P.S. One of Toyota’s innovations is a thing called the Andon Cord. It’s a rope (or a button) that any worker on a production line can pull to stop production and let management know they’ve spotted an issue. The idea being that the earlier issues are detected, the less costly they are to fix. (The same principle applies in software.) The connection to sunk costs is that the earlier defects are fixed, the less likely it is management will be influenced by the sunk cost of leaving them.
Good article. Brings to mind the old saw about beating yourself over the head with a hammer. When asked, "Why do you keep on doing it?", the classic reply is that it feels so good when you stop.
P.S. One of Toyota’s innovations is a thing called the Andon Cord. It’s a rope (or a button) that any worker on a production line can pull to stop production and let management know they’ve spotted an issue. The idea being that the earlier issues are detected, the less costly they are to fix. (The same principle applies in software.) The connection to sunk costs is that the earlier defects are fixed, the less likely it is management will be influenced by the sunk cost of leaving them.
For more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andon_(manufacturing)
Good article. Brings to mind the old saw about beating yourself over the head with a hammer. When asked, "Why do you keep on doing it?", the classic reply is that it feels so good when you stop.