From the French professional kitchen, codified by Auguste Escoffier (Le Guide Culinaire, 1903) and carried to other work by Dan Charnas (Work Clean, 2016) and Tiago Forte (Mise-en-Place for Knowledge Workers, 2021).
Sets out every material, tool, and step before work begins, so the arrangement of the workspace carries the plan and attention stays on execution.
When to reach for it
Before complex, time-pressured work where stopping mid-task to think would hurt the result, such as a launch, a hard meeting, or a cutover.
How it runs
- List every step and what each needs.
- Stage the materials in the order they will be used.
- Prepare in advance everything that can be prepared.
- Clear away what the task does not need.
- Walk through the work mentally, then start only when set.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- Le Guide Culinaire, 1903
- Work Clean: The Life-Changing Power of Mise-en-Place to Organize Your Life, Work, and Mind, Rodale, 2016
- Mise-en-Place for Knowledge Workers: 6 Practices for Working Clean, Forte Labs, 2021