Peter Merholz on the Structure of Organizations

Liftoff chronicles the turbulent beginnings of SpaceX, highlighting Elon Musk’s vision for space exploration and the company’s struggles and successes. The book draws on exclusive interviews with former and current engineers, designers, mechanics, and executives, including Elon Musk. It covers the first four launches of the Falcon 1 rocket, the challenges faced by the team, and the pivotal moments that transformed SpaceX into a leading-edge rocket company. The narrative includes stories from various locations such as El Segundo, Texas ranchland, and the Kwajalein atoll, where SpaceX conducted its early launches.

Org Design for Design Orgs explores the organizational aspects of building successful in-house design teams. It delves into creating an environment that fosters great design, moving beyond methods and practices to address the organizational context. The book examines team organization, cross-functional collaboration, recruitment, professional development, and culture building. It emphasizes creating a coherent design team within a larger organization, focusing on organizational qualities that enable good design rather than solely on design-led approaches. The authors draw on their combined experience in design firms and large enterprises to provide practical insights and guidance.