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FIRE: How Fast, Inexpensive, Restrained, and Elegant Methods Ignite Innovation Hardcover – April 29, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Ward’s military career led to his expertise in high-speed, low-cost innovation, and he transposes his military principles and techniques into a marketplace-innovation system he calls FIRE (fast, inexpensive, restrained, and elegant). He explains his marketplace acronym: fast is about defining a project objective that can be satisfied on a short time line; inexpensive means delivering meaningful capabilities on a shoestring, a respected skill; restrained means self-control, tight budgets, small teams, activities focused on the short-term; and elegant values simplicity over complexity in design of organizations and processes, relying on experience and rules of thumb to solve specific problems as they arise rather than adhering to rigid rules. FIRE is an approach to innovations that focuses on outcomes rather than compliance. Ward concludes, “By placing a premium on speed, thrift, simplicity, and restraint, we can deliver first-in-class and best-in-class products without spending decades and billions.” This thought-provoking book, developed with a military perspective, offers valuable insight for those striving for innovation in their business activities. --Mary Whaley
Review
“F.I.R.E. will appeal to project managers, space enthusiasts, military and tech buff s, and anyone who’s ever hired a plumber or general contractor.” (Success Magazine)
“This is no ordinary book about product development. Sure, it draws on the wisdom of great philosophers like John Cleese, Inigo Montoya, and Tom & Jerry. But it also makes a compelling case that none of us can design anything without revealing our values. ” (-Daniel H. Pink, author of TO SELL IS HUMAN, DRIVE, and A WHOLE NEW MIND)
“Dan’s refreshing philosophy promotes more effective defense acquisition and offers lessons for commercial products as well. His book helps to liberate good judgment…” (-Bernard Jenkin MP (Harwich and North Essex) Chairman, PASC (Public Administration Select Committee))
“Ward blends a maestro’s range of intriguing stories with intensely practical guidance. Don’t let the references to Mr. Bean, Quantum Leap, and Firefly fool you. FIRE is a deep and powerful contribution to the innovation literature.” (-Scott Anthony)
“Dan Ward’s FIRE is a minor miracle: a fast, fun, _funny_ read on running procurement and technical processes. It is packed with insight, cutting through common wisdom to deliver rules of thumb that should be a must read for any project manager.” (-Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, Founder - Truman National Security Project)
“For decades we have paid more and more for defense technology and gotten less and less in return. Dan Ward’s FIRE approach establishes common sense principles with great promise-if we will only apply them.” (- MajGen Arnold Punaro, USMC (ret.), Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association and member of the Defense Business Board,)
“This is no ordinary book about product development. Sure, it draws on the wisdom of great philosophers like John Cleese, Inigo Montoya, and Tom & Jerry. But it also makes a compelling case that none of us can design anything without revealing our values. ” (-Daniel H. Pink, author of TO SELL IS HUMAN, DRIVE, and A WHOLE NEW MIND)
“Dan’s refreshing philosophy promotes more effective defense acquisition and offers lessons for commercial products as well. His book helps to liberate good judgment…” (-Bernard Jenkin MP (Harwich and North Essex) Chairman, PASC (Public Administration Select Committee))
“Ward blends a maestro’s range of intriguing stories with intensely practical guidance. Don’t let the references to Mr. Bean, Quantum Leap, and Firefly fool you. FIRE is a deep and powerful contribution to the innovation literature.” (-Scott Anthony)
“Dan Ward’s FIRE is a minor miracle: a fast, fun, _funny_ read on running procurement and technical processes. It is packed with insight, cutting through common wisdom to deliver rules of thumb that should be a must read for any project manager.” (-Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, Founder - Truman National Security Project)
“For decades we have paid more and more for defense technology and gotten less and less in return. Dan Ward’s FIRE approach establishes common sense principles with great promise-if we will only apply them.” (- MajGen Arnold Punaro, USMC (ret.), Chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association and member of the Defense Business Board,)
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By
JJohnstone
on June 30, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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As a retired CEO who developed more than a hundred products during my career, I understand the principles behind FIRE very well.
Rather than write a long review, I'm going to state my point in a restrained way. These principles have been around for along time in many different forms. I've been advocating them for 40 years. While I can attest to the fact that they work, I can also testify that they are very hard to teach. The FIRE principles are easy to understand, hard to execute properly and even harder to explain in a way that new project managers can implement successfully. While Dan's book does define the principles, it doesn't do much to teach them.
It's easy to sit and gush over the wonders of calculus. I heard many teachers do that while I was getting my engineering and math degrees. The problem came when us young want-to-be dragon slayers charged Integral Hill with our minds filled with possibilities of the Silver Stars to come. Our enthusiasm didn't last long as we realized that fire breathing dragons don't roll over for the newbie's. The vast majority of us came back with our back sides scorched and blistering.
