Part 4 (1/2)

Define the terms-even the ones that are obvious Here too, clarity is paramount

We found out that workers A, B, and C made up the teaanization We also learned that the word ”teaether On the contrary, this ”team” worked independently on different tasks This sier iven to the workers by the er It excluded many other tasks the workers accoanization, customers, and each other The only tasks that counted in this picture were the ones with deadlines and accountability to the ement chain

Productivity was defined as how many tasks were completed on time (or by the deadline)

These definitions are essential to developing the ”right” ned a metric without these clarifications, but ould have risked s

Don't assume the terms used in the question are understood

The er provided training opportunities for the staff If the training did as expected, the cups would increase in size-perhaps from a 32-ounce to a 44-ounce super size

Does this seeue against things being ”strange,” very few things are ever ”too simple” Einstein once said, ”Make it as simple as possible, but no simpler” This is not too siht”

Once we have clear definitions for the terms that make up the root question, ill have a uage? It is equally ie used to create the root question

I ith clients to s until it provides the full answer to their question This technique has excellent benefits By using a picture: It's easier to avoid ju to data This is a coo directly to data

It's easier to think abstractly and avoid being put in a box Telling someone to ”think outside the box” is not always an effective way to get them to do so

We avoid fears, uncertainty, or doubt about the ability to collect, analyze, and report the necessary information These common emotions toward hly They tend to ”settle” for less than the ideal answer

We have a non-threatening tool for capturing the needs No names, no data or measures No information that would worry the client No data at all Just a picture Of course this picture e drastically by the time you finalize thewithout being restricted by preconceptions of what a metric (or what a particular answer) should be

One key piece of advice is not to design your metric in isolation Even if you are your ownthe use of a consultant I a the use of soenerate ideas and to bounce your ideas off of You need someone to help you ask ”why” You need someone to discuss your picture with (and perhaps to draw it) This is a creative, inquisitive process-and for most of us, it is immensely easier to do this with others Feel free to use your whole teaood root question willa complete picture drawn (I don't mean a Picasso) makes the identification of information, ood chance of getting the right components

The picture has to be ”co on paper (even if it's stick figures), I ask the client, ”what's ?” ”Does this fully answer your question?” Chances are, it won't When I did the conference seminar, the team members had cups-but they were all the same size and there was no ”fill-to-here line” After so to show the full story

It's actually fun to keepwith it until you feel it is co about what they want and need instead of what they think is possible This is the real power of drawing thethe Information, Measures, and Data Needed

Only after you have a complete picture do you address the components This picture is an abstract representation of the answer(s) to our root question It's like an artist's rendition for the design of a cathedral-the kind used inthe idea to financial backers When you present the idea to potential donors, you don't need to provide them with blueprints, you need to pitch the concept

Next are the specific design ele will be feasible As the architect, you can provide the artist's conception and do so while knowing from experience whether the concept is sound Your next step is to detern-the types of structures, wiring, plu walls Then you will have to determine the materials you need to make it a reality-what do we need to fill in the metric?

Let's look at the workload example Hoe divide our team's workload to be the most productive? Remember, the picture is of drink cups-various sizes from 20-ounce, to 32-ounce, to a super-sized 44-ounce Each cup has a nates the ”fill” level-and if we fill above this line, the froth will overflow the cup Using the picture, we need to deter: Hoe measure our team's level of productivity?

Hoe currently allocate (divide) the work?

What are other ways to allocate the work?

Of the three pieces of information listed, only the first seems to need measures The other two are process definitions Since our question is driven by a goal (to i the oal's achievement

Information can be made up of other information, measures, and data It isn't important to delineate each component-what's important is to work fro Don't jump to the data!

An example of how you can move from a question to measures and then to data follows

Hoe measure our team's level of productivity? How much can each worker do? Worker A?

Worker B?

Worker C?

How much does each worker do? By worker (same breakout as the previous measure) How much does each worker have in his or her cup? By worker How long does it take to perform a task? By worker By type of task

By task

I logged a sub-bullet for each worker to stress what seems to be anti-intuitive to many people-most tihow many clients want to set a number that they think ork for everyone

Machinery, even ly precise standards, doesn't function identically Why do we think that huanism known, and with beautiful variety-would fit a standardized behavior pattern?

Of course it would be easier if we had a standard-as in the ararammer does But this is unlikely

You may also be curious e have the first and second measures-how much a worker can do and how oal is to increase the productivity of the tea the load-it et people to work to their potential A siiven as ure 2-1, we may need to decide if the flavor of drink matters Do we need to know the type of work each worker has to do? Does the complexity of the work matter? Does the customer matter? Does the purpose of the work matter? Does the quality of the work er's assigned work? If we exclude other work, do we run the risk of i productivity in one area at the cost of others?

These questions are being asked at the right time-compared with if we started with the data If we started with a vague idea (instead of a root question) and ju these questions after collecting rea charts and graphs Only e showed the fruits of our labor to the client would we find out if ere on the right track

I want to help you avoid wasting your time and resources I want to convince you to build yourMeasures and Data