lean-systems-design

name	lean-systems-design
description	Apply Elon Musk-inspired system design thinking for research, engineering, and business workflows: rigorously challenge requirements, delete steps, simplify/optimize what remains, accelerate iteration, then automate. Use when designing or revising systems, processes, or products that need lean, high-velocity execution.

Lean Systems Design (Musk-inspired)

Use this when shaping any system/process (product design, research workflow, ops runbook). Follow the sequence; do not skip ahead.

Quickstart

1. State the objective, constraints, success measures, and current system sketch.
2. Run the five-pass loop below in order; capture changes after each pass.
3. Produce a concise plan and, if applicable, experiment/rollout steps.

Five-Pass Workflow (in order)

• Pass 1 - Make requirements less dumb
  • List every requirement with the requestor's name; reject "dept says."
  • For each, ask: What outcome does this serve? Evidence? What if we drop/relax it?
  • Reframe into testable, minimal success criteria; delete or rewrite fuzzy items.
• Pass 2 - Delete parts/processes
  • Enumerate components/steps; try to remove each. Target at least 10% removal.
  • For every kept step, name the accountable owner. If no owner, delete.
  • Ban "just in case" work; allow re-adding only with a concrete trigger.
• Pass 3 - Simplify before optimizing
  • Merge steps, reduce variants/options, standardize interfaces, name single paths.
  • Collapse handoffs and approvals; prefer defaults over configuration.
  • If it shouldn't exist, don't polish it. Stop optimization of non-critical paths.
• Pass 4 - Accelerate cycle time
  • Shorten feedback loops: smaller batch sizes, faster checkpoints, parallel where safe.
  • Define the fastest safe "learn loop" (build-measure-learn or design-test-review).
  • Add leading indicators to spot drift early.
• Pass 5 - Automate last
  • Automate only stable, high-volume, well-understood steps.
  • Remove redundant in-process checks once end-quality is consistently high.
  • Keep a manual fallback and monitoring for automation drift.

Heuristics and Checks

• Every requirement has a named owner and measurable outcome.
• Any step without a failure mode it prevents is a deletion candidate.
• Prefer subtraction over addition; default answer to "add a step" is no.
• Bias to single paths over branching; branch only with explicit thresholds.
• Fast loop beats perfect plan; ship thin slices to validate.

Deliverables to Produce

• Crisp objective and success metrics.
• Simplified system map (pre/post change) highlighting deletions.
• Top risks and the shortest feedback loop to catch them.
• Rollout/experiment plan with owners and timelines.