applying what Toyota does to other industries. However, with Toyota's success lately their are few arguments against not studying how Toyota approaches product development and applying it to our specific industries. I think the hardest thing for most American companies will be having the long-term discipline to implement what Toyota has done.

This is the third book I've read about Toyota and by far the best one. I'm an engineering manager and found dozens of simple, new ideas in this book. This is a very thorough & practical guide to the inside workings of Toyota's PD system. There are many examples and sufficient details that you can easily understand them and also try to implement them in your own organization.

I have recently started to work in product development for the telecommunications industry and this book has been an excellent guide to learn and improve the product development process. The concept of Front Loading the development process is applicable immediately, and the rest of concepts like process flows, waste reduction, standardization, and the Chief Engineer System definitely enhance product development in any industry. Examples from the automobile industry allows easy understanding on how the development process affects physical elements and a lot of time saving practices provide very useful knowledge. This book will surely improve your product development skills and will help you understand how to make it better and faster.

Lean originated on the production floor over sixty years ago in Japan. But Toyota product development has been sadly overlooked by corporate America. Where is the connection between Toyota stellar production practices and Toyota product development? You can't argue with the tried and true principles to systematically eliminating waste--that is the bedrock of the lean philosophy. Lean thinking is making inroads to a number of different environments and industries beyond discrete assembly like car making. Does waste occur in non-manufacturing? Oh yes, and it has largely been an untapped, dormant opportunity for applying lean. Improvement initiatives are being re-focused on office settings and now product development. There aren't many product development(PD)lean books out there but, Liker's book is excellent--it is so thorough, well researched, logical and well written! A lean novice may have difficulty because it is not "lean 101" and PD is not quite the same as lean manufacturing. But, if I forced to pick a single book on lean product development--this would be my #1 pick. It is such a good start point for lean PD. The lean benefits are self evident: cut development time in half and never miss milestones? That's has been the Toyota norm. Liker's book will walk you thru the 14 principles on how to get there the subsystem levels (Processes-People-Tools/Technology). If your PD efforts are adrift, it's reassessment time. Start here. You won't be sorry.

I found Morgan and Liker's new book The Toyota Product Development System to be an excellent discussion of the key fundamentals that are missing in Detroit today based on my experience in the automotive industry. The most important reason Toyota is best is because of the way they develop and value people. This book describes the basics required to build a great Engineering organization. Engineering is the foundation that drives cost, quality and timing. This book should be required reading for everyone in the automobile industry from top management down. Morgan and Liker provide a great map for going forward for any company that designs and manufactures a product regardless of industry. The key is to start the Journey. This book is a great place to start.