Boeing 777
Boeing's Secret to the 777: They Were Agile Before It Was Cool
In 1995, two seemingly unrelated events occurred: the first Boeing 777 entered commercial service and the "Scrum" framework for software development was formally introduced. While most people were celebrating the 777's safe and on-time flights, they didn't realize Boeing had already embraced a philosophy that would later be known as Agile.
The 777 was a big leap for Boeing, for example it was Boeing's first-ever "fly-by-wire" aircraft and the first to be fully designed using 3D computer-aided design (CAD). Instead of the old, error-prone method of 2D drawings and physical mock-ups, engineers could now virtually assemble the plane, spotting thousands of potential problems before a single piece was manufactured**. This saved an incredible amount of time and money, reducing design changes by 80% compared to previous projects.
But the real secret to the 777's success was its radical new management style, led by engineer Alan Mulally. He called it "Working Together," and it completely shattered Boeing's old, bureaucratic way of working.
Tearing Down the Walls
Traditionally, different departments like design, manufacturing, and finance worked in isolation, simply "throwing their work over the wall" to the next team. Mulally changed this by creating nearly 250 cross-functional "Design-Build Teams" (DBTs). Each team included specialists from every discipline, even representatives from customer airlines. This meant that a team working on a cargo door, for example, had everyone they needed to take their design from a concept to a finished product.
This approach was a precursor to modern Agile principles:
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Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools: Instead of rigid processes, the focus was on close collaboration. The DBTs were a testament to this, co-locating people from different areas to solve problems in real time.
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Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation: Boeing didn't just build a plane and hope a customer would buy it. They brought airline representatives directly into the design process, making sure the final product met real-world needs. The entire program was kicked off with a simple, handwritten memo committing to building a "truly great airplane" together.
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Responding to Change over Following a Plan: The DBTs had the authority and ability to process small changes in a single day, a process that used to take weeks. They expected and adapted to new information as they went, ensuring the project stayed on track.
The 777 program proved that you could develop a massive, complex system on time and with incredible quality by embracing a new way of thinking. It's a powerful reminder that sometimes the most innovative ideas in business aren't found in a new technology, but in how we choose to work together.
** For more on this see the great 21st Century Jet: Making of the Boeing 777 by Karl Sabbagh, also made into a documentary.