[ci5er]

Well, for one, TPS is attempting to optimize the manufacturing of a fixed design.

With software the design-made-code, where software is what in automotive would be considered the design process is 100% of the cost, the shipping of bits is 0%. In automotive, it is more like 5% design vs 95% building the car, goes the other way.

When people apply manufacturing methodologies to design practices, it rarely works out. "Design" is messy, but people expect to be able to apply a manufacturing-like "LEAN" process to it. They are mixing goslings and goats.

[p_l]

a lot of "LEAN" is about making work pieces smaller. This not only reduces waste, but allows quicker reaction time when you do need to change something.