Whether a group of engineers is developing new cars, software applications, aerospace equipment, kitchen appliances, controls, sensors, or any of hundreds of different items, the process they follow is pretty much the same, except in one company - Toyota, perhaps the most innovative and highly respected car company on the planet. This book is based on five years of hands on experience implementing Toyota's product development system, which according to research by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) achieves industry-leading quality and innovation while being four times as productive as the typical western company. Companies that are early adopters of the Toyota system are certain to realize tremendous advantages over their rivals. And the authors show how Toyota's set-based learning system can be adapted and adopted by other areas of a business as well, producing major advantages over a company's competition. This is a change that is coming to businesses everywhere and this book shows the way. It is a must read for anyone who is interested in better serving customers, investors, and employees.