Our planning system was dynamite when we first put it in. The thinking was fresh; the form mattered little. It was idea oriented. We then hired a head of planning, and he hired two vice presidents, and then he hired a planner; and the books got thicker, and the printing more sophisticated, and the covers got harder, and the drawings got better.

Summary

This quote highlights the evolution of a planning system. Initially, the focus was on generating innovative ideas, and the form or structure of the system was not given much importance. However, as the organization grew, more layers of management and staff were added to the planning team. This led to an increase in the complexity of the planning process, evidenced by thicker books, sophisticated printing, and improved visual representations. The quote suggests that with time, the system became more bureaucratic and focused on aesthetics rather than on the original purpose of generating fresh and impactful ideas.

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