Idealized design: creating an organization's future

"What's the best way to drive fundamental, transformative change within your organization? Envision your ideal solution: then, work backwards to where you are. It's called idealized design, and -- as executives in hundreds of organizations will testify -- it's one of the most powerful techniques you'll ever use. Authored by its legendary creator, Russell Ackoff, and leading practitioner Jason Magidson, Idealized Design covers every facet of this breakthrough methodology. You'll learn how to prepare for it, organize it, and execute it from start to finish. The authors reveal the fundamental differences between idealized design and traditional process re-engineering, and show how idealized design eliminates many conventional obstacles to change. Next, they demonstrate how to ""dissolve"" problems by designing systems that prevent them from arising in the first place. You'll see idealized design at work in enterprises, not-for-profit organizations, and government; then learn how to use it to improve processes, design new facilities, increase productivity, even save lives. The book includes three start-to-finish case studies, plus an extensive collection of real-world examples -- ranging from commercial aircraft design to corporate governance."