Cover evolution for The Origins of Efficiency: “We explored a wide range of options inspired by examples that @_brianpotter highlights in the book: light bulbs, nails, printing presses, and more,” says @pablodelcan . “Each built on the theme of transformation, showing how processes that were once slow and labor-intensive evolved into modern feats of precision. We wanted to celebrate the history of manufacturing while also showing how far we’ve come. The final cover contrasts the complexity of an Airbus jet engine with the raw mechanical rhythm of a 19th-century canning factory. The juxtaposition emphasizes the progression of human ingenuity.” https:// press.stripe.com/origins-of-eff iciency …

Out now: http:// press.stripe.com/origins-of-eff iciency … 200 years on from the Industrial Revolution, we still struggle to understand what makes a production process more efficient. The Origins of Efficiency fills in that gap. Examining industries from steel to semiconductors to auto manufacturing, @_brianpotter reveals how production processes work and how they become faster, cheaper, and more reliable over time.