Rich, B.R. and Janos, Y., Skunk Works, Little Brown and Company, New York, 1994

I have had this book in my library for quite some time and although I've browsed it before, I recently had the opportunity to actually read it. Why I didn't read it earlier, I just don't know because it is just so full of stories and wisdom on many levels.

For those who don't know - the Skunk Works were (are still?) a top secret Lockheed shop for the design, development and manufacture of advanced and innovative aerospace systems. If U2, SR-71 Blackbird and stealth planes mean anything to you - then this book tells their story.

It is interspersed with small anecdotes and facts from other Skunk Works people and many aerospace, military and political luminaries who were part of history through the second half of the 20th century. I won't repeat it here ... but the story from Colonel Barry Horne on pages 99-102 and his statement around a "sledgehammer" is priceless.

To get back to a project and engineering theme though, the principles they used - integrated teams, fast prototyping, lots of up front design and analysis, quality control and devolved decision making and problem solving and so on - are now norms of good management practice.

Ben Rich's observations on leadership and astute management on complex projects is just so insightful as is his humour in delivering his message, is enlightening of his character (see page 335-336 on Noah's ark). Ben's and Leo's last chapter, "Drawing the Right Conclusions" is so full of wisdom as are the ten basic rules developed by Ben's predecessor "Kelly" Johnson that guided their work practices. Later in the book they seem to have evolved into 14 rules with a 15th - "starve rather than deal with the Navy" - an unwritten one). Examples are (see page 116):

• Engineers shall always work within a stone's throw of the airplane being built. The integrated team approach. The impact on finding and fixing faults and problems must have been dramatic.
• Everything possible will be done to save time. Schedule is king .... but not at the expense of safety and quality as we learn throughout the book.
• Any cause for delay shall be immediately reported to C.L. Johnson in writing by the person anticipating the delay. Cut out the middle management and go straight to the top ....issues raised and managed by the people who recognise the issue. It isn't diluted through a hierarchy of management.

Ben's observations on government bureaucracy and waste are also enlightening. I am quite certain it is not limited to US bureaucracies!

I will leave you with part of the quote from the "New York Times Book Review" on the back cover:

".....A gripping technothriller in which the technology is real".