All 25 tactics
15 The Algorithm

Find the Limit by Deleting as Much as Possible

Remove components until the system fails, then add back only what's necessary.

Musk pushes teams to find the absolute minimum viable design by removing components until failure, then adding back only what’s necessary.

  • Remove until failure. Delete components or steps until the system breaks.
  • Add back the minimum. Restore only what’s absolutely necessary for function.
  • Test boundaries. Continuously push the limits of what can be removed.

SpaceX. SpaceX designed thinner Starship tanks by testing to failure, then adding back only the minimum material needed — resulting in roughly 50% cost savings while maintaining safety margins.

Tesla. Tesla applied this to vehicle design, removing unnecessary components and simplifying manufacturing to reduce costs and improve reliability.

Apply it. Stress-test products by systematically removing features until they break, then rebuild with only the essential elements.