It's a mixture of science and art. We spend a lot of time thinking about what the economic and business drivers will be in the coming years. We consider the laws of physics. We imagine what the world will look like in 2040. It requires the input of those who are close to the customer and those who are close to the technology, a combination of people with strong analytical and technical skill sets and those who are imaginative and can talk through these things. It's impossible to get the future precisely right, but with teamwork we are able to move confidently in the right direction. A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ENGINE A big part of what enables us to do what we do is the Meggitt Production System, a group-wide business system based on lean methodology. It started off as a method to help people build things on the shop floor in a more standardized fashion, but given its success there, its use has been expanded across the whole company. Deployed in every factory and every function " Life-saving technology is seemingly priceless. However, the market wants not only the best capabilities and performance, but also lower prices. " 38