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The Machine that Changed the World

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The Machine that Changed the World

James Womack

5 people recommended it in 5 threads, 2017–2023.

What people on Hacker News said

bit1
Before reading it, I had never imagined just-in-time production or value chain mapping, or vehicle assembly lines that can profitably produce quantity one of a product before being reconfigured to produce a different model (SMED: single minute exchange of die).

on HN, 2019

ipnon
After reading "The Machine that Changed the World," by Womack, Jones, and Roos, all product management paradigms besides Just-In-Time seem irredeemably sub-optimal, almost provably so.

on HN, 2020

blockwriter
Some of the thinking may be out of vogue in management circles, but the case laid out by the authors is compelling in itself and provides a new lens through which to look at workflow.

on HN, 2021

Where it comes up