If it's not broke, don't fix it

T

toolman1

Active Member
IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT​
That phrase has been thrown around several times on this forum but what does it mean in the real world?

Henry Ford built the MODEL T. It was not broke so does that mean he should have stopped there until the competition put him out of business? If Henry made improvements that did not work out, was that a bad thing because it wasn't broke to begin with?

A pencil and paper work fine so why should Steve Jobs bother to invent a desk top computer? Sure it works faster but the pencil and paper are not broke!

My thoughts on the phrase "IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT" is that it puts an end to innovation and improvement.
 
toolman1 said:
IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT​
That phrase has been thrown around several times on this forum but what does it mean in the real world?

Henry Ford built the MODEL T. It was not broke so does that mean he should have stopped there until the competition put him out of business? If Henry made improvements that did not work out, was that a bad thing because it wasn't broke to begin with?

A pencil and paper work fine so why should Steve Jobs bother to invent a desk top computer? Sure it works faster but the pencil and paper are not broke!

My thoughts on the phrase "IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT" is that it puts an end to innovation and improvement.
Click to expand...

I think that phrase originated in the service business where a "fix" isn't neccessarily an improvement. No, that sounds more like our government!

Billy C
 
Billy C said:
I think that phrase originated in the service business where a "fix" isn't neccessarily an improvement. No, that sounds more like our government!
Click to expand...
So you're saying the phrase refers to repairing an existing product to bring it back, as close as possible, to it's original state. I think you may very well be right. That means that most people are using the phrase incorrectly - including yours truly.
 
Last edited:
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I always regarded the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" to refer to already existing things objects like cars, cracks in the basement that don't leak, and cages that hold the gawking humans out at the zoo. :joker:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top