We’ve all worked at places where there’s never enough time to make sure that things are operationally done the “right way”—bills need to get paid, billable work needs to get done and takes priority, and hey, everyone deserves to have a life, too. Companies like Atari, Ford, Microsoft and Google, have accomplished great things by utilizing skunk works approaches. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some successes with skunk works, as well, and will share them so you can see how to apply the approach(es) to your own practice. Way back in the 1940s, Kelly Johnson and his team of mighty skunks used their Skunk Works process to design—and build—a prototype jet fighter in 143 days. Kelly established 14 Rules and Practices for Skunk Works projects in order to help articulate the most effective way for his team to be successful in the projects that they worked on. We can also use skunk works to ensure that the Cobbler’s kids—operational areas of design—get shoes put on their feet.

1. DesignOps Skunk Works
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Video Source: Real Genius

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OODAObserve Orient Decide Act

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Kelly Johnson
Image Source: http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/kelly.htm

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The XP-80
150 Days

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The XP-80
143 Days(Delivered 7 Days Early)

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Movie Source: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/100years/stories/p80.html

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The XP-80
Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lockheedmartin/9079672256/in/set-72157634190793153

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#skunkworks
Kelly’s 14 Rules & Practices

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Kelly’s Motto
Be quick, be quiet, and be on time.
“ - Kelly Johnson
Image Source: http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/kelly-johnson/

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#skunkworks
Skunk Works - 14 Rules & Practices
15. Starve before doing business with the damned Navy.They don't know what the hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy.
1. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program in all aspects. He should report to a division president or higher.
2. Strong but small project offices must be provided both by the military and industry.
3. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25% compared to the so-called normal systems).
4. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided.
5. There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly.
6. There must be a monthly cost review covering not only what has been spent and committed but also projected costs to the conclusion of the program. Don't have the books 90 days late, and don't surprise
the customer with sudden overruns.
7. The contractor must be delegated and must assume more than normal responsibility to get good vendor bids for subcontract on the project. Commercial bid procedures are very often better than military
ones.
8. The inspection system as currently used by the Skunk Works, which has been approved by both the Air Force and Navy, meets the intent of existing military requirements and should be used on new
projects. Push more basic inspection responsibility back to subcontractors and vendors. Don't duplicate so much inspection.
9. The contractor must be delegated the authority to test his final product in flight. He can and must test it in the initial stages. If he doesn't, he rapidly loses his competency to design other vehicles.
10. The specifications applying to the hardware must be agreed to well in advance of contracting.The Skunk Works practice of having a specification section stating clearly which important military specification
items will not knowingly be complied with and reasons therefore is highly recommended.
11. Funding a program must be timely so that the contractor doesn't have to keep running to the bank to support government projects.
12. There must be mutual trust between the military project organization and the contractor with very close cooperation and liaison on a day-to-day basis.This cuts down misunderstanding and correspondence
to an absolute minimum.
13. Access by outsiders to the project and its personnel must be strictly controlled by appropriate security measures.
14. Because only a few people will be used in engineering and most other areas, ways must be provided to reward good performance by pay not based on the number of personnel supervised.

20. @russu
#skunkworks
The 15th, Unwritten Rule
15.Starve before doing business with the damned Navy.They don't know what the
hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart
or a more exposed part of your anatomy.

21. @russu
#skunkworks
INNOVATION!

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#skunkworks
Skunk Works & Design Operations?

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#skunkworks
Engineering optimizes based upon knowing the problem extremely well.
Design
understands the problem
and
the solution
by creating something.

24. @russu
#skunkworks
Skunk Works - 14 Rules & Practices
15. Starve before doing business with the damned Navy.They don't know what the hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy.
1. The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program in all aspects. He should report to a division president or higher.
3. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25% compared to the so-called normal systems).
4. A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making changes must be provided.
5. There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be recorded thoroughly.
9. The contractor must be delegated the authority to test his final product in flight. He can and must test it in the initial stages. If he doesn't, he rapidly loses his competency to design other vehicles.
12. There must be mutual trust between the military project organization and the contractor with very close cooperation and liaison on a day-to-day basis.This cuts down misunderstanding and correspondence
to an absolute minimum.
13. Access by outsiders to the project and its personnel must be strictly controlled by appropriate security measures.

25. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#1 - The Skunk Works manager must be delegated practically complete control of his program
in all aspects. He should report to a division president or higher.
Kelly’s Rule
The Design Lead must be delegated almost complete control of their project.
Design Rule

26. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#3 - The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an
almost vicious manner. Use a small number of good people (10% to 25% compared to the so-
called normal systems).
Kelly’s Rule
The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost
vicious manner.
Design Rule

27. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#4 - A very simple drawing and drawing release system with great flexibility for making
changes must be provided.
Kelly’s Rule
Very simple, high-level requirements and/or flows and sketches may suffice for the project
overview and goals, along with the flexibility for designers to make adjustments as determined
necessary—including the cancelation of the project—for the best results.
Design Rule

28. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#5 - There must be a minimum number of reports required, but important work must be
recorded thoroughly.
Kelly’s Rule
Team size must be as small as possible. Document as much as is needed, however as little as
possible. Let the design/prototype/etc. be the documentation when sensible to do so.
Design Rule

29. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#9 - The contractor must be delegated the authority to test his final product in flight. He can
and must test it in the initial stages. If he doesn't, he rapidly loses his competency to design
other vehicles.
Kelly’s Rule
Designers must be allowed to test the product as frequently as needed.Testing products allows
the designer to make better decisions about the current product, as well as future products.
Design Rule

30. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#12 - There must be mutual trust between the military project organization and the contractor
with very close cooperation and liaison on a day-to-day basis.This cuts down misunderstanding
and correspondence to an absolute minimum.
Kelly’s Rule
There must be mutual trust between the Sponsor and Design Lead with continuous
communication to minimize potential misunderstanding.
Design Rule

31. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#13 - Access by outsiders to the project and its personnel must be strictly controlled by
appropriate security measures.
Kelly’s Rule
Access by outsiders to the project and personnel must be strictly controlled.
Design Rule

32. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
#15 - Starve before doing business with the damned Navy.They don't know what the hell they
want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of
your anatomy.
Kelly’s Rule
Don’t do work for people who are unappreciative of—or do not value—the design process.
Design Rule

33. @russu
#skunkworks
Design Skunk Works - 8 Rules & Practices
1. The Design Lead must be delegated almost complete control of their project.
2. The number of people having any connection with the project must be restricted in an almost vicious manner.
3. Very simple, high-level requirements and/or flows and sketches may suffice for the project overview and goals, along
with the flexibility for designers to make adjustments as determined necessary—including the cancelation of the
4. Team size must be as small as possible. Document as much as is needed, however as little as possible. Let the design/
prototype/etc. be the documentation when sensible to do so.
5. Designers must be allowed to test the product as frequently as needed.Testing products allows the designer to make
better decisions about the current product, as well as future products.
6. There must be mutual trust between the sponsor and Design Lead with continuous communication to minimize
potential misunderstanding.
7. Access by outsiders to the project and personnel must be strictly controlled.
8. Don’t do work for people who are unappreciative of—nor do not value—the design process.

34. @russu
#skunkworks
3 Types of Design Skunk Works Projects

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#skunkworks
Intensely collaborative projects during a set period of time and toward a targeted goal.
#1 - Hackathons
Image Source: Sebastiaan ter Burg from Utrecht,The Netherlands
Image Source: Liran Mimon / Wikimedia Israel

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#skunkworks
Hackathons
1. Determine Fix-It / Need-It Project List
2. Define High-Level Objectives
3. Establish Expected / Estimated Project Duration
4. Determine Estimated Team Size
5. Create Project Cards
6. Prioritize Projects
7. Assign Projects
Example: New Hire Hackathons

37. @russu
#skunkworks
Hackathons
1. Determine Fix-It / Need-It Project List
2. Define High-Level Objectives
3. Establish Expected / Estimated Project Duration
4. Determine Estimated Team Size
5. Create Project Cards
6. Prioritize Projects
7. Assign Projects
Example: New Hire Hackathons
8. Get Out of
the Way!

38. @russu
#skunkworks
Hackathons
Benefits
• Fix-It / Need-It Projects Get Jumpstarted
• Success or Failure Will Not Alter It; Every Project has a Learning
Outcome
• Team Forming & Performing Occurs (Some Norming & Storming,
Too!)
• Interaction with & Understanding of Broader Team and Culture
• Emerging Themes of Work Styles & Patterns, Leaders, etc.
Example: New Hire Hackathons

39. @russu
#skunkworks
Create a separate environment—may be a physical location, a “no fly zone” for office politics
and bureaucracy, etc.—where people and teams can be highly autonomous, and let people
focus on their work without worrying about the business of the work itself.
#2 - Protected Projects

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#skunkworks
Protected Projects
Example: Atari Skunk Works

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#skunkworks
Protected Projects
Example: Atari Skunk Works

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#skunkworks
Protected Projects
Example: Hyatt Innovation Labs

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#skunkworks
Protected Projects
Benefits
• Keeps Teams and/or People Away from Office Bureaucracy
• Maintains Entrepreneurial Spirit / Spirit of Innovation
• Protects Teams / People from Daily Distractions
• Allows Focus to Remain on Future Work Streams & Avoid Fire Fighting
Example: Atari Skunk Works & Hyatt

44. @russu
#skunkworks
Similar in nature to Hackathons, this provides an established set of initiatives that need to be
fulfilled, without a rigid timeline and can be worked on when normal work gets disrupted.
#3 - Weaponized Downtime
If you’ve got time to lean, you’ve got time to clean.
“ - My Manager at Burger King

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#skunkworks
Weaponized Downtime
Example: Design System in Axure

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#skunkworks
Weaponized Downtime
Example: Design System in Axure
Delivery Time: ~6 Months
Estimated “Actual” Project Delivery Time: ~4 Months with FTEs

47. @russu
#skunkworks
Weaponized Downtime
1. Determine Fix-It / Need-It Project List
2. Define High-Level Objectives
3. Create Project Cards
4. Prioritize Projects (Lower Than Hackathon Projects)
5. Team Chooses Project(s) as Available
Example: Design System in Axure

48. @russu
#skunkworks
Weaponized Downtime
Benefits
• Low-Priority & High Impact Projects Make Progress
• Success or Failure Will Not Alter It; Every Project has a Learning Outcome
• Weaponized Downtown Projects Sometimes Move Faster Than Expected with More
People Engaged
• Interaction with & Understanding of Broader Team and Culture
• Emerging Themes of Work Styles & Patterns, Leaders, etc.
Example: Design System in Axure

49. @russu
#skunkworks
So What?

50. @russu
#skunkworks
So What?
• Design Rules & Practices for Skunk Works Projects Help to Set the Stage for
Getting Things Done
• Multiple Rules Will Apply to Each Skunk Works Project
• You Can Apply Them To Regular Projects,Too!
• 3 Types of Skunk Works Projects Help You Identify an Approach / Style
• Hackathons - Focused Project in Finite Time
• Protected Projects - Reduce the Tyranny of Now from Projects
• Weaponized Downtime - Projects for Unscheduled / Unplanned Non-Billable Time

51. Thank You!
@russu#skunkworks
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