Afterwards, I spent an hour talking with him about achieving something beyond the status quo.
Provocative ideas tend to be simple.
A company does market research, then goes to a design firm to have the specs transformed into a 3D object. It is worth noting that when Mikano Kitano was heading up Toyota Motor Manufacturing in the U.S., he argued that it was important for assembly line personnel to be more integrally involved in assuring the quality of build. Similarly, management consultant Tom Peters has pointed out that there is a tendency for managers to underestimate the capabilities of their employees, even though those employees are managing their households and dealing with nontrivial issues like mortgages, children's' education, etc. Entrusting employees with the ability to make discretionary decisions isn't such a big deal when that context is considered. Kim's approach to doing more than talking about good design is also simple.