Elon Musk has shared a powerful “simple algorithm” that he claims helps him make fewer mistakes and optimize productivity across his companies, including Tesla and SpaceX. The algorithm, which Musk says is designed to reduce errors and increase efficiency, was recently shared in a post showing it on a wall at SpaceX.
Musk’s 5-point algorithm includes the following key steps:
- Make Requirements Less Dumb
- Delete the Part or Process Step
- Optimize
- Accelerate
- Automate
Musk explained that this framework was designed to help him avoid unnecessary mistakes. “This simple algorithm that I came up with to help me make fewer dumb mistakes in the future is incredibly powerful,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The algorithm also made its first public appearance in Musk’s biography by Walter Isaacson. The book provides an in-depth look at the thinking behind each step of the process:
- Question every requirement: Every requirement should be tied to an individual, not just a department. Musk advocates for not blindly accepting requirements without clear ownership and reasoning behind them.
- Delete any part or process you can: The goal here is to simplify operations, even if it means temporarily removing certain processes. Musk suggests that if at least 10% of the processes aren’t re-added later, it means too little was deleted.
- Simplify and optimize: After eliminating unnecessary parts, the next step is to refine what remains. However, this should come after the previous steps, as optimizing unnecessary steps could waste valuable resources.
- Accelerate cycle time: Once unnecessary steps are removed, processes should be sped up. Musk admitted that in his earlier Tesla factory projects, he mistakenly spent too much time speeding up processes that should have been eliminated altogether.
- Automate: Automation should only come after the first four steps. According to Musk, he initially tried to automate everything too early, which led to inefficiencies. The correct approach is to ensure the system is streamlined and error-free before introducing automation.
This “algorithm” has already shown its effectiveness in the operations of Tesla and SpaceX, where optimizing processes has been key to both companies’ success. Now, the question remains: will other companies or even platforms like Dogecoin adopt this approach as SpaceX has?