Skunkworks
The concept has been designed to assist managers and business owners to set groups of experts who drop out of mainstream company operations in order to develop something new in secrecy or at speed. This theory provides an overview on how skunkworks groups work and how to implement them in an organisation.
Technique Overview
Skunkworks Definition
Skunkworks is often used to describe any team that "works outside the regular organisational structure to develop something new. These teams may also be physically separated from the rest of the organization in a remote location to minimize interference or maintain secrecy" (Brown, 2007). Their aim, as a team of generally 6-25 people, is to develop something quickly with minimal management constraints.
Skunkworks Description *
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Business Evidence
Strengths, weaknesses and examples of Skunkworks *
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Business Application
Implementation, success factors and measures of Skunkworks *
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Professional Tools
Skunkworks videos and downloads *
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Further Reading
Skunkworks web and print resources *
Skunkworks references (4 of up to 20) *
- Bennis, W. and Biederman, P.W. (1997) Organising Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration. Addison-Wesley: Reading, MA
- Brown, T.E. (2001) Skunkworks: A Sign of Failure, A Sign of Hope? Proceedings of the Future Innovation Studies Conference, Eindhoven Center for Innovation Studies, Eindhoven.
- Brown, A. (2007) The “skunk works” Model of Innovation. Available at: www.atworknewswire.com/2007/06/01/the-skunk-works-model-of-innovation/ [Accessed: 4 December 2011].
- Buckingham, M. and Coffman, C. (1999). First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently. Simon and Schuster, 1-271.
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