Along with managing manufacturing companies during the 40 years that I worked, I was also a professor in the engineering and business schools at several different universities. In my early years of lecturing, I was often assigned the task of teaching calculus to the less than technical b-school students who were so afraid of dying by the fire of the dragon, they nearly killed themselves from the fear. While any teacher hates to confront a class filled with glassy eyed students who beg to be freed from their certain death, one good thing did come from it.Read more ›
Rather than write a long review, I'm going to state my point in a restrained way. These principles have been around for along time in many different forms. I've been advocating them for 40 years. While I can attest to the fact that they work, I can also testify that they are very hard to teach. The FIRE principles are easy to understand, hard to execute properly and even harder to explain in a way that new project managers can implement successfully. While Dan's book does define the principles, it doesn't do much to teach them.
It's easy to sit and gush over the wonders of calculus. I heard many teachers do that while I was getting my engineering and math degrees. The problem came when us young want-to-be dragon slayers charged Integral Hill with our minds filled with possibilities of the Silver Stars to come. Our enthusiasm didn't last long as we realized that fire breathing dragons don't roll over for the newbie's. The vast majority of us came back with our back sides scorched and blistering.
Along with managing manufacturing companies during the 40 years that I worked, I was also a professor in the engineering and business schools at several different universities. In my early years of lecturing, I was often assigned the task of teaching calculus to the less than technical b-school students who were so afraid of dying by the fire of the dragon, they nearly killed themselves from the fear. While any teacher hates to confront a class filled with glassy eyed students who beg to be freed from their certain death, one good thing did come from it.Read more ›
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
W. Goodman
on May 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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FIRE is rare indeed: a combination business process and systems engineering book that will keep the reader highly entertained. In the book, Ward treats us to an outstanding and cogent rendering of a simple, yet not simplistic, set of concepts to help folks in the program management and engineering disciplines think differently (and I would argue, better) about what makes a project or program, "good." Ward treats the reader to some great stories and a lot of laughs, and compellingly argues against complexity for its own sake. Instead, he convincingly argues that the challenges imposed by intentional design restraint unlock a better end product. There are clear lessons for the military technology and requirements communities, and I hope they will read this book and heed its message!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By
Little Deb
on May 6, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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Wow!!! This book is a "must read" for leadership in government service, corporate management and project leaders at every level! It's easy to understand, entertaining and provides clear insight on how to deliver a superior product or service in the fastest, most effective, simplistic and inexpensive way. I now know what I'm getting my employees for Christmas this year!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
Steve Behm
on July 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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The best way to learn is to hear a good storyteller talk in simple, straightforward terms that use relatable specific examples to reinforce the stories. F.I.R.E. accomplishes this teaching masterfully. Dan Ward's style hooks you in with something that you can understand and relate to, then makes his point in a way you're sure to remember. I guarantee every time I look at a ridiculously long and over complicated PowerPoint presentation, I'm going to wonder who got stoned before hitting "save". The F.I.R.E. approach, while not difficult to comprehend, is reinforced with great historical and current examples and leaves you nodding your head saying, "I can do that!" He clearly believes in this approach, but also paints it into a frame of reality by illustrating when it is or is not applicable. And while Dan's commitment to this approach is clear and resounding, it never comes off as preachy. F.I.S.T is a great cultural thought piece told in a clear, understandable, and fun way by a brilliant storyteller.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By
Andrew Deardorff
on May 6, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I think this book is terrific. As a self-proclaimed systems acquisition professional, I've read a lot of books detailing how and why things go wrong (and occasionally right) on defense programs and projects. Dan Ward's Fast, Inexpensive, Restrained, and Elegant method for product development, as well as his engaging and fun writing style, present a great antidote to much of the doom and gloom defense acquisition literature out there. The principles for product development that Dan outlines and illuminates are applicable far beyond the defense industry, however, and I finished his book with an encouraged and positive feeling that no matter what I might be working on, the F.I.R.E. approach would help to make the outcome better.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By
PeteModi
on May 26, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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FIRE should be required reading for all acquisition professionals in the federal government. DAU and FAI should provide copies to every acquisition 101 student to embrace these core concepts at the dawn of their career. Program and project managers in all industries can benefit from FIRE to improve project success and drive innovation. Dan conveys the core messages of speed, thrift, simplicity and restraint through a series of entertaining stories in a truly enjoyable read. You don't have to take Dan's word for it, he shows you how NASA, the Air Force, and many others achieved great success at a fraction of the cost, schedule, and resources of epic failures. FIRE hacks the acquisition environment that was built up on decades of bureaucratic layers, policies, and culture, to show you how smart decisions early in the program can achieve remarkable mission outcomes. Dan is a dynamic writer and speaker whose unique style stands out as an acquisition thought leader.
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