Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure the Right Things.

Measure the right things. It's not enough just to measure-you have to measure the right things.

A common measurement trap is to measure something because it's "interesting." If knowing a measurement won't change anything (e.g., help you make a decision, verify an assumption or prove the problem is solved), then don't waste your time measuring it.

Another common trap in defining the problem success criteria is to lose the direct connection to the problem. Somehow it's very easy to unintentionally expand the problem with general improvements that are good things to do, but aren't really necessary to solve the problem at hand.

Avoid these traps: once you decide to measure something always check back by asking yourself exactly what you will do with the results. Then ask the question in reverse: if you have a particular result, will it really enable you to make your decision, verify that assumption, etc.

With problem success criteria, cross-check your proposed measurements with your problem description. Everything in the problem description should be measured by the success criteria. Everything in the success criteria should measure some aspect of the problem presented in the problem description. If they don't match, your measurements are either incomplete, you're measuring something unnecessary, or your problem description isn't quite right.

HINT: "Everything necessary, nothing extraneous" should be your watchword. Measuring the right things will help make sure you solve the problem completely and don't get sidetracked into doing other things that won't help make this problem go away.

copyright 2005. Jeanne Sawyer. All Rights Reserved.

Jeanne Sawyer is an author, consultant, trainer and coach who helps her clients solve expensive, chronic problems, such as those that cause operational disruptions and cause customers to take their business elsewhere. These tips are excerpted from her book, When Stuff Happens: A Practical Guide to Solving Problems Permanently. Find out about it, and get more free information on problem solving at her web site: http://www.sawyerpartnership.com/.

---

Faith is the LIFE-blood of Your ACTIONS before the Benefit -

Nothing has changed. Your ancestors lived by faith. Some planted... Read More

OJT - On The Job Training

IntroductionManagers have two powerful ways of improving the performance and... Read More

Know the Source of Business

One of the first questions we ask a prospect or... Read More

Using the Six-Sigma Methodology to Improve Wafer Fab Productivity

As a result of consolidation of operations and significantly increased... Read More

Integrity... Should It Matter?

In our fast paced work culture, manned by technology savvy... Read More

The Diamond Cutter

Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist... Read More

How Your Business Can Pick A Software Developer

Eventually, your business is going to need to have some... Read More

Poor Employee Performance: How to Deal

KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS: "Document !Document! Document!" Keep a record of... Read More

Five Steps to Better Employee Management

Hiring employees is a huge responsibility. Before hiring anyone, be... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management ? Hierarchies

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

More Problem-Solving Success Tips

The ability to solve complicated problems quickly is more important... Read More

Three Business Lessons From The US Postal Service

There was a buzz in the air recently about the... Read More

A Checklist for Organized Executives

I could begin this article by providing a checklist of... Read More

Managers Who Spend PR $$ Wisely

If you are a department, division or subsidiary manager, your... Read More

Counseling Interviews for the Marginal Employee

ACTIVE LISTENING: The most frequent cause of failure in therapeutic... Read More

How to Dodge Distribution Difficulties

It happened again. I ran into an old friend while... Read More

Good Idea Generation ? A Process

It seems incongruous that good idea generation can be a... Read More

Are Your Marketing Pieces Up to Date?

The other day someone asked me for one of my... Read More

Stop Waste, Fraud and Abuse

Each year, businesses write-off six percent of revenue to waste,... Read More

How To Jump Start Your Profits and Keep Your Profits Rolling

There are so many ways to jump start your prifits... Read More

Training Adults, Not Teaching Children

Adults are vulnerable to personal and professional embarrassment from poor... Read More

Assessing Managers for International Competence

How do you select staff for international assignments? It's an... Read More

Team Motivation - Tough Enough to Care

Sir Alex Ferguson has just celebrated his 1000 game in... Read More

Indiscretion Can Kill Your Business

The quickest way to cancel out all the thought, work,... Read More

Interviewing Applicants Can Be Hazardous to Your Wealth

1st Fact: Interviewing applicants is the most common way companies... Read More

Middle-Aged Managers, the Forgotten Digital Divide

The digital divide is defined by the role computers play... Read More

Mantra for Managers

What do organizations look for in a prospective employee with... Read More

Preventative Maintenance of Company Delivery Vehicles

If you have company delivery vehicles at your small or... Read More

Its All About The Customers, Baby

If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers... Read More

Action Learning: Its More Than OJT

For centuries companies have used on-the-job training (OJT). OJT works... Read More

A Winning Way to Handle New Ideas

Janet DiClaudio, who was charge of medical records at two... Read More

Effective Meetings: Why Most Meetings are a Waste of Time

Whether your company holds one meeting a week or dozens... Read More

A Facilitators Guide to Running a Stakeholder Analysis Workshop

This facilitator's guide to running a stakeholder analysis workshop is... Read